Fence Supply Inc

Fence Supply Inc. - Wood, Iron, Chain-Link, PVC, Farm & Ranch Fencing, Iron Handrails, Posts, and Gates, PVC Handrails, Posts, and Gates; Gate Operators; Access Control; Kennels

(972) 226-0004

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How to Pick the Perfect Wood Fence

admin · November 26, 2012 ·

Are you scratching your head  over the many options and styles available for a new wood fence? Don’t worry, Fence Supply Inc. is here to help. We are just a phone call away and we will be happy to help you through this process. All we need is your measurements for your fence project to help you estimate what and how many materials you need. See our article Measuring For My Fence Project. This information is very important to give you an accurate estimate for materials.

Choosing a great Wooden Privacy Fence can be a very straightforward process. In fact, the process should begin with a simple question of how long you would like the wooden fence to last. The cost of a new wooden fence is important, but this should not be the deciding factor. Longevity and functionality is a much better fence decision maker.

Your first step is to pick one of the four types or species of wood.

Wood type or species

Traditional

Cedar

Cedar

Treated Pine

Spruce/Pine

Longevity

20 – 25 Years

20 – 25 Years

15-17 Years

9 – 12 Years

Grade Options

Clear, #1, #2

#2 BTR

#2

Premium

Thickness

21/32”

21/32”

23/32”

5/8”

Environmental friendliness

10+

10+

10

10

Cedar Fence Options

Western Red Cedar has natural durability and exceptional beauty that bring warmth, character and longevity to your fence project. Western Red Cedar is great for both residential and commercial projects. Whether you choose a #1 grade, with small, tight knots, or the Cadillac of cedar grades, clear, Western Red Cedar offers virtually unlimited versatility and design flexibility.

Western Red Cedar is a truly sustainable fencing material. It has the lowest environmental impact when compared with other fence materials such as brick and stone. Go Green with Cedar.

Western Red Cedar is one of the world’s most durable woods. Natural resistance to moisture, decay and insect damage has long made Western Red Cedar the premier choice for either privacy or decorative fence projects. Fibers in cedar heartwood contain natural preservatives that are toxic to decay-causing fungi.

Western Red Cedar Fence Alternatives

Fence Supply Inc strives to help customers stretch their fence dollars as far as possible. We offer some great alternatives to western red cedar that last almost as long. Currently we offer two such products: Everwood and Aromatic Cedar. These are cousins of western red cedar and offer almost the same longevity and durability, at less of a cost.

Note: most companies will sell you these products and call them western red cedar. Fence Supply Inc. will not do this. We always want our customer to understand the product they are receiving. Come in and check out these two varieties yourself to see the difference.

If you are offered a “cedar product” from another company, and the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Ask lots of questions, and come in to Fence Supply Inc., where you will be sure to get honest answers.

Treated Pine Wood Fencing

Treated pine is a great product as an alternative to Western Red Cedar. It is more cost effective than cedar and has a good, long lifespan.

All of our treated pine is treated with MicroPro® technology, a revolutionary way to pressure treat wood for decks, fences, landscaping and general construction uses. MicroPro® pressure treated wood is treated with micronized copper preservatives, which help protect against termite damage and fungal decay. MicroPro® offers many benefits including significantly improved corrosion performance. MicroPro®-treated wood products are U.S. building code compliant.

Osmose MicroPro® technology is the first treated wood process to be certified under Scientific Certification Systems Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) program based on Life-Cycle Assessment.

Read more on how this treatment is revolutionary: Information About MicroPro® Micronized Copper Treated Wood http://www.treatedwoodtruth.com/Treated-Wood-Information-on-Osmose-MicroPro-Lumber.php

A comprehensive review of copper-based wood preservatives can be found at http://www.treatedwoodtruth.com/pdf/Nov08-FPJ-Feature.pdf

Spruce Wood Fencing (commonly referred to as SPF)

Spruce is a great, economic privacy fence option.  Fence Supply Inc. has a few different options when spruce fencing is the fence of choice.  Spruce fencing accepts stain very well to extend the life of the fence and give a nice rich look.

