Blog.WoodFenceExpert.com

You'd Like a Horizontal Wood Fence? Call Me!

2012-02-03T09:39:04Z

February 3, 2012

So you'd like a horizontal wood fence? I love to build them!

Building a horizontal wood fence is a totally different deal than building your regular dog ear fence. There is quite a bit more precision work involved. There are more issues to address like alignment and maintenance thereof, level vs. grade parallel, cap or capless, what kind of wood, what kind of stain, and even where you get the wood can make a difference!

Getting that spacing just right on a horizontal wood fence is a trick all by itself. The wood likes to "play around", especially over time after the build is done. I've seen horizontal wood fences where the wood has moved to a greater or lesser degree over time so the alignment goes out of parallel. It is a shame to waste good money on a horizontal wood fence, especially built with more expensive, higher types and/or grades of wood, to have it lose it's precise and beautiful form due to inadequate or improper construction technique.

The fancy, modern horizontal wood fences are considerably more expensive to build than your regular dog ear vertical board fences that you see everywhere. There is more labor involved, the higher grades and types of wood can be much, much more expensive, and there is more time involved in finding and selecting wood that's just plain good enough to put my name on. I swear lumber quality ain't what it used to be. It seems like the mills up north (as far as redwood is concerned) just don't provide the grade quality like they did a decade or two or three ago. And the local outlets don't seem willing to demand that the mills get it right like they used to do back in the 80s and 90s. This makes picking out what every board in the pile should be, quite a challenge at times depending on where your builder shops for the lumber for your project.

This horizontal wood fence near the swimming pool presented a unique challenge. The posts are sitting right on top of that shorty concrete wall. Lucky that wall was solid rather than hollow, the fence is nice and strong due to a specially engineered fastening system designed by yours truly for this project! It is not attached at either end, only on the bottom, to the wall it rests upon.

If you don't have the budget for the fancy wood there are ways to get creative, to still get a great horizontal wood fence. Check out this massive one, 2"x6" horizontals, 4"x6" posts, all along the front of a relatively big place, big for here in Los Angeles that is.

Different woods can be used. Different styles can be created. Thinking out of the box is always fun, especially when designing and building a nice horizontal wood fence.

There are many variables of design in a horizontal wood fence. Check out these custom 1"x3" horizontals that we made on-site just for this project!

Different spacing is appropriate for different circumstances depending on what's on the other side of your horizontal wood fence. These are custom 1"x3" cedar horizontals that I made on-site just for this project. Cedar likes to warp more when it's drying out than redwood does. So it takes more measures built-in to defeat that warping. You obviously cannot see those measures because they're on the other side. When properly built the other side looks quite nice too.

A correctly designed and built horizontal wood fence can define your estate very nicely, as well as demand the admiration and compliments of your friends, neighbors and guests for years.

And just how nice is that to come home to every day? Property value appreciation is yet another worthwhile reason to "Go for the gusto" with a very high quality, elegant horizontal wood fence.

A nice horizontal wood fence can raise the bar for the neighborhood. I have seen neighbors of customers turn different shades of green, when we are finishing up a nice horizontal wood fence. Is it fun to make your neighbors jealous with an awesome horizontal wood fence? I will say that it is fun to build a really nice horizontal wood fence for my customer, that becomes the envy of my customer's neighbors! Isn't it politically correct to "go green" now-a-days anyway?

This horizontal wood fence was so much fun to just look at when it was done!

1"x2"s with 1/4" spacing plus a cap really make an elegant horizontal wood fence. I agree. Hide the neighbor's ugly chain link with something of your own much more beautiful to look at!

Another horizontal wood fence that raises the bar for the neighborhood while establishing boundaries for dog-walkers' semi-attended pets. It not only raises this property's value but the neighbors' property values as well.

Wide boards such as these 1"x6"s look great for a horizontal wood fence too! Let's have some wonderful wood double swinger driveway gates while we're at it! I love to build driveway gates like this too!

So what's in front at your house? Isn't it time for a beautiful and strong horizontal wood fence? Throw in some matching driveway gates? If you want something nice, built right, then call, text or email me for a quote. And let's see your neighbors "go green"! 310-717-2000 is my direct cell.

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Wood Yard Fencing in Los Angeles? Of Course!

2012-02-03T05:03:45Z

February 2, 2012

Wood yard fencing in and around Los Angeles? Plenty!

This was a satisfying build. It's not your average yard fence, but this custom stained redwood horizontal yard fencing and gates project in Sherman Oaks with impromptu vestibule for pet control came out great! We moved the steel and glass gate to it's new location from where the current wood pedestrian gate is now, during the first phase of the project.

Yard fencing is interesting because of the functions that it serves. You want a financial improvement to the property, of course. You also want a specific degree of security unique to usually every project we build. You want strength plus something nice to look at. This front yard wood fence is a custom stained redwood horizontal design. The light, the camera lens and the Internet are playing tricks with the visual image you see. The front looks just like the side, all those curves are the result of modern electronics misbehaving! But what an elegant front yard fencing project in Mar Vista this was. This nice lady now easily has the best front yard fence in the whole neighborhood. The cap really finishes it off nicely.

Wood yard fencing, especially when built for the front yard, needs to show off the residence. This custom redwood horizontal front yard fence and pedestrian gate was built to also enclose a subsequent vegetable garden!

Yard fencing also can provide privacy and seclusion. Your residence should be your personal sanctuary and retreat from the rat-race work-a-day city life world. This front yard fencing project in Altadena was an exciting build in between the rain clouds!

Yard fencing defines the space, enumerates the boundaries and helps to create your yard. Back yard fencing often travels over differences in grade, so execution needs to be somewhat precise when you're dealing with different slopes of terrain such as this. Here is a regular cedar dog ear back yard fence that was completed just in time for a gathering of friends the following weekend in La Crescenta.

This custom stained horizontal redwood front yard fence and gate in Palos Verdes raised the bar for the neighborhood! It came out perfect and was a fun and satisfying build. Now this is yard fencing!

Here's an example of one type of regular yard fencing. It's 6' tall con-common grade rough redwood dog ear (top corners cut off) with dark brown pressure treated douglas fir posts and rails. Note the elevated concrete foundations which isolate the wood posts from soil to inhibit rot and infestation. Note the even and pleasing framing.

Let's compare a pleasing yard fence framing side that I built right next to something built by somebody else! I know it's small but you can see the uneven framing lengths and the ugly blocking used to provide support for the framing rails because that builder didn't know how to frame and conceal the fasteners while still building strong! It's really a great example for this blog of wood yard fencing built by WoodFenceExpert.com (Me) vs. wood yard fencing built by somebody else!

Wood yard fencing can be built to many different designs. Here's a nice perpendicular lattice top cedar dog ear yard fence.

Here is an elegant, custom design yard fence that's a show piece build! This was a fun, exciting and satisfying build also. There were a couple of huge (2.5' in diameter) rocks we had to dig out for two of the posts on this project.

Here's an elegant double-thick lattice top custom redwood yard fence that I built in 2009! Cap & Trim with lattice on top and finials (post caps) is another industry description of this style.

