Redwood: A Beautiful, Environmentally Smart Fencing Option

Redwood: A Beautiful, Environmentally Smart Fencing Option

(ARA) - A fence can be one of the hardest working features of your home. The right fence will define your space, create privacy and shade, and retain its beauty while standing up to even the harshest weather.

The perfect fence will also reflect your commitment to living "green."

Before you design or build your fence, you should consider certain questions that can help ensure that your fence complements the character of your home. Are you defining a boundary or shielding yourself from unwanted noise? Which views do you want to keep or block? What activities or traffic patterns occur in the area? Would planter boxes help convey the mood you want?

Whether you are building a utilitarian, hard-working barrier fence or sprucing up the front yard entry to your home, a redwood fence can do the job in style.

Redwood can capture the feel of the great outdoors and is naturally resistant to insects, fire and decay. It's easy to work with so you can add intricate details and personal touches so your fence reflects your style. You can also choose from a variety of finishes to give your redwood fence the exact color and look you want.

Redwood lumber comes in several grades to help you get exactly the look you're after. Posts are generally made from 4-by-4 or 6-by-6 Construction Heart grade redwood that contains knots and durable heartwood. Fence rails, which run horizontally, are most often 2-by-4 or 2-by-6. Standard fence boards are 1-by-6 but can be custom-cut to the pattern of your choice.

Remember to pay attention to detail. For example, gates often become the focal point for a fence and can enhance an entryway. A trellis or pergola over a gate often provides the perfect accent.

Using redwood for your fence can create a distinctive appearance, and it is a sound environmental choice, too. Redwood is a renewable resource grown and harvested to the highest environmental standards in the world. Plus, choosing redwood can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Redwood forests are among the most efficient scrubbers of greenhouse gases on the planet. Because redwood is the fastest growing softwood species in North America, redwood trees excel at absorbing the greenhouse gas carbon from the air. When redwoods are harvested, the carbon trapped by trees is stored in the wood that becomes your fence or deck. Harvested sites are always replanted, so redwood forests will endure and clean the air for generations.

Redwood works for just about any style fence you can imagine. Lattice fences feature a light and delicate design that can be readily pre-fabricated in square or rectangular frames. Picket fences are usually no more than four feet high and make excellent decorative boundary markers. Board-on-board fences make wonderful "good-neighbor" fences because they look the same on both sides, and panel fences provide solid barriers.

Regardless of the style you choose, redwood's natural beauty holds up well in all types of weather. Left alone, redwood fences will take on a distinguished gray look. The California Redwood Association notes that protecting your redwood fence with a water-repellent finish that contains a mildewcide and sun-blocking ultraviolet inhibitor can extend its life.

Good fences do make good neighbors, so it is important to consider the view from both sides of your redwood fence. Some fences look wonderful on your side, yet present neighbors with a less appealing view. Other designs look equally attractive from both sides. A friendly talk with your neighbors can lead to a design that pleases all parties, and they may even be willing to share the cost of materials and labor.

The California Redwood Association offers a 16-page booklet, Redwood Fences for All Reasons, free online at http://www.calredwood.org/ref/lit.htm. It includes dozens of idea-starting color fence photos which are accompanied by how-to details and material specifications. It also contains a construction guide that takes the do-it-yourselfer through every step of the designing and building process.

For other project plans and redwood information, log on to www.calredwood.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent