“Cheapest Fence” the “Least Expensive” Fence?

Sometime when choosing a style of fence the price of material is all we consider. Maybe there are a few more things you should ask yourself. Usually a simple wood cedar fence will cost you less than any other type of fence but over time, maintenance may become expensive.

Will this fence last you 20 years?

Do the posts rot in the ground?

What should you do to prevent this post rot?

How will the fence look a few years down the road?

Will I be happy with the graying aged cedar look?

Do I want to preserve the new cedar look?

What must you do to protect the fence and extend its life?

What will your cost to protect the fence be?

How much of your time will it take to maintain the fence?

What is your time worth to you?

A maintained cedar fence will last 15 to 20 years but it will take time on your part and will cost your pocket book every year. If you used nails on the original install you will be replacing nails every year and you will find that strong winds will blow off  the pickets. If you do not use coated screws you will soon have black lines running down from the nails/screws the will stain your fence. To maintain that new cedar color you will need to apply a UV inhibitor. This can be costly. Within two weeks of the fence install you should apply an oil or stain to your fence. Then in about a year you should apply a second coat. Then every one to two years this will need to be re-applied.

When you consider all of these necessary maintenance steps and your time the “Cheapest fence” may not be the “least expensive fence” after all.

 

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