Spruce-pine-fir

SPF refers to spruce-pine-fir, Canadian woods of similar characteristics that have been grouped for production and marketing. Four species, White Spruce (Picea glauca), Engelmann Spruce (Piceaengelmanni), Lodge pole Pine (Pinus contorta), and Alpine Fir (Abieslaciocarpa) comprise the SPF species group. All yield high-grade timber with relatively small, sound tight knots.

SPF lumber is seasoned uniformly in dry kilns to a moisture content of 19% or less. Kiln drying inhibits natural staining of the wood, improves its strength and stiffness, enhances its appearance and increases its resistance to decay and attack by insects.
SPF has a high strength-to-weight ratio and is well known for its outstanding working properties. It takes and holds nails exceptionally well and is easily worked with hand and power tools.

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How to Estimate Material for a Wood Privacy Fence

admin · November 16, 2012 ·

Wood Privacy Fence Material Estimation

Cost is one of the major considerations in the installation of a privacy fence, but it seems like there is no set price for a wood fence. This is because of the variety of factors that make each fencing project unique: area of the country, size of the fence, materials used, etc. This is why it’s important to estimate your fencing material needs as accurately as possible, so you can budget accordingly. This guide will help.

Determining the number of fence posts

The number of wood fence posts depends on the measurements of each fence line, the type of fence you’re building, and the kind of wood you’re using.

Wood fence posts should be lined up 6 to 8 feet apart depending on the type of your fence. For privacy fences where the pickets are placed next to each other, 6-foot spacing is more appropriate in order to have enough post strength to carry the weight of your pickets.

The type of wood you use also plays a big part in the proper spacing of your fence. The heavier the wood, the smaller the distance between your wood posts should be.

When you have decided on the proper spacing between your fence posts, you may then compute for the number of fence posts. The first you should determine is the number of your line posts, using the following formula:

No. of line posts per fence line = (Length of fence line / Spacing between posts) – 1

Do this for each fence line and add to get the total number of fence posts needed.  For the side where the gate is situated, you will have two lines.  Measure each line from the gate post to the corner.

Corner posts should be buried deeper into the ground (at least 2/3 of the entire length of the post) compared to your line posts (at least 2 feet). Considering this, your fence posts should be longer and if possible larger than your line posts. The following formula will help you compute the number of fence posts you need.

No. of corner posts = Total number of corners + 2

The total number of corners pertains to the number of corners in you fence perimeter. If your perimeter is square or rectangular, your fence will have 4 corners. Add 2 and you will have 6 corner posts. The 2 additions will be used as gate posts.

Determining the number of wood railings

It is advisable to have three parallel railings (one each at the bottom, middle, and top of the fence) in order to properly support the weight of the pickets. The computation of the number of wood railings on your fence will basically depend on the number of posts computed as follows:

No. of wood railings = (No. of line post + No. of corner posts – 1) x 3

 

Determining the number of pickets

For privacy fences pickets need to be placed next to each other so as not to have gaps.  The combined width of your pickets should be equal to the total perimeter of the fence less the gate length.  Use the following formula in computing the total pickets needed:

No. of pickets = (Total fence perimeter – Gate length) / Width of each picket

These are the main materials that are needed in your fence.  In computing for the total cost, don’t forget to add 2 or 3 items per category as buffer for waste materials. If your supplier computes prices using board feet, you can compute it as follows:

Total board feet** = (length * width * thickness) / 144

**All units should be in inches.

After getting the cost for the main materials, add 40% of the amount for labor cost, and 20% for other materials such as nails, cement, etc. You should also make a separate estimate for staining or painting, and consider cost of permits and cost of renting tools needed if applicable.

With a little bit of careful planning at the beginning, you can be sure to come on budget when you build your new wood fence!

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Fence Supply Inc.

435 US Highway 80 E
Sunnyvale, TX 75182

 

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