Pressure Treated Wood Versus Cedar Fence

A common choice when choosing a wood fence is the decision whether to go with cedar or pressure treated pine.

Pressure treated wood versus cedar fence. In fence posts cedar lasts several years without rotting. The lumber s longevity depends on how much preservative is in the wood a characteristic that varies among grades of pressure treated lumber. Price factors also depend on. Cedar wood fences compliment any home and can be created in a number of different styles to suit your needs.

Cedar pressure treated wood is the sturdier and more weather proof of the two. Learn more about how to build a wood fence for your property. It does not warp shrink or check split as pressure treated pine will likely do eventually. Often homeowners make the mistake of working with pressure treated pine simply because it is commonly available and requires a smaller initial investment.

Cedar is a drier wood than pressure treated pine. Cedar is a very stable wood. Pressure treated lumber is used commonly for residential fencing. On average cedar at 17 to 22 per square foot runs about 20 to 30 more than pressure treated pine and 10 to 12 per square foot.

Additional materials other than boards. Cedar wood fences stand the test of time and look great decades after installation. Pine does better in more humid areas but must have time to dry out after treatment before being installed in very dry places because it may shrink or buckle due to the. It also smells great and while pine smells nice too once it s been treated it loses its natural aroma so how pine smells is completely irrelevant to your fencing needs.

Pressure treated pt pine boards can warp and shrink as quickly as one month after installation. For above ground use wood with 0 25 pound of preservative per cubic foot is adequate but wood that will be in contact with the ground such as that used for fence posts pergola posts or deck posts should contain 0 4 pound per square foot. Cedar doesn t absorb water as easily as other woods making it less likely to slip or twist over time. It copes very well in dry climates but in very wet and humid places the boards may expand over time which can cause problems.

Particularly common are the use of these materials in split rail fences and picket fences. When it comes to comparing treated wood vs. Using cedar for your deck or fence will give your property a rich warm and timeless style. Two of the most commonly used fencing materials include pressure treated pine wood and cedar wood.

For this reason we recommend using pressure treated pine for the posts and cedar for the rest of the fence. It s highly resistant to insect attack and rot and special versions rated for ground contact can be buried in soil and will continue to shrug off decay for decades.