You've finally decided that you want a wood fence for your home, but now you must decide on what kind of wood you should use. Birch or pine is a possibility, but that type of wood will not hold up very well against bad weather. Lumber that has been pressure-treated is an option, but you'll lose the beautiful wood grain by using it. Cedar is a viable alternative for those that want a fence that will be beautiful and last a long time, but even that material has options to pick from. Here are two tips to help select the best fencing material possible.

Select Red Cedar For Rot Resistance

Red cedar wood is sourced from the US in western forests, and white cedar is sourced from the eastern part of the country. Each type of wood contains oils that are naturally occurring, which help the material resist rot. That said, they are not equal when it comes to how much they resist rot. Red cedar actually contains more oils than it's eastern counterpart, which assists in rot resistance. If your goal is to install a fence that lasts as long as possible, red cedar should be your choice.

The cost of red cedar material will be more than if you went with white cedar, though you should keep in mind that the durability of red cedar could end up saving you by not needing to replace the material as soon.

You can always apply oil to a cedar fence to give it additional durability, but it is something you will need to reapply if you have a white cedar fence.

Select Heartwood For Durability

Wood has different classifications depending on where the wood is sourced from the tree. Sapwood is a wood that is harvested near the tree's exterior, since that is the part of the tree where the majority of the sap flows through. The tree's center will not have as much sap flowing through it, and is known as heartwood. It will contain more nutrients in it, which help the wood last much longer than sapwood.

Always check the kind of wood that you are purchasing for a cedar fence. If you get red cedar heartwood material, your fence will have more durability than white cedar sapwood material.

One you decide on a kind of cedar for your fencing material, contract a fencing contractor in your area to perform the installation.

For a fence contractor, check it out by clicking on this link or doing an online search.