What kind of lumber do you use?

We use only #1 grade, ground contact, pressure treated lumber for the posts and frame of our wood fences. That’s right, even though they don’t touch the ground, the 2×4 frame rails are also rated for ground contact. This extra level of treatment ensures your fence will last as long as possible. Our fence pickets are ¾” thick, treated and pre-stained. Most installers use ⅝” pickets, and #2 grade lumber, so make sure to ask what kind of lumber is being used as you receive other quotes.

Do you use screws or nails?

We exclusively use screws. This provides easier repairs, better holding power, and a cleaner look overall. The screws slightly sink into the wood, so are less noticeable than a large nail head. Typically, both the pickets and frame rails will warp and pull out nails over time. Screws are more labor-intensive and expensive, but worth every penny in the long term.

What are the specs on your gates?

We usually do a single 4 ft. walk-through gate, or up to a 12 ft. drive through gate. For our single gates, we use 6x6x8 posts, set 24 inches deep, in a 12 inch square hole. We use 12” T hinges, secured with 5 inch lag bolts on the post side. We’ve seen time and time again, the 2” bolts supplied with the hinges either pull out, or become loose over time, so we swap them out for hefty 5 inch lags for strength in the long run. For our double gates, we use 6x6x10 posts, set a minimum of 36 inches deep, in a 12 inch square hole. It may be overkill, but the posts will stay solid for the life of the fence. On any gate, we use 6×6 posts to avoid warping, as the weight of a wood gate will warp the gate and throw off the alignment, rendering it inoperable. Some companies use 4×4 gate posts, to save some cost, but will result in a hefty repair bill in the near future.

How long are the sections?

We measure out our sections to be even lengths, 8 ft. or less. (ex. 60 ft. of fence, is (8) 7.5 ft. sections) Most times, the sections end up being 7.5 ft. or less. We evenly space all the sections to provide a clean, uniform look, instead of all 8 ft. sections and one short section at the end. The shorter sections not only look nicer, but also provide better structural integrity. Speaking of, we use 16 ft. frame rails, with overlapped seams when possible. This ties each section together, providing a straighter fence that resists warping and leaning better than using 8 ft. frame rails. Depending on the terrain, we usually center the gates, within the side they’re on.