Cedar Displays Unique Beauty

One of the main reasons homeowners choose cedar for their privacy fencing is because of the wood's natural beauty. Most woods display attractive graining patterns. However, the Western Red Cedar many fencing companies use features a uniform grain that's rare in the wood world. This straight-grained lumber provides a high-end material for your fence.

Cedar also provides its characteristic color. The heartwood that most fencing contractors use is reddish to pinkish brown. You often get a few streaks and bands of darker graining. Some cedar pickets also feature knots, which many homeowners value aesthetically.

Cedar Requires Little Maintenance

Some homeowners shy away from wood fencing because they don't want to have to maintain it. Cedar fencing does require some maintenance. However, the required maintenance is a lot less than other fencing woods.

The main maintenance that you'd incur with a cedar fence is the initial application of a protective coating. Indeed, your fencing contractors can provide that service for you. After that, you may choose to reapply the protective coating every few years. You may also want to practice standard fencing maintenance tasks, such as inspecting it for breaks or splinters.

Cedar Is Durable

Cedar is known for its durability. It features natural oils that help the wood be resistant to rotting. Indeed, Western Red Cedar has been rated as durable to very durable in its resistance to decay. Therefore, a cedar privacy fence maintains its structural integrity for a long time - often longer than pressure-treated wood.

Cedar withstands inclement weather conditions well. The natural oils in the wood also make it resistant to warping and shrinkage. So, the cedar pickets are less likely to buckle or splinter. The cedar privacy fence will hold its shape for a long time. What's more, you can extend its life with sealants or other protective coatings. A well-maintained cedar fence can last 30 years or longer.

Another feature that's unique to cedar is its insect repellence. Many people use cedar wood chips to deter moths in their clothing or pests in their planting beds. More important to your fence, though, is cedar's natural resistance to termites. The pests don't like the taste of cedar oil.

Cedar Controls Temperature and Sound

Cedar wood features air pockets inside its structure. These pockets help the wood control the temperature in its environs. They work a little like insulation, so the surrounding area is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. If you have a privacy fence built of cedar, it can help make your yard's temperature more comfortable.

A privacy fence already helps dampen noise by its very structure. However, those air pockets in cedar serve a second service - they help dampen sound even further. Indeed, a cedar privacy fence can decrease noise pollution in your yard by up to 70 percent.

Cedar Weathers Well

Cedar, like any wood, deteriorates over time. However, cedar wood features that abundance of natural oils. Well, not only do the oils make it naturally resistant to pests, they help cedar deteriorate more slowly. If you have the fence stained or otherwise treated, you further slow down this process.

That said, even an untreated cedar fence weathers well. The process starts right away, but then those natural oils preserve the wood. You can go years without having to replace the fence because of structural issues. What's more, many homeowners prize the silvery appearance cedar takes on as it weathers.

Consider choosing cedar for your wooden privacy fence. When you're ready to explore your fence options, contact Alta Fence Co.