Here's a rural yard fence that I built in 2008. Three rail 2"x6" with horse fencing on the inside and a single strand of barbed wire near the top. Heavy duty framing screws PLUS lag bolts and mal (malleable iron) washers ensure these rails won't come off the posts! If you look closely you might notice the custom cut semi-pyramid tops of the posts! This was practically a vacation build since it was somewhat far away from the big city, in Arroyo Grande!

If you need wood yard fencing call, text or email me for a quote. I will build it right!
310-717-2000

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Best Wood Fence Gates in Los Angeles?

2012-01-23T06:17:19Z

January 22, 2012

Best wood fence gates in Los Angeles? That would be an unreserved, non-hesitating yes! Why? How is it that WoodFenceExpert.com builds the best wood fence gates in the greater Los Angeles area? Because of our attitude towards designing and building these fence gates as they're so often called. I prefer to call them pedestrian gates; but lots of people refer to them as fence gates. So be it. We build them to last. I've personally made it my mission to solve the design and construction challenges of wood fence gates. As a builder I always have to consider, "What if it was my gate?"

Unlike most (if not all but one or two) of the other wood fence builders serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, I refused to build them the status quo way. You KNOW what they're thinking when they build these inferior wood fence gates, right? If you don't I'll share just exactly what in all likelihood goes through their minds.

Let's see how many sound familiar: "Oh that's just the way it is..."; "They always sag, you just have to lift it up a little bit to close it in the latch, the other side holds it up..."; "The posts always bend a little bit..."; "The only other choice is to get a thick steel post..."; "These are the best hinges available..."; etc., etc., etc.

Really? Am I the first person around here to care enough to solve the wood fence gate challenges? Sure I'd love a $1M prize but let's get real. My prize is knowing without a shadow of a doubt that I have designed and built the best wood fence gate, that I am honest and capable enough to design and build, as if it were for somebody famous or myself, notwithstanding the budget and design parameters of a given project. But even given these lastly mentioned parameters, certain elementary components of design and construction just should not be compromised, so I don't compromise on those basic components. Sure it costs a little bit more but the difference between a wood fence gate that's built to fail or last a long time is certainly worth the difference! Right? Which would you rather have?

Elegant or ordinary, it really doesn't matter. Building the best wood fence gates in the Los Angeles Area is not a problem! Every builder should always be striving to discover the next improvement in design and construction like I am! The status quo is usually old and much overdue for improvement. Wood fence gates can always be improved upon, that's my attitude anyway!

Certain parts of the wood fence gate equation are actually critical and make the difference between a fence gate that's built to fail and one that's built to last!

I'm simply posting some photos of a few wood fence gates that I've built. Every build is a custom build because every situation is different. So I take design rules that I've discovered and/or created and apply them to the design and construction of every different situation to build the optimum fence gate to solve that specific challenge.

Even lattice top wood fence gates can be built to last, strong and beautiful.

This was an extraordinary build that just came out so perfect! Nice front porch and patio enclosure with built-in mailbox, which of course had to have a matching wood fence gate. Electric deadbolt with wireless doorbell moves the front door outside providing a beautiful yet additional barrier to entering the residence!

I've become most comfortable with a few design rules as these photos show. Doesn't mean they're the best, there are always opportunities to improve.

And very often there are special circumstances where pulling off the right wood fence gate is more of a challenge than other times.

How do you like this floating wood fence gate with matching wood fence? Write as I love, I cannot provide my competitors with all of the fruits of my hard labor and engineering talent. Many of the hidden nuances will remain so without enumeration via text by me here on this blog article. However, I know that some builders have an eye just as good as mine; and that much expertise will inevitably be gleaned from these photos of wood fence gates built by WoodFenceExpert.com!

If you're in or around LA and want the best wood fence gates for your property-call, text or email me for a quote. I would love to built it right!

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Wood Privacy Fences in Los Angeles? Many!

2011-12-24T12:40:34Z

December 24, 2011

Wood privacy fences in Los Angeles? You bet, I've built many. The number of different styles is refreshing. Here are some to check out.

A very nice couple wanted something strong and unique here! This was a fun build!

This was a neat little build. Had to build off a solid concrete wall immediately below so this wood privacy fence is actually floating! You can't see the nice and strong steel supports behind the fence which I custom engineered for this application. It was a simple solution actually.

The rain finally left to let us build this one. We boxed around the trees but left an open side for landscape maintenance access. If you look closely you can see it's a standard board-on-board overlapping dog ear fence. The overlapping boards maintain 100% visual privacy after the wood shrinks from moisture evaporation. Otherwise this wood privacy fence would have spaces between the boards after they dry out,

This was a nice little custom job. This fence is 9.5' tall and has overlapping boards, but arranged in what I like to call a "one-way-overlap" exactly like mini-blinds when they're closed!

This was a much more custom job and of a larger length than most residential wood privacy fences here in the Los Angeles Area. Note the perfect alignments and grade parallel. This baby is a show piece for sure, check out the scalloped top rails and the finials.

Here's the front of that same fence! Even the staining part of the job was custom.

This also was a custom wood privacy fence I built. It's got 2-layer lattice for more privacy and the finials give it a classy, rather elegant look.

Here's another custom wood privacy fence I built. It's also a front yard enclosure!

This one is a regular dog ear cedar wood privacy fence on the side of a yard with a fancy pool and patio. This was a fun build too!

This is a regular dog ear redwood privacy fence atop a 1' kicker. I built this to box around the big palm that grew into the previous fence. The very nice couple wanted to save the tree, but still needed pet control.

This nice customer wanted a custom and unique horizontal wood privacy fence with a matching porch enclosure. This was a fun build. In case you're wondering it's cedar.

This was a fun little build too. Another very nice customer got this regular redwood dog ear privacy fence. I often hear a preference for the good side of the fence. This is the framing side, what's not good about this? There are other things to consider about the framing side vs. the plain side and which of those is best to face your residence. For example intruders and peeping Toms don't have the ladder of the frame to help themselves over your fence more easily, it's a security issue! Secondly I feel the frame adds a handy, built-in little ledge that's perfect for coffee cups, ashtrays and Martini glasses! Thirdly if your fence is long and you're into science, you could put a nice little linear accelerator there and show it off to your friends!

This was an interesting little custom build. The concrete wall could not be trusted to support a fence. Having the fence raised allows easy maintenance around it; this will greatly extend its lifespan!

This is what happens when you don't do the simple and easy steps to maintain your wood privacy fence. A 40 or 50-year fence turns into a 10-year fence. When it gets windy the fences blow over and the people go running to their insurance companies because they never maintained their fences. Is that really honest? I have found that it's more an issue of lack of education about how to make your wood fence last a long time with proper maintenance. This is why I wrote a little blog article about it earlier in this blog, and why I tell every customer to please read it for this reason! Now how many wood privacy fence builders go that far? So who are you going to call to build your new wood fence? 310-717-2000 is my direct cell number! I build 'em year round every week. Call me now to get on my list!

Here's another floating wood privacy fence with a pedestrian gate that I built for a nice apartment building. There are engineering and therefore building details here that the untrained eye, and most of my competitors will miss! The previous build which was infested was a design joke! You just don't know that my competitors still build them to fail as if they were in an indoor environment. I see them newly built that old failing way all the time, all over LA! Are they dum-dums or do they just not care to build it right for the customer? Should I charge a fee to access this blog?

