privacy fence

[68sschevyII]

I am needing to install A fence and would like some input from you all about wood type, type of cnstruction for best privacy and durability. I would like to see some ics if anyone can post some. I have started having issues with nosey people and heathen kids. I am looking at wood coming off the sides of the house and going down both sides of the yard and chain link across the back. I have Leyland cypress trees across the back so wood isn't needed there. I know it isn't A garage thread but I have to keep some folks out of the garage ....

Tommy

 

[gerry]

There is someone up the street from me who built a fence from the heavy roofing metal that is so popular now. It looks to have the factory white baked on finish on it. I think it looks great! It also has a trim along the top edge. Don't know what the backside looks like or what he used for posts and stringers but duplication it should be fairly straight forward. All the wood fences I've seen look pretty bad after about three years and even when new, they look cheap in material

 

[Bill K]

I have a wood fence that is going on 10 years old and is still in great shape. The main things to long life are build it from quality wood not the pre fab panels at homey lows. Stain it with a quality sealer stain not tommys water in a can. Mine was built from 3/4 x 6 pressure treated slats. It has been stained twice since it was new, once after the wood dried when new and just this spring. Used Olympic both times. I'll get some pic's and post them for you.

 

[rt66jt]

I'm a big fan of Vinyl fences. Never rust, rot, or need painting. Most come with a lifetime warranty, and they're easy to stick back together if you should happen to do something stupid (say, wheelie your lawn tractor into the fence) and prefer to fix it yourself before anyone finds out.

 

[screwTheMan]

My Dad and I have built several "shadow box" style wood privacy fences. The nice thing about the shadow box is it looks good on both sides and they flow well with uneven terrain (as opposed to staggering pre-built sections). I really like them. Also, my Dad swears by using screws to put everything together. That way, if you ever get a warped board or something, you can just screw in a new one. When he told the contractors he wanted them to build my deck with screws, they thought he was nuts!

I'll try to remember to shoot a picture in the daylight tomorrow.

 

[DynoDave]

Great topic! I have to put up a new fence next year. Had to take the old one down to build the new shop. It was original to the house (1979), so it held up well. All cedar. Posts looked like BRAND NEW when I pulled them out of the ground. I couldn't believe it. So I'd agree with the comment above about material choice making a big difference.

 

[DANNO]

not tommys water in a can.

Hey Tommy! You selling your water?
JK, I know what he's talking about. I have replaced slats and posts in my fence due to it not being a pressure treated one. Posts should definitely be treated ones. And as above, I recommend screws. (decks are all done with screws out here, but I like to use them on fences as well)


Dan (fenced in)

 

[PAToyota]

There is someone up the street from me who built a fence from the heavy roofing metal that is so popular now.

Wouldn't mind seeing a picture of that if possible. Sounds like something different from the typical fences.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I'm a big fan of Vinyl fences. Never rust, rot, or need painting. Most come with a lifetime warranty, and they're easy to stick back together if you should happen to do something stupid (say, wheelie your lawn tractor into the fence) and prefer to fix it yourself before anyone finds out.

I'll second this. A wood fence, depending on weather and climate will eventually deterioate and rot. Even treated wood will eventually, in addition, you have to ocassionally seal it with some sort of sealer or it will deterioate that much faster. Vinyl only needs pressure washing ocassionally, and lasts for many years.

Charles

 

[sjsfire]

I'll second this. A wood fence, depending on weather and climate will eventually deterioate and rot. Even treated wood will eventually, in addition, you have to ocassionally seal it with some sort of sealer or it will deterioate that much faster. Vinyl only needs pressure washing ocassionally, and lasts for many years.

Charles

True, but doesn't vinyl fence also use a wood 4x4 in the ground covered by vinyl for the backbone of the fence. Or do most use vinyl 4x4s? I see the wood 4x4s wrapped in vinyl around here.

 

[nova65ss]

We installed a white vinyl picket fence on my neighbors home in my 1st home and it didn't have any wood posts. We cemented the vinyl posts and they held up well. But his kids were kicking the soccer ball in the back yard a week later and knocked out maybe 10 pickets in a day. I would imagine the solid fences are alot stronger.

Jimmy