Best wood for picket fence in Eugene, OR

Best? Redwood.

On Tue, 20 Dec 2005 20:27:23 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm, "Pat" quickly quoth:

Right, heart redwood, followed by red cedar (also locally available), or imported cypress. The red cedar would be my choice since I don't have the deep pockets required for heart redwood.

-- Adults are obsolete children. --Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel, 1904-1991)

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Also check out treated wood for price comparison. Redwood is best, but a real budget buster. I put up 240' ft. of fence 4 years ago, but left it natural. It takes a coat of clear sealer every two years for maintenance. Properly sealed & exterior latex will probably last longer. Bugs

If you are going to paint the fence, the cheapest may be SPF (probably doug fir). Also be sure to mount the posts on galv steel mounts set in concrete. Nothing should be in contact with standing water or soil. mahalo, jo4hn

Mike.. In California, the #1 choice for most fencing is redwood..

Since we get most of our redwood from Oregon, I'd think it's the same there..

OTOH, if she really has her heart set on painting it, (most folks in my area stain redwood fences), You could use any construction grade fir I'd guess..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Since it would be painted, I was actually thinking along the lines of a construction type wood relatively free of knots. Just not sure what to specify at the local supplier. Mike

Mike, If you walk into a left coast lumber yard with a list that contains stuff like tubafors, forbafors, slats, and the like, you'll probably get doug fir. If you want redwood, cedar, or whatever, you need to specify it. If you want maple or even pine, lotsa luck. That's special order stuff unless you are in a hardwood lumber store. mahalo, jo4hn

Mike.. I'd just go to a lumber yard (they have real ones up there) and ask one of the folks for suggestions... you're not going to buy it at home and bring it with you, anyway...

I used to try and find someone at the lumber yard that looked older than me to ask for advice... now that not many folks look older than me, I settle for someone who looks knowledgeable.. *g*

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Actually, you're probably gonna get that crap the big orange box calls hem-fir... which is almost always soaking wet, twisted hemlock. You gotta work to get doug-fir.

Redwood is uncommon in Oregon, but cedar is easy to get anywhere you go. And most of the cedar fences in my area are left unfinished, and weather to a silver-gray.

Hi Mike MIKES bargain barn on HW 99 has some wood that would work for the pickets, or there is a redwood outlet on west 11th if you wanted to use that. If you like I can check out MIKE's next week when I go over that way.

Richard, I would certainly like to know what Mike's has and prices If it's not too much trouble. Don't go out of your way as I'm not sure when this project will get started. Might be months and I can always send my daughter over to ask around now that I know about it. Turns out Mike's bargain center isn't far from her house which is on Monroe down by Butte Park and the rose gardens. Gotta love mapquest. Do you know if the redwood outlet have a web site? You have some nice pictures and good looking work in your gallery. Nice boxes and carvings and a good planer bed idea. Thanks Mike