Here's another custom design wood privacy fence I built. Perpendicular rather than diagonal lattice atop a regular cedar dog ear fence, I like this design!

This custom 3-rail plus cap wood privacy fence project was a blast! The customers did the staining and I must say it looks great!

This alternating sections wood privacy fence I built is the perfect solution for neighbors that fight over who gets to have the framing side! As the builder I consider the framing side even more beautiful and interesting. I consider the finish side to be the plain side, and the framing side to be the detail side! This way each neighbor gets their share of both so it's totally fair. These neighbors were very nice and no they weren't fighting!

This was a very satisfying build! It's a porch and front patio enclosure with all the goodies! Check out the dvault brand built-in secure mailbox+parcel delivery box! The electric deadbolt above the thumb latch on the pedestrian gate-this one is another show piece job!

310-717-2000 is my direct cell.
Call, text or email me for a quote; I will build it right!

There are plenty of design options for your new wood privacy fence. Above are just a few.

And just more thing I believe you'd like to know. I have noticed more than one competitor using the web content of others, even mine, on their own wood fence websites! As a customer how do you know who to trust? Yes I know it's a challenging question. Dishonesty is a trait--if it's on their website it will be present in the details of construction of your new wood fence.

Let me be on the record about this issue! There is not one single lie or misrepresentation on any single part of my website, blog, etc. Every single photo here on this blog, on my website, and linked to my website is of a wood fence or other outdoor project that I personally built. I personally wrote every single word within the same parameters, in addition to personally authoring the cute little titles, sayings and slogans. Furthermore every single customer testimonial is honestly written for me by that customer!

To most of you this is of course normal and understood; and yes I agree with you. But you should know that relative honesty is lacking in some people in this field, just like any other field. As a builder I know that honestly building to stated specifications is not always done by some builders. During rebuilds I run across the building shortcuts and shortcomings of previous builders quite often.

This is another reason why you should not cheap-out when it comes to your new wood privacy fence. I know that you expect it to be built right as specified. I know you want a 40 or 50-year fence instead of a 10-year fence. I want you to know that I cannot be proud or motivated to build unless I build it right!

Therefore there is only one choice for your builder if you're in the Los Angeles Area. That choice is WoodFenceExpert.com!

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Demand SPAX Brand Fasteners

2011-12-22T04:10:36Z

December 21, 2011

SPAX brand? Oh yes! I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I hadn't known of SPAX until Home Depot started carrying a few of their products. Once I tried them it was over, they are the best. Probably at least 90% of what's available in the marketplace is just lousy crap compared to SPAX brand fasteners.

The big-box home improvement stores as well as the small-box home improvement stores have isles of fasteners of various types and sizes that are manufactured cheaply in China to make a buck at the retail as well as corporate levels. "Screw the end user (pun intended), they'll never know the difference." Well there is a very big difference and this end user has decided to let everybody know about it.

What happened to quality, honestly caring and making sure you're delivering the best quality to your customers? Huh? Well SPAX didn't fall prey to the oh-too-common lazy+greed combo plummeting work ethic. It's disgusting how some companies sell you products of a bad quality, as they smile to you and accept your money.

SPAX is awesome! What a pleasure it is to purchase and use their products. When I buy their screws and lags they ALWAYS exceed my expectations. If you are a builder reading this, heads-up! Make a big fuss with your supplier to make them carry SPAX brand fasteners! Spell it for them since they're probably falling into the lazy+greed combo mode that too much of the deteriorating U.S. workforce has become infected with!

Once you use SPAX brand fasteners you'll never go back! Sure they're a little bit more expensive, but you get what you pay for. Get the cheap garbage lags and screws from China and let your conscience know without a doubt that you're giving your customers crap that's designed and manufactured to fail prematurely. That's the truth. We all claim to want the truth right? Well there it is! Tell your supplier to get full of plenty of SPAX brand lags and screws, and don't forget to spell it for them!

Then never settle for anything less than SPAX brand lags and screws. You can use it as leverage to sell your jobs. Specify SPAX brand screws and/or lags in your job proposals. Show them a sample and point out to them that they're made in Germany! Then they'll get it, since they will remember BMW and Mercedes are made in Germany and they're about top of the line in their fields too. Isn't it just too odd that the land of Hitler is now finally setting a good example? And that Autobahn concept just rocks if you ask me! Too bad the U.S. is too screwed up for us to get our own autobahn, right?

Here's a specific fact! SPAX brand lag bolts are at least ten-times stronger than the made-in-China garbage lag bolts of the same and even slightly larger size, that your big-box and small-box home improvement store happily sells you with a smile! Don't buy 'em. I've had to be careful not to break those garbage lag bolts during installation for years, what an unnecessary pain! I just freely sink those SPAX brand lags all the way until they bottom! They never break! And they're much harder to make strip out the wood cavity than the garbage crappy ones too! What a huge difference!

I see the need to clarify something here. I like China and I love Chinese people. Many products from China are great. It's the individual circumstances and details thereof that you must discern. Certainly China has companies that manufacture screws and lag bolts of high quality steel. They're just not generally on most of the shelves here where most of us shop.

If you're a builder then bypass your supplier until they carry enough SPAX brand products for your jobs, and let them know it!

If you're a supplier, well, it's time to give your customers an honest product as far as lag bolts and screws are concerned. You are not trapped into only carrying just the crappy garbage lag bolts and screws from China, sold to you with a smile, right?

And if you're a customer, the understanding now should be firmly established. Call me and I will build it right!

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Awesome Wood Driveway Gates

2011-12-21T21:33:16Z

December 21, 2011

There's a set we built not too long ago right there!

This was a beautiful, satisfying build! 1"x6" redwood horizontals which we stained at the end. Perfect alignment, perfect frame, perfect WoodFenceExpert.com "Neverbend Steel Reinforced Hinge Posts", SPAX brand hinge fasteners, alignment, even the latch and drop-down cane bolts; everything came out wunderbar! This set of driveway gates has made our customer's neighbors a little jealous I might say!

Here's another view of this set of wood driveway gates.

I know our customer loves these because I love them!

Bolt to the house? You're kidding right? We dropped those steel reinforced 6"x6" hinge posts plenty deep in concrete! You'd like a pair for your driveway? No problem, call, text or email me for a quote! We will build them just right? Prefer 1"x4" horizontals, perhaps 1"x2" horizotals? Piece of cake, call me! Just be careful not to cheap out and get a lousy builder because you'll get lousy gates that sag, and look like they were a rush job from a third world country! You think I'm kidding? I will be posting an article in the not too distant future right here, showing photos of some customers' projects where they DID cheap out and use somebody else! You will be surprised, just wait! For superb wood driveway gates in the Los Angeles area you really have two choices. Those are: WoodFenceExpert.com, or somebody else.

What a perfect pair of double swinger wood driveway gates this is, built by ourselves here in the Los Angeles area! Support wheels? Ha ha, that's funny! Overhead beam/brace holding the posts apart? Not by this builder! And for the record, just three of these heavy duty commercial hinges on each side would have been enough. Sometimes enough is NOT enough! Five of these hinges on each side make it stronger and able to last much longer; probably doubled the lifespan of these wood driveway gates by doing so.

Go ahead and try to copy these wood driveway gates. There are hidden features built in to them which make them so right, and so strong! Sorry but I can't teach my competitors everything, especially when I personally spent the time to engineer this myself, c'mon!

