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Douglas Fir Privacy Fence?

CamG
10 years ago

Anyone have a douglas fir privacy fence? One company wants to sell me one for quite a bit cheaper, and the rep claims it's better. Other reps tell me its garbage. I found a study done that douglas fir posts don't last nearly as long as cedar (it was for the forest service, I think, about power poles), but I can't find any great info. Thanks for any thoughts!

Comments (5)

  • LE
    10 years ago

    It certainly won't last as long as cedar. (Current cedar doesn't last as long as the old-growth cedar they used to use, either, but it would be kinda crazy to use it for a fence nowadays.) We live in the part of the country covered with Doug Fir. One of our neighbors built a long fence out of fir. But he had the trees on site and a buddy with a mill and used his own labor, so it made it virtually free, other than whatever sealer he used on it. It was only a couple of years ago, but it still looks great. I don't know how long it will last. If I were having to pay a big chunk of the total for labor, I'd choose something known to last longer, though.

  • kirkhall
    10 years ago

    "Characteristics of Douglas Fir Lumber
    Like redwood, Douglas fir is a coniferous tree, and the wood is soft but structurally stable. It has a yellowish-white hue that darkens to orange as you approach the heartwood. It lacks any of the pest-resistant oils found in redwood or cedar and has a shorter outdoor lifespan than either of these species. Its Janka Hardness rating of 660 makes it harder than most other domestic softwoods, including redwood. Builders use Douglas fir as dimensional lumber for framing and as interior trim and cabinet material. It is also a primary component of construction-grade plywood.
    Comparison as Fencing Material
    Redwood is a better choice for fencing material than Douglas fir for at least three reasons. Perhaps the most important reason is that the oils in redwood give it natural weather resistance, and it lasts two or three times as long as Douglas fir outdoors. Another important reason, especially when you're building a high privacy fence, is that redwood is lighter. Finally, redwood shrinks less than Douglas fir, so the fence boards are more likely to resist warping, cracking or splitting. An extra benefit of using redwood is that it is more porous than Douglas fir and stains more evenly."
    http://homeguides.sfgate.com/redwood-vs-douglas-fir-fencing-55346.html

    So, that is for naked wood ^^

    However, will yours be pressure treated or painted?

  • virgilcarter
    10 years ago

    Douglas fir is a wonderful structural wood for indoor, protected use. It makes no sense to use outdoors, since all usage above ground will require regular and constant maintenance (scraping, patching and painting), and any below grade usage will quickly lead to rot and failure.

    The choices for outdoor use for fencing, decks, steps and the like are: 1) pressure treated; 2) artificial materials; 3) naturally weather resistant species such as redwood or cedar, but for greatest durability all-heart wood is really required (which is the most expensive grade of this expensive alternative).

    Good luck on your project.

  • CamG
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    kirkhall,
    Here in the midwest, redwood is unheard of. My dad built a deck around a spa out of redwood in the early 80s, and after we ripped it out we jealously guarded the redwood (which was still in amazing condition). I don't think it would be either stained or treated, although I could certainly stain it later on.

    Virgil, thanks, you're confirming what I was worried about. I'll see what the price increase for cedar is. What this company is claiming is that the douglas fir is harvested from all-heart wood while the cedar that is commonly-available is all sap-wood, and so the heartwood douglas fir outperforms the sapwood cedar.

    Here is a link that might be useful: The Death of Real Cedar Fencing

  • kirkhall
    10 years ago

    I only included the redwood bit because that is what is being compared. But, the point was that the doug fir doesn't have the natural oils and whatnot to protect it that cedar or redwood do.

    I think you have your answer now.

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