Board fence ideas?

[paulsharvey]

"Round posts are cheaper, and they usually have better treatment then 4x6 or 6x6 posts, but they are a lot more work to attach wood rails to, and in my opinion, they don't look as nice as square posts. I also like having 5 1/2 inches to attach each rail to the post."

Most horse farms put a 1x6 "face board" vertically on the outside of the post, outside the rails, to give a better, cleaner look.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Been awhile since I bought posts directly from a company treating them with the ACQ process so I did a bit of looking online. The process is still available, at least in round post. I always felt that for longevity, ACQ was better than CCA and not as rough on the fasteners?

Something else that I found were posts with a poly treatment above and below the ground line are they are prone to rot. $$?

 

[MMC]

Well, I don't know (as others) what your available materials are. I (think) pressure treated posts are sometimes a crapshoot. You just don't know what you might get as a finished product. You takes your chances...

May I ask if you have round "faced" posts in your area? Common in KY, but perhaps not in other areas? You take a larger round post and saw a flat face on it. Works fine for nailing or screwing a plank to a post tightly. And...I'm old enough to have "faced" a large 8-9' gate post by hand with a...wait for it, handsaw. Don't recommend it, but you certainly can do it. Better to buy a post already faced. No problem nailing boards to a faced post, though.

You really have a lot of good ideas here, just need to choose one.

 

[ponytug]

Been awhile since I bought posts directly from a company treating them with the ACQ process so I did a bit of looking online....

Something else that I found were posts with a poly treatment above and below the ground line are they are prone to rot. $$?

Due to the toxicity of chromium (e.g. Erin Brokovich...), it was phased out in pressure treatments for residential use in 2004. So in theory, CCA should no longer be available. For the rest of the copper treatments, I think it mostly comes down to how much copper is being put in, and whether all cracks, holes and cuts are treated with more copper as copper naphthenate.

Treated Lumber Classifications: What You Need to Know

Lumber treatments are complicated. Let’s break down the types of marine wood treatments, their applications, and everything you need to know.

www.decks-docks.com

I target UC4C or better here after some bad experiences with UC4B. I buy from lumber producers directly as my local stores don't carry UC4C.

When I was looking at building fences, I looked at the PVC coated or sleeved posts, but I couldn't find any longevity data and the company warranties at the time didn't exactly instill confidence. It would be great to hear from someone who used a bunch in challenging conditions. I don't see dock builders using it for instance.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I fenced around here a few years ago, the typical Virginia farm fence. I used an 8-9" PT post every 50ft, four 7ft T posts between. At any angle transition three posts 8ft apart with an 5" post near top horizontal pinned in place with heavy wire "X" and ratchet straps. Fence is 6ft high, 5ft woven wire. I put woven wire 10" up so I could mow under it.
I'll use 6x6 square posts and 2x6x16ft boards.
I'll pour concrete holes (I tamped farm fence but concrete for every gate). It's been in the 90s...it'll have to be cooler.