Yes these wood driveway gates match the wood fence that we built for this happy customer.

If you'd like a pair of wood driveway gates something like this, we'll build it all on-site and you will love it! Call, text or email me for a quote if you're in the Los Angeles area. I will build it right!

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

A Better Patio Cover Ledger Board Concept

2011-12-21T05:08:07Z

December 20, 2011

It's been a while since my last post, so much to do! So many fences to build, only 24 hours in a day!

So here's a good one! Patio cover ledgers! Yes I build patio covers too. The fancy people use the fancy name of pergolas. "Why yes, I certainly do construct pergolas!"

If the patio cover is attached to the house you've got to tie in with a ledger board and go from there. It's not the prettiest or the strongest way and I've known this for some time. But the status quo often remains when few are up to the challenge to make it better.

I've had a great new concept for patio cover ledgers for some time. A wonderful customer over in Pasadena tells me her neighbor's patio cover is about to fall down. Therefore won't I build them a new one and paint it to match hers and the nice condo complex there? Built it better than the rest of course and painted to match!

So getting back to ledger boards, the ugly and not as strong as possible status quo way to attach and hang wood beams just would not do for me. Before we go any further here's a shot as we're wrapping up!

I had to place the two beams on the outside edges to match everybody else's patio covers there. But wait! What's that ledger configuration up against the house? Nice, brief and clean right? Those ugly joist hangers or beam hangers on a big board are too much mess for not enough strength in my opinion. Status quo, there you go, bye-bye! I was going to build the best patio cover in the complex, or forget it!

Another WoodFenceExpert.com first I suppose! My design if you have the patience to keep reading, seemed too obvious. But I cannot remember ever seeing it before! What am I going to call it? Call it what it is-angle iron ledger, with a 1"x cushion up against the stucco!

3"x3"x1/4" thick angle iron (steel in other words), primed three times, yeah we can't have any rust streaks. It does rain sometimes here in Southern California, just not too often! We primed it twice with spray can primer "formulated for rusty steel". Then the whole project got got primed and then painted to match the theme of the complex after we let the wood dry out a few weeks!

Please excuse the over-paint on the stucco before the touch-ups. But there it is! SPAX brand massive heavy duty lags bolting to the frame of the house. And 1/2" diameter hex bolts going all the way through each beam and through the steel, bolted together under pressure! There are three washers on top of each beam for the hex bolts to grab as much of the beam as possible: biggest on the wood (on the bottom), middle in the middle, and smallest at the top. Didn't get a photo of that, sorry. And by positioning the steel angle in that position plus having the 1"x cushion up against the stucco, we've got more beam to bite and hold onto with the 1/2" hex bolt since we slid the beam right up to the stucco! Now that's my kind of patio cover ledger! It's nice and strong and simple!

So forget ledger boards and beam hangers. Isn't this stronger and easier to admire? That ugly mess of a big ledger board, beam hangers with all the little joist hanger nails are gone! Status quo, there you go, bye-bye! This is a much better patio cover ledger board concept! Simple and strong!

So if you're in or near Los Angeles and need a patio cover that requires a ledger board attachment to the house, or a free standing patio cover or pergola: call, text or email me for a quote! I will build it right!

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Is Redwood Really Resistant To Termites?

2011-08-17T00:09:45Z

August 15, 2011

Is Redwood really resistant to termites? It depends on which part of the redwood tree the wood came from. Is redwood termite-proof? Let's examine this more closely to really see this.

There are several grades of redwood. These can be distinguished by size and quantity of knots, smooth or rough surface, grain characteristics, and the relevant characteristic to this post which is all heart or not.

Redwood that is two-colored is a mix of heartwood (which comes from the center of the tree and the area closer to the center), and sapwood (which comes from the outer part of the tree and the area closer to the protective bark of the tree).

The heartwood of redwood is pink when it's freshly cut compared to the sapwood which is almost white. It's the heartwood of redwood that is where its name is derived. As the heartwood ages with weather it very soon changes to a dark reddish-orange-brown sort of color. Eventually it will weather to a grey as does the sapwood and most other woods for that matter.

It's the heartwood of redwood which is resistant to termites and rot. It is not termite-proof, but, it is very resistant to termites and rot.

Our latest project is the demo and replacement of a termite infested redwood fence! Sounds like an oxymoron right? In the photos below you'll see cross-sections of some of the 2"x4"s from this old fence. The 2"x4"s are redwood but not an all heart, heartwood grade. Just look and see for yourself what the termites ate and what they did not!

And another!

And another!

One more!

As you can see the termites had plenty of the white sapwood to eat. You can also see they almost never ate the heartwood. Proper maintenance would have prevented most if not all of this termite infestation on this fence which is only about 12 years old. This is why all heart redwood is the proper redwood to use for fence posts. It's of course more expensive than other grades but this is out of context. There are heartwood grades of redwood and there are grades that contain sapwood.

So there it is accurately photographed for your viewing pleasure and information!

When I build a redwood fence with redwood posts, I specify and use all heart redwood posts. This is why!

So who do you trust to build your new wood fence or other outdoor wood project? Call, text or email me for a free quote. I will build it right!

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Wood Driveway Gates In Los Angeles? Fantabulous!

2011-08-11T09:02:32Z

August 11, 2011

I'll be focusing on wooden driveway swing gates for this article.

Building large wood driveway gates that perform as expected is a test of engineering skill as well as building skill and experience. There are weak links that must be solved by your builder; not many wood fence builders have this mastered yet. The devil is in the details of the wood driveway gate designs. Let's look at a few of these.

First there's the hinge post or posts if it's a double swinger wood driveway gate. The post must be more than strong enough to do the work that you'll be asking of it, obviously. What is that work? Well, it's holding up the gate for as many years as possible without bending or failing and breaking. Most wood fence builders haven't figured this one out yet! As a result their "solutions" include: steel hinge posts, too shallow of holes for the post, extending the posts too high in order to rig a cross-member to hold them apart which keeps them from bending, extraneous and unnecessary diagonal cables, support wheels for the gate to roll on, or just giving up and telling the customer that they must rest against each other while in the closed position! OMG, statements of admitted disqualification! I have personally solved the wood driveway gate hinge post issue, that answer is detailed and photographed in an earlier article in this BLOG!

You want your driveway gates to stay in alignment, not sag, not fall apart. You want them to perform and last like you know they can, provided they're built correctly! I know this. I build them correctly. I started with the attitude that this design challenge CAN be solved. And I solved it, wasn't too difficult.

There are a few other factors or components of the design and build that must be taken into consideration since they all work together in concert, or not if you cheap out and get a crappy builder! Sorry but this is the truth and I believe you do want to know, right? Is wood driveway gate construction an art? Sure why not!

The hinges have to be strong enough, and you need enough of them. This of course is relative to the size, weight and other factors of the gate itself, its location and expected service repetitions.

This actually gets somewhat intricate overall because the details seem to have children right before your eyes, and they all keep demanding to be amply solved. These include the lag bolts for the hinges: What type, brand? How many? How big? How strong? Then there's the frame! On heavy gates I've had to really get creative! But I solved it by coming up with and building custom wood and metal driveway gates specially designed for the job! Even the fasteners that I use for the gate frame contribute to the difference between my builds that you can count on, and the built-to-fail gates constructed by hopeful-but-unsure builders hurrying for your check! "Build-it-and-run" is what I call them! Why? They run so they're gone and paid when you discover they gave you a crappy build.

