[HASupport]

Finished my fence before snow hit but now I need to weather proof it. What works best and lasts the longest?

Thanks!

 

[John Hyatt]

I use twp 100 series, and have for a lot of years.

However it hardly matters with your project what finish you use on the pickets with no cap rail the stringers will fail from rot long before the twp finish does.

J.

 

[RobertCDF]

Common fence construction here in CO (where I bet HA is). Usually it blows over in the 80-100 mph winds we get before it rots out.

 

[sunkist]

Paint, Thats why we started to paint our homes so the wood would not decay.

 

[John Hyatt]

That looks like cedar with a lot of standard and not much better.

Thing is even if the stringers are ground contact PT, where the stringers touch the cedar is where the rot starts, quickly .

It is however the way 90 % of the fence jobs are built.

J.

 

[CarpenterSFO]

I'm sure that what John means to say is that you might as well enjoy watching it acquire a natural patina.:laughing:

John is right - when it fails it will do so at the joints and connections, and stain or sealant won't change that. So stain or seal it for appearance rather than for preservation.

 

[HASupport]

I used treated 4x6x8 posts instead of regular 4x4 cedar. We have had problems with the wind in my area and also with the posts rotting out at the ground so we went a little overkill.

I understand there is not a great way to preserve wood, as eventually, it will rott out. I just need a stain or sealant that will last longer than 1 year and possibly help a little.

Thanks,

Mandy

 

[CarpenterSFO]

I used treated 4x6x8 posts instead of regular 4x4 cedar. We have had problems with the wind in my area and also with the posts rotting out at the ground so we went a little overkill.

I understand there is not a great way to preserve wood, as eventually, it will rott out. I just need a stain or sealant that will last longer than 1 year and possibly help a little.

Thanks,

Mandy

Sunkist is correct about paint; if durability is the main priority then a well-maintained coat of paint is the best route. On the other hand your posts may last pretty well and you can just replace boards as they fail; that's fence maintenance.

 

[HASupport]

Sunkist is correct about paint; if durability is the main priority then a well-maintained coat of paint is the best route. On the other hand your posts may last pretty well and you can just replace boards as they fail; that's fence maintenance.

I have plenty of extra pickets. I'm hoping the posts last a while.

 

[redwood]

Sunkist is correct about paint; if durability is the main priority then a well-maintained coat of paint is the best route. On the other hand your posts may last pretty well and you can just replace boards as they fail; that's fence maintenance.

The key statement there is well maintained. If not, paint is the worst choice, unless you don't mind flaking paint and prematurley rotted lumber.

 

[John Hyatt]

I agree with Mark. There are just too many exposed joints in a fence to use paint.

Weather takes it's toll, water gets behind the paint, gets trapped, rot starts real quick.

Copper naphthenate Brown ?

J.

 

[CarpenterSFO]

The key statement there is well maintained. If not, paint is the worst choice, unless you don't mind flaking paint and prematurley rotted lumber.

Yes, you must maintain a paint finish properly. And paint isn't what it used to be.

 

[hdavis]

I'm half inclined to try mineral oil boiled with some paraffin. Not something I'd recommend, but I'm trying some crazy things these days.