The Fence Reborn

It has taken me much longer than I anticipated, but the fence upgrade is near completion.

Al the staining is complete and the new bamboo is finally in place. The panels sections where I had to replace posts also looks like new.

The 3/4 inch bamboo looks much better than the original split bamboo. I did not coat or stain it, opting instead to let it age naturally. In time it might gray somewhat. 

Overall, it looks good. Even Buddha approves.

I still need to work on the entrance gate between the house and garage before I can say it is all finished. Hopefully, it will all be done before the end of summer.

Construction Complete

I finally finished rebuilding the fence today. Its taken me some time to raise up the lower rail of each section to prepare for the new bamboo panels. I also power washed the fence to remove mold and dirt. In the process, I discovered that some of the rails and posts had become rotten. 

Taking this last section of the fence apart and rebuilding it was no fun.

To help ensure that I don't have this rot problem again, I purchased two post protectors - a metal cover with a rubberized protective seal inside, about 1 foot long. It covers the portion of the fence where water, earth, and oxygen would come into direct contact with the posts. 

Don't know if they will work, only time will tell.

Now that all the rotted rails and posts have been replaced, I can move on to the next stage: re-staining. Oh joy.

Through the Doors

After a week-long heat wave, followed by two days of rain, I finally finished the Woodland Gate doors.

Initially, I had placed too many bamboo poles on the first door, so I removed half so as to better reflect the Sukiya style I was trying to achieve. 

Here is the look I was aiming for:

There are 9 total poles on each door, and they look great. I struggled with the color scheme - originally I intended to stain the door frames green, but then switched to the natural color. In time it will fade, better matching the bamboo.

I still need to stain the bamboo with a clear coat to protect it from the weather, but it hasn't arrived yet. I did add a latch to the gate to keep it from opening. This was the most rustic latch I could find.

I will probably place a tome ishi (stop stone), also known as a sekimori ishi (boundary-guard stone), in front of the doors. It is a device used in Japanese gardens to guide visitors along a prescribed route or prevent them from entering.

a tome ishi (stop stone) I saw at the Chicago Botanic Garden

I am very satisfied with the final outcome of the gate. In a couple of years the shrubs on either side will fill in and it will look terrific.

I still need to create a sign for the gate. As of now, I have to get back to finishing the fence and other summer garden projects. The garden will never be finished.