Every gate that I build is a custom gate. It's custom built specifically for its unique situation and circumstances. I climb on and swing on my gates to test them to make sure they're good enough. Anybody else do that? I don't think so. Custom wood driveway gates yes! Cheap wood driveway gates no! How about electric wood driveway gates? How about 100% solar powered automatic wood driveway gates? That would be a definite "Yes!" to both.

To call them wood fence driveway gates just doesn't do them justice in my opinion. In my online albums are several photos of wood driveway gates that I've built! There are both horizontal and vertical designs. If you've got a custom concept call me and I will build it right!

Remember:

"Save Money-Do It Now. Don't Wait For Price Increases."

Call, text or email me for a quote.

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Upcoming Civil Unrest? Fence It Out!

2011-08-10T16:40:00Z

August 10, 2011

It almost looks like a very carefully planned and orchestrated campaign aimed toward U.S. cities. Or is it a natural progression?

The civil unrest complete with riots and looters that swept through the middle east has spread to the "civilized world", currently in London, England! How long until this social phenomena reaches U.S. cities? What about your neighborhood?

Of course we all hope this won't happen.

If it does happen, are you comfortable with your fence? Maybe it's time to get those driveway gates built correctly, strong and beautiful. Perhaps a front yard or front porch enclosure would be better.

Within this context safety and security fencing is commonly thought of as chain link and barbed wire. How about a strong and beautiful wood version? As a builder of wood fences that prefers to overbuild for strength, I feel uniquely qualified to construct such projects better than most. There is wood available today, albeit more expensive than traditional lumber, that is basically fire-proof! I also enjoy using steel reinforcements in my wood builds to really make them strong and secure! There are many structural and design options for a beautiful and strong wood security fence, and/or gate project for your property!

When this social phenomena/social trend appeared in the middle east I knew it might make it here to our cities, especially L.A. which is famous for riots. I considered designs for strong wood security fences that would still look nice. If you'd like a nice and very strong wood security fence just call, text or email me for a quote. I will build it right!

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Wood Fences In Los Angeles

2011-07-24T00:38:13Z

July 23, 2011

Wood Fences in Los Angeles? To an unfamiliar outsider it almost sounds like an oxymoron!

As a resident of Los Angeles and a builder of wood fence projects in Los Angeles I must say that wood fencing is Los Angeles is certainly popular. Striving to be the best wood fence company in Los Angeles has its challenges due to the competitive nature of both the city and the industry.

To be (or at the very least aspire to be) the very best Los Angeles wood fence company I have the responsibility to make sure the customer receives the highest quality craftsmanship that I am capable of performing. This really isn't difficult but actually very satisfying, especially when the new wood fence project I've just built is finished. It's always very nice to step back for a moment and admire the completed build. The goal of every job is to make it the very best wood fence within the existing budget, design and material parameters!

I enjoy building many different designs of wood fence, as well as many different types. I also love to build from drawings of and/or come up with new and unique wood fence designs. Whether you want a privacy fence, a decorative wood fence, a redwood or cedar wood fence, an elegant custom horizontal wood fence or an economy wood fence, my goal is to make it the very best within budget, design and material parameters. It's your property so I'd expect that you'd expect this attitude, work ethic and goal from your selected builder. Unfortunately I can attest that not all builders endeavor this far. I've seen it with poor construction, errors in design and the consequential failures that each yields.

I service the entire Los Angeles area. Call, text or email me to schedule a free estimate for your project. I'd love to build it right!

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Correctly Framing A Two-Sided Vertical Board Fence

2011-07-23T20:36:38Z

July 10, 2011
I've NEVER seen it built right, until I did it! Surely there must be somebody else out there that has figured this out; this is too much of a common sense issue for me to be the first. Right?

First, please ask yourself if it's really necessary to put those vertical boards on both sides of the fence. Some people consider that the framed side is less beautiful than the other side of the fence. As the builder I must disagree. My framing lines are parallel, posts are evenly spaced when possible, my framing sides are visually perfect! Plus intruders or peeping Toms don't have the "ladder" of the framing side if it's kept facing your residence.

But if you absolutely insist on a double-sided vertical board fence, there is a correct way to build it.

There are twice as many boards on the fence so you need closer post spacing than you'd normally have for a single-sided fence. This is because the fence will be much heavier, and there will be much more stress on the posts when somebody hops over the fence, shakes the fence, or during windy weather that will challenge your fence.

A special rail (horizontal frame member) configuration is also called for. You need a flat rail to provide a nailing surface for both sides. But you also need more vertical (anti-sagging) strength since the rails are now holding up boards on both sides. Plain flat rails will definitely sag and so will your fence!

Well I'm going to name it since I haven't seen it and I've built it already! WoodFenceExpert.com Custom "T-Rails" is both an accurate name and description! Check out the photos and explanation below!

Yes that's a 2"x6" centered below that top 2"x4" rail, positioned for long term strength against sagging! It's fastened to the 2"x4" above with heavy duty framing screws making it effectively one single rail, a "T-Rail"! It also provides additional fastening opportunities to the post by toe-screwing. That's a very strong and appropriate rail for a two-sided vertical board fence, wouldn't you agree? Don't shortcut it by using only a 2"x4" underneath-you need the additional strength of a 2"x6"-remember it's holding up boards on both sides, twice the weight of a single sided fence! And it's more like eight times the weight during a soggy rainy season!

Bottom rail too? You know it! Nothing is too good for my customers! Here's the photo.

Closer post spacing plus WoodFenceExpert.com Custom T-Rails is how you correctly frame for a two-sided vertical board fence! I figured this one out on-the-fly last year when a prospective customer wanted the quote to have the two-sided option! Didn't get that one, too bad for them-I'm sure their builder went the cheap way with single flat 2"x4"s designed to sag and fail.

This small cluster of customers knew they were taking to quality and honest building techniques when we met! Very nice little condo/townhouse complex in Playa Del Rey, and there, almost done!

There were other quality / technical issues at this jobsite where we eventually triumphed as usual. All but one of these are detailed on either my website, my BLOG here or both. The unmentioned quality issue/building technique I reserve for a later publication. Sorry competitors, I've schooled you amply thus far!

So who do you trust to build your new wood fence right-correctly so it lasts? You have only two choices: WoodFenceExpert.com, or somebody else.

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Overbuilding Is Better--Build 'em To Last!

2011-07-23T20:35:19Z

May 25, 2011
Let's zero in on pedestrian gates for a moment. Find the weakest link in your build, then overbuild it to turn it into a strong link!

The hinge post for a pedestrian gate has been a challenge. Many still haven't mastered it. Well here's how you do it! Overbuild the weak link into a strong link, hurray!!

Look at this pedestrian gate hinge post below. It's a 4"x6" not a 4"x4", and note it's position. What's that shiny strip at the bottom in the middle that goes into the concrete? Aaah, it's called a steel reinforcement strap positioned for strength and it's nestled in a custom routed channel so as not to protrude! And by the way, that goes way down into the concrete with the post! And there's another on the front side of that post too! How deep is that post? MORE than deep enough--which makes positively certain that it ain't bending or breaking any decade soon. Last obvious detail, er should be obvious. Wood posts don't rot at the base if they have proper elevated concrete foundations just like this one does, right? NO soil and no plants in contact with the wood, there's the answer! Now just cover that post with a board and it's pretty and nobody will suspect just how well you've built it! Sure it's more work but aren't your customers worth it? Mine are! Nothing is too good for my customers!

And that's what a satisfying build is all about!

Okay. Full view front and back.

More than enough heavy duty hinges fastened with SPAX brand (Manufactured in either Germany or the U.S. to exact spec.: heavy duty hardened steel (grade 5), proprietary design, etc.) lag bolts gives you total confidence that this gate was overbuilt to last! Thank God Home Depot started carrying these, they're the best! That's all I'll use from now on!

Latch post dropped amply deep with elevated foundation as well. Attached to the building? Hell no! Most buildings are not plumb on the outside surface, and what if there's no stud there? Don't even think butterfly which will eventually stress and crack the stucco! Get real, do it right!

The gate frame is another story. Another design I developed, simple, strong and nice!

Nothing is too good for my customers! So who are you going to let build your project?

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Solar Powered, Remote Control Wood Driveway Gates!

2011-07-23T20:34:44Z

May 6, 2011

I finally did my first solar powered, remote control electric wood driveway gates! Came out great, they work great, and powered ONLY by solar and just these two small solar panels which are about 1'x1' in size! Technology is finally here now where I can build you some very nice and strong wood driveway gates, and all you need is a tiny remote to open and close them, and they're powered 100% by these two little solar panels! AMAZING AND AWESOME!

Below is a photo showing the inside of the gates! If you'd like a nice custom built double swinger wood driveway gate that's 100% solar powered AND remote control operated, just call, text or email me for an appointment for a quote! I can build a fancy horizontal or vertical design, or a relatively simple design if you prefer!

I know this is relative but, considering the market at this time this feature is rather affordable which makes it something you may just want for your home!

I was so excited I just had to photograph these before the staining. These gates will be stained very soon and then will look very nice!

How nice is it when you pull in the driveway, hit the clicker, gates open, drive right in, and gates close automatically! Or you can click the remote to make them close right away if you like! Too hot to get out of the car? Raining and don't want to get out and fumble with the gates? Don't want to leave the baby or the pet to get out and fuss with manual gates? No problemo!! Just click the remote and drive right in!

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

What Is An Honest Build?

2011-07-23T20:34:19Z

March 12, 2011
An honest build is honestly building it right. It's also honestly specifying materials (lumber grades and dimensions), fasteners, and other specific details of the project to be built.

For example when a builder specifies "Premium grade redwood", did you know that there actually is no such grade of redwood? The California Redwood Association has published the honest index of this with their Redwood Lumber Grades and Uses guide. Several grades would qualify as premium grade redwood such as: Clear Heart, Clear, Heart B and B Grade. Construction Heart (Con-Heart) would be about as far as I'd push it. These are the grades of the wood itself. There are also surface characteristics to consider such as rough or surfaced (smooth), and which is most appropriate for any given component of your project notwithstanding your budget parameters.

Back to the first point of honestly building it right. Our latest project is the reinforcement and refinishing of a redwood tongue and groove (T & G) horizontal extension atop a concrete wall. The original builder was either just beginning their career and didn't really know how to do it right; or just did a crappy job on purpose because "the customer will never know"!

Several design and construction flaws and boo-boos were apparent and subsequently discovered as I progressed through this project. I wish I took photos in the beginning so I could show more of these betrayals in quality that were passed off to the customer as an acceptable finished product. According to the Owner's personal assistant this builder: "...wasn't returning phone calls." and "...was very expensive..."! Just another one of those "Better hurry for that customer check!" and "Build it and run!" so-called experienced, professional builders out there! All I can say is be damn sure you have an honest builder if you care about the quality and longevity of your project!

Finally the straw that broke the camel's back surfaced at this job. Okay, I'll take a photo and post it. Some of the T&G boards were becoming loose. So as a matter of procedure I nailed them again, but with three or more nails per board end instead of the two, that the previous builder deemed sufficient. When one of these boards had to be replaced I ripped it off and put a new board up in its place.

Now here's the surprise! When removing the nails I found a big difference between their nails and mine! Look at the photo below and see for yourself!

Which nail do you suppose will hold the boards up better (more strongly and securely, for a longer period of time)?

Their nails were too small for the job, this specific application. What a difference! And the cost differential between these two sizes of nails is insignificant. Ran out of the right size of nails because they didn't estimate their materials accurately and were too lazy to drive the 15 minutes to the nearest Home Depot to THIS jobsite, to get more nails of the right size! That is my guess which still gives them some benefit of the doubt.

And while we're at it let's classify this piece of T&G redwood in the photo! This is Clear Redwood. This can be considered a premium grade of redwood. It is also surfaced on the visible side as you can see the smooth surface.

In retrospect I wish I had taken photos from the beginning of this project to graphically show just how bad a job this builder had done. Next time I will.

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Staining Your New Wood Fence

2011-07-23T20:33:39Z

March 5, 2011
There are two primary types of wood stain available.

First there is the penetrating wood stain that actually "stains" the wood. This is applied and wiped dry after approximately 20 to 30 minutes, actually leaving the wood stained in the most correct and common sense of the word.

Second is the coating wood stain that functions more like a paint, is applied like a paint and doesn't usually penetrate the wood nearly as much as a real stain. Different brands and different formulas of course exist and there are relative degrees of this, but basically this how it is.

I prefer and recommend a penetrating wood stain such as my current favorite brand which is Penofin . Once the application and wipe down is done, you've got about 1/16th of an inch of the wood saturated with the stain as really the most ideal protective layer and finish!

As opposed to a coating stain which is really just a paint, there is no wipe down performed after application. Thus you have a coating on the outside of the wood. This will inevitably shrink, crack and flake off. Just give it enough time. Some are better than others.

The penetrating stain is more of a permanent preservative for your investment. Restaining is recommended when you examine your wood project, and you see and feel (by touching) that the finish is no longer up to your standard.

Application is very simple in either case. With the coating type of stain, you just apply it like paint. This is not a painting tutorial so I'll leave the advice to professional, experienced painters. The internet is full of them.

Penetrating stain application is done with sprayer, roller or brush; to get enough stain on the surface to penetrate the grains, and all the nooks & crannies. Follow this immediately with back-brushing. Back brushing is spreading the stain on the surface and working it into the grains and nooks & crannies. Your strokes should be long, and always with the grain (in the same direction as the grain). When you back-brush, work the stain liquid into the wood as quickly but as thoroughly as you can. Get it done so it can soak into the wood and penetrate. Then give it 20 to 30 minutes and wipe it all completely dry to the touch.

You probably want to go buy some latex or nitrile gloves to keep your hands clean. It takes a week or two for the stain to finally wear off my hands even when I wash them often. Or use a solvent or special hand cleaner and a stiff bristle brush and scrub like crazy and it will come off!

Wipe with the grain, in the same direction as the grain. When your rags get saturated get a fresh one. Be prepared, you will use up many rags so go buy a bunch!

