What You Should Know Before Choosing a Wood Fence for Your Ottawa Home

Meta description: Thinking about putting up a wood fence for your Ottawa home? Here are some facts you need to know about first.

It’s probably fair to say that when it comes to fences, most people only have two basic choices: wood or not wood. That’s it. With a wood fence Ottawa homeowners can become part of a centuries-old tradition and part of a huge community of homeowners who have wooden fences. Wood, for all its seeming imperfections and difficulties, come with a classic look and quality no other fencing material can match.

Before putting up a wood fence, Ottawa resident should really first consult with a professional fencing company so that they can get proper guidance regarding the proper wood to get. There are many types of wood to choose from, and each will have its own pros and cons.

Wood Fence Components

The pickets are the wood pieces that stand up and define the overall wood fence. They may come in one of the many different styles at the top, such as flat top, pointed, rounded, and many more. These pickets connected through the rails, which are often located at the back of the pickets.

Then there are the posts, which are set on the ground. The fasteners include nails, wood staples, and hinges if the fence has a gate.

Wood Quality

Aside from choosing a type of wood to use for a fence, homeowners must also decide on what kind of wood grade to use. This is crucial, because poor wood quality will just negate whatever benefits would have come with the specific variety of wood you’ve chosen. A lower grade wood may be adequate for fence panels and pickets, but for posts the quality must be better because these are the parts of the fence that tend to fail first.

The lowest quality and least expensive is quality grade wood, and these typically contain knots. The highest quality and the most expensive is clear grade wood, as its natural appearance is consistent throughout. Next in quality but still excellent is the premium grade wood, with a consistent look throughout as well.

Then there’s the select grade wood, which is premium grade on one side but the other side has a few defects. The standard grade wood follows next, with a select grade on one side and several defects on the other side. Finally, there’s the standard and the better grade wood, with defects on both sides (but fewer than those found on the quality grade wood).

Pros and Cons

Wood fences can be painted in any colour, and they can be in any shape or form. They can be used to provide full privacy when required. They’re easy to install, relatively cheap, and biodegradable.

However, even the best quality wood fence may not last for more than 15 years, and to last that long maintenance must be performed regularly. Wood can decompose as it is susceptible to dry rot, fungus, termites, and other insects. It can fade, warp, or crack after it gets wet and then dries. It must be painted regularly too. So in other words, wood fences require the highest maintenance than just about any other type of fence.