Crossing the Finish Line

Hooray! I finally finished the garden fence repairs and upgrade.

I have been working on the fence project off-and-on since April. New posts and rails, salvaged rails and roof material, and newly installed cedar boarding. 

To save money, I used 19/32 in. D x 5-1/2 in. W x 6 ft. H Cedar Dog-Ear Fence Pickets. They sold for just under $4 each. I cut off the "dog ear" part at the top and then cut each board in half into approximately 35" pieces. It took 180 boards to fill all the panels. 

I had pre-measured all the bottom rails to hold the panels and added a 1/4" gap at the top for expansion with the changes in the weather. There are also slight gaps between each, but as humidity increases, they will swell a bit (usually in the fall).

The staining of the cedar boards took at least four days. Giving each board two coats of staining should help it withstand the weather better over the next few years. 

It looks somewhat orange, but I know over time it will fade and become less bright.

The bamboo in the previous fence was nice when first installed, but the nice yellow-look didn't last more than a couple of years. 

Additionally, the bamboo for the entire fence costs approximately $800. These cedar panels cost approximately $320, much less.

Overall, I am happy with the outcome and hope this fence will last longer than the 12 years the last fence held up. 

The post protectors will help and some annual maintenance will ensure that the fence will remain a highpoint of the garden.