There are directions on the can too. Follow them. Be extremely careful of those used rags because oily, stained soaked rags very easily catch fire all by themselves due to the chemical reaction if let sit too long. Yes it's true, I've had it happen to me twice! Luckily I caught it in time both times! Put them in a can of water so they're drowned. Dispose of them in accordance with your local, state and federal disposal regulations. Or call up your garbage company and they'll tell you where to take them.

Get a jobsite scrap piece of wood and test the stain color there first, before you do the whole project. This way you make sure you get just the right color tone you want.

Make sure to mix the stain very well. Many ingredients fall to the bottom of the can, such as color pigment particles and others. As you stain your project keep mixing the can so you don't lose anything by letting it sink to the bottom. You want all the goodies in the stain formula protecting your wood project!

Just one single application of a good penetrating stain will add years to the lifespan of your wood fence or gates. Do it right and enjoy the look and benefits to their full potential!

Of course if you don't have the time or inclination I am also available to stain your project after the build. If wet wood is used it's best to let at least 2 weeks of uninterrupted warm weather dry out the wood so more will soak in. If dry wood is used you can get right to staining as soon as the build is done.

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Best Wood Fence? Best Deal? Quality vs. Price?

2011-07-23T20:33:07Z

February 11, 2011
A well-built and properly maintained wood fence can last over 50 years here in Southern California! I've seen it with my own eyes. It doesn't matter if it's an expensive, elegant design or a simple design economy fence.

All of the details of the actual, physical construction determine how long the fence will remain standing strongly and properly. This includes treatment with stain at some point after the build is done. Proper Maintenance (or not) also determines just how long that wood fence will last.

Is it worth it to attempt to obtain a "better deal" for your new wood fence? Is it worth it to be burdened with the premature expense and inconvenience of repairs and/or a rebuild? Or do you prefer the "Set It and Forget It" approach (notwithstanding proper maintenance) that a true, quality build provides?

I've been called to more than one wood fence job site for this reason and others:

1) General contractor tried to "jack the price" on the customer mid-job! OMG, I was dumbfounded and flabbergasted by this! A General should know better! General got kicked off the job and I was contacted and chosen to complete the project, as well as build two subsequent wood fence and gates projects for that customer! It was a simple project without any extraordinary or unforeseen challenges or obstacles, at least for me.

2) General contractor's crew couldn't get it right! Another OMG moment! Well-to-do family in a fancy neighborhood; General was just finishing a very elegant and extensive addition and remodel project for the house, including of course the wood fencing and other related outdoor wood projects. Wood fence and gates were improperly built! They looked nice and pretty but there were a few big boo-boos in the design and construction details. Inadequate framing, concrete post foundations already well covered with topsoil, fancy custom ordered pedestrian gate hinges already showing weakness, crew couldn't figure out how to install fancy custom ordered gate latches (but I did), indoor use nails already starting to rust (barely a month old with only one rain), and their relationship deteriorated into a less than harmonious one. I was contacted and chosen to fix some of these problems, nothing too extreme or too fancy or too challenging, at least for me.

3) 5 year old fence broke off at the ground and blew over in the wind! Yet another one of those moments! Nice customer recently purchased home in nice neighborhood. Here was a pretty wood fence that had a major design flaw; and this I've discovered to even be a popular design in rather upscale neighborhoods! OMG! What's the builder thinking? "Build it and run"? Every concrete post foundation was well-covered with dirt, every post bottom just above the concrete had rot and termites as a result, popular lattice top tongue & groove style had all flat horizontal rails (no upright horizontal rails to prevent sagging between the posts), posts and rails were dado grooved for fast construction but weak strength, a brick was used in the middle of every section on the ground to prevent sagging (but to allow termites and rot); I guess they must hurry for that customer check no matter what! I rebuilt the fallen sections, elevated the concrete foundations, schooled the customer about termite killer wood preservative for the post bottoms, and recommended that he keep the dirt off the wood.

4) One so-called builder didn't even want to bid the project! That's what the homeowner told me. Wasn't too much of a challenge, rather refreshing actually to engineer and then build something different than a normal fence! 9.5 foot tall wood fence inadequately secured atop concrete block retaining wall, weighted down by a truly massive hedge of thorny bougainvillea, finally gave and fell over. The massive hedge had to be saved since it made such a nice and cozy atmosphere for the owner's patio. Cut off all of the bent, hollow steel pipes holding up the old fence. Removed the old fence. Tapped that reinforced concrete block wall the right way, with the right kind of steel uprights, and enough of them! Then built the new 9.5 foot tall replacement wood fence correctly upon those. This build was so strong that the reinforced concrete block wall became the weak link!

I'm also very entertained by beginners as well as so-called experienced professionals copying my website text, even including my honest customer testimonials, putting them on their websites and pretending their hard work generated it all. OMG, can't even author and put up an honest website! Who ARE these people, claiming to be professional builders? I'd be too scared to let them try and build my project!

If you believe your fence project is too much of a challenge because of special circumstances, well you just found your solution! I have contractors pretending to be customers as they approached me for solutions to unusual wood fence circumstances. They regularly contact me pretending to offer work or pretending to be a customer, when they don't even know how to spec., price and bid the job! I wonder how they would design and build it? Leave it up to their lame crew? This regularly happens, I am not even exaggerating!

Even if you want a "cheap fence since you'll sell and be gone in a few years", is it right to leave your buyer with a problem fence that doesn't have to be? And what if circumstances change and you decide to stay in your home longer? Perhaps keep it as a rental? Isn't it a wiser choice to spend just a little bit more, relatively speaking, to get perhaps double, triple or even quadruple the lifespan of a "cheap fence" rather than save a few bucks right now? Why not save up for that difference while considering the long term benefits both in hassle and inconvenience, and savings by preventing a premature repair or complete rebuild? A month or two or three, vs. a decade or two or three? I'll be just as happy and excited to build your project beautifully and strongly if you call me today or in four months from now!

I am not a fence snob! I also build economy fences. My bid won't be the lowest, but the quality will probably be the highest and therefore the best!

310-717-2000 is my direct cell. Call me so I can build it right!

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Make Your Wood Fence Last With Proper Maintenance

2011-07-23T20:32:29Z

January 22, 2011
Make Your Wood Fence Last With Proper Maintenance!
Proper maintenance of your wood fence will make a huge difference in how long it lasts. It's really a shame to see beautiful wood fences deteriorate and fail long before they have to. As a builder I'm of course happy to have the work to build new wood fences. But I'd like to see homeowners take proper care of their new wood fences, especially the ones I've built, so they last a very long time!

I've planned to author a pamphlet about this but never seemed to have the time. So here's what I recommend!

First, keep soil out of contact with the wood, especially the bottom of the posts immediately above the concrete. This is where almost all fences fail first. Over the years people add top soil for gardening and landscaping, plant roots grow larger sometimes displacing soil and driving it upwards, rain and irrigation moves soil. All these factors in concert can make the soil cover your concrete post foundations and surround your wood posts with soil before you know it. Then the clock starts ticking against your fence. Subterranean termites now have an off ramp directly to your fence and rot will begin as well. A 50 year fence then turns into a 5 or 10 year fence.

Same thing applies to the wood bottom of the fence between the posts. Don't let the ground touch the fence! Whether you've got a $2,500.00 fence or a $25,000.00 fence, why not spend a tiny amount of time to make it last so you can save your hard-earned money for something more worthwhile? Right?

