Treatment for Cedar Privacy Fence

16 years ago

Had a cedar fence installed last year (November 2006). It is cedar panels with cedar posts.

My wife and I love the color and natural look of the fence....that's why we ultimately went with wood instead of vinyl.

From what I have read on these forums, I have a number of options on how to maintain the fence. My wife and I have narrowed it down to the following choices:

1. do nothing and let it weather naturally to a gray finish

2. treat it with a product to maintain its natural color

We don't want to stain it or paint it.....we definitely prefer the natural color of the wood as it is now or as it would gray naturally.

My questions are these:

1. Am I compromising the life expectancy of the fence by choosing to do nothing and let the fence gray naturally?

2. If I go with option #2, what is the best product/system to keep the fence its natural color...as it is now.

Thanks for the help.

I've attached a few photos as well.

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Comments (5)

ryanlrs
16 years ago
Yes you would be compromising the life of the fence by doing nothing. There are several contrator grade products available. First you have to decide on weather you want to take this on yourself, that is alot of fence (lol) looks great though. Do some reading there are products that can let it gray or protect the color or contact me and I can help you out if you like. It is alot of information to cover, not like painting a wall. Where are you located?

Ryan
ryan@lanerenewseal.com
832-577-1846
mrmichaeljmoore
Original Author
16 years ago
The fence is located in Connecticut....
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kimcoco
16 years ago
It depends if your fence is treated or not - talk to the contractor about this. We had installed a partial cedar fence that is not treated and we purchased from Menards, and had contractors install a treated fence in another area of our yard. We are letting them both go natural and grey out, but I was told our original fence isn't going to last as long because it's not pre-treated. The pre-treated cedar (natural, no stain) will have a longer life expectancy. Of course, staining and sealing any fence is going to expand the life expectancy, but it's also a lot of work to maintain, and once you do it, you have to keep up with it.
ryanlrs
16 years ago
Michael email me. I will give you the skinny it does not take much to maintain if you use the right products.

A treated fence only protects you against bugs and decay. Not warping, checking, splitting and greying. Let your treated fence got without water protection and it can in most cases split worse than untreated. Learned this one at 17 years old when the Old Mans elevated deck fell apart after four years due to no water protection or UV protection.
mrmichaeljmoore
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the help so far, Ryan.

Does anyone else have any suggestions or tips or past experiences in maintaining a cedar fence?
Just trying to get as much input and suggestions as possible so I can compare and then make a final decision....

Thanks.