Keep the plants and plant droppings/dead leaves off the fence. Plants growing on the wood fence create a condition similar to roots growing underground. Termites are on the way to take over, populate and eat your wood fence inside out. I've replaced wood fences that only remained erect because the supporting plants/vines/ivy had grown into them that thick and strong! They're full of termites!

When plant droppings and dead leaves land on the fence and decompose, they turn into mulch which is enough like soil for flying termites to call a new home! This may sound like a stretch to some, but I've seen it enough times to recognize it. Again a 50 year fence turns into a 10 year fence! What a waste!

Adjust/reposition irrigation so you don't water the fence. Municipal water usually contains chlorine which will bleach and accelerate the weathering of the wood. Well water may not have chlorine but just the added saturations and subsequent dryings accelerate the weathering and deterioration of the wood. I've seen a 50 year fence appear 30 years old in 2 to 3 years when the owner did not move the sprinkler. What a waste!

I'll address the subject of staining over time in a coming post on this BLOG. The above factors alone are by far the most important. Please follow them to enjoy your wood fence to it's potential.

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Driveway Gates Done Right!

2011-07-23T20:31:36Z

January 27, 2011
Driveway Gates Done Right!
Double Swinger Driveway Gates in this case! Customer says something like " You need a wheel under each one to keep 'em from sagging / leaning right?"
I say "Huh, not if they're built right!"
Another one says "Oh, you need steel posts and frames!"
I say "Huh, I've seen steel gate posts flex under load with the gates sagging out of alignment as a result! I've also seen the inadequate hinges on a few of these that flex and bend under load!"

I've also seen really heavy duty steel gate posts with large heavy duty hinges and a heavy duty steel frame holding up large wood gates just perfectly. The details of the construction make all the difference!

I love to overbuild for strength and longevity of the project! Isn't that what you want for your project?

Look at these!

WoodFenceExpert.com "Next Generation Gate Frames" with symmetrically positioned diagonally reinforced corners are the perfect start! But wait, there's more! Notice the FIVE heavy duty Home Depot outdoor gate hinges per leaf? Now we're talking strength and distribution of load (among not only the five hinges but also the large quantity of fasteners).

Now let's take a closer look. I normally don't publish what I consider trade secrets for jealous competitors to utilize or even claim as their own. But if you're looking for driveway gates built to last, why not find out a little bit about them? Discover who can really build 'em right when you're trying to chose the best builder for your project. So let's take a real close look at those posts and hinges and see what's so special.

Okay, first look at the fasteners (1/4" lag bolts) driven in at an angle on the post to bite more wood and not encourage post "split off". "Oh they're crooked, they should be straight!" Nope, when they're straight they only bite 1/4 of the post. All that weight / load over time and weather and use is quite alot of work for that post. Nice long lags driven in at an angle bite almost half the post! And driven in at an angle which is much less encouraging for the post to split off and there falls your gate.

And yes, that's a 6"x6" wood post. Guess how deep it's buried in concrete? That I won't say but I will say it's plenty deep.

Beneath the stain what's that strip with the screws that runs vertically down the center of the post? What the molie is that?

What you're looking at is a WoodFenceExpert.com "NeverBend Hinge Post"! These are custom made by me on site for your project!

That strip is 1/4" thick by 2&1/2" wide steel that runs the whole length of that post, all the way to the bottom! I take the bare wood post and the bare steel and custom make them for strength and longevity on site, so your hinge post is no longer the weak link in the gate equation. There's a matching one in front too! Machining the wood to flushly accept the strip and its fasteners, and hand drilling all of those holes in the strip for the fasteners in that perfect symmetrical and strong pattern for the entire length of that post on both front and back sides is what constitutes WoodFenceExpert.com "NeverBend Hinge Posts"! Nothing is too good for MY customers!

There are a couple of other smaller details about these gates which are also important for strength and longevity. Those I will save for your project and not those jealous competitors. I've just already given them way too much right here!

Do you want 30-year-plus gates or do you want to save a few dollars and get 2 to 5-year gates from somebody in a big hurry for your check? Is it worth it to get an inexperienced beginner offering a very low price only to have to get your project repaired or rebuilt just a few weeks or months after they're gone? I've seen that as well.

I have a similar system for fence posts! Someday soon I'll add it to this BLOG. Who knows? Maybe I'll do that tomorrow!

Get the best builder for your project! And whoever builds it, may they do an excellent job! I know I will.

Copyright 2008-2011. WoodFenceExpert.com. All rights reserved.

Should The New Fence Be Stained?

2011-07-23T20:29:19Z

June 28, 2009 - Sunday

Should The New Fence Be Stained?

June 28, 2009

Should the new fence be stained? This question can be re-phrased two different ways! First-How long would you like the new fence to last? Second-Would you like the new fence to be even more beautiful for a longer time?

A fence is definitely an investment in, and an improvement to a property. It's also something you get to look at for many years to come.

Simply applying only one coat of stain will increase the life of the new fence. I recommend giving the fence a new coat of stain every 3 to 10 years: depending upon various climates & environments, the appearance, and your free time and level of motivation (if you do-it-yourself). Modern stains have been chemically engineered to also function as wood preservatives. And those hungry little bugs that eat fences everywhere certainly don't like the taste or after-affects of a good, strong oil base stain!

I often use a specially engineered stain & termite treatment in one application! The stain is one of the best outdoor wood stains that money can buy! Many builders and suppliers feel that the brand of stain we use IS the best! Do I stop there? Noooo! I have taken it one step further! Let me just say it's probably the best stain and treatment most fences will ever get! After I build your fence let me know if you're interested in this special stain & treatment. Then I will let you know exactly why it's the best. But the exact recipe is a company secret, sorry. Certainly two coats are available if you wish.

If you want a darker stain finish and the benefits of a termite treatment, it's best to take advantage of the most thorough 2-Step process of: Step 1, being the termite treatment application; then Step-2, being the application of a darker finish stain.

Call me direct on my cell at 310-717-2000 for an in-person estimate for your new wood fence or other outdoor wood project!

Why Do Some Fences Sag In The Middle Between The Posts?

2011-07-23T20:28:57Z

June 21, 2009 - Sunday

Why Do Some Fences Sag In The Middle Between The Posts!

June 21, 2009

This question just makes me wonder about some of the other fence builders out there! Don't they even care about the new fence they just built??

I've seen them, and I know most of you have seen them too: those improperly built sagging fences. I'm referring to the more common types of fences with two (sometimes three) horizontal frame rails (usually 2"x4"s) that run from post to post. This is the frame. Simple as it is, it works very hard by just holding up all the fence boards for years: 20, 30, even 40 or more!

Why do many fences sag in the middle between the posts?

This is because the 2"x4" frame rail was positioned INCORRECTLY-flat instead of upright. Sure, it's easier and faster to build the frame when you position the horizontal frame rails flat, but it's the wrong way. The frame rail has much more strength against sagging when it's positioned upright instead of flat. It takes a few more minutes to build it right, but isn't that worth it?

Get the most qualified builder for your new wood fence or other outdoor wood project.

Call me direct on my cell at 310-717-2000 for an in-person estimate for your new wood fence or other outdoor wood project!