I need to build a fence along the north and east side of my house. The
total length is about 240 feet. I prefer stone fences but the cost is just
prohibitive, I am not a fan of vinyl PVC fences or metal fences, so I
started to look at wood fences and bamboo fences. The standard 4'x8' HD
vertically slatted board fence do not appeal to me and after looking at
books and web site I found something that is close to what I am looking
for - something clean line and simple.

http://vintagemodernhomes.com/Fence-small.jpg

http://vintagemodernhomes.com/Crestland19s.jpg

I think construction wise, it is the same as the standard wood fence. Set
4x4 PT posts at preset intervals into concrete. Then screw the slats
horizontally one by one. I assume the slats would have to be cedar or teak
in order to withstand the extreme hot/cold/rainy weather of south Florida?
Perhaps the slats can be stained darker...or perhaps the slats may be
screwed
such that it is flushed with the posts, and the posts be painted to achieve
a
framing effect. Not sure what size these slats are...2x1? or 2x0.5? Do they
have
to be pressure treated or not? Just have to find a lumber yard that can
sell me
a lot of these at reasonable cost. I don't think I can use the cheaper PT
furring
strips? or can I? Those probably do not have the nice color and may be
knotted
or warped too much I would think.

Any idea or comments welcome.

MC

miamicuse wrote:
I need to build a fence along the north and east side of my house. The
total length is about 240 feet. I prefer stone fences but the cost is just
prohibitive...something that is close to what I am looking
for - ...

...I assume the slats would have to be cedar or teak
in order to withstand the extreme hot/cold/rainy weather of south Florida?

Teak??? And you're worried about what stone would be?

Cypress would be another alternative...

....
... what size these slats are...2x1? or 2x0.5? Do they
have to be pressure treated or not? Just have to find a lumber yard that can
sell me a lot of these at reasonable cost. I don't think I can use the cheaper PT
furring strips? or can I? Those probably do not have the nice color and may be
knotted or warped too much I would think.

Can't tell exactly what the dimensions are there, but I'd guess on the
order of 1 to 1-1/2" wide and a little less than full 1x
thickness--half to 5/8, maybe. Don't look like are full-thickness 1x.
Is thicker (and would have to be) than the slatting like for a
lattice-work fence, however.

Those are obviously PT -- look at all the knot and it's starting to
bow/twist/warp already and I'd suspect the pictures were undoubtedly
taken within a relatively short time after completion.

Virtually anything you put up that is that light weight a material is
going to move a lot unless it is very straight-grained, good quality
material (read--expensive!).

As for making such an animal, it would definitely be time-consuming but
as for the material, I'd make it more substantial and simply rip
material down from 1x6 or 1x8, the selection being made to get an even
number of pieces of whatever width seemed to most nearly match what I
wanted as the look. For selection, if it weren't almost prohibitively
expensive any more, I'd suggest redwood. Don't know what you could get
cypress for down there. Cedar would be an alternative. To use PT
would require hand selection of every board and controlled long term
drying before using to have much of any chance that it would look like
anything other than spaghetti in a year, imo.

On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 23:30:13 -0400, "miamicuse"
wrote:

I need to build a fence along the north and east side of my house. The
total length is about 240 feet. I prefer stone fences but the cost is just
prohibitive, I am not a fan of vinyl PVC fences or metal fences, so I
started to look at wood fences and bamboo fences. The standard 4'x8' HD
vertically slatted board fence do not appeal to me and after looking at
books and web site I found something that is close to what I am looking
for - something clean line and simple.


What is the purpose of the fence, and how long do you need it to last?
How long do you intend to be there? How much of a hurry are you in?

good point. : (

"lee houston" wrote in message
m...

"miamicuse" wrote in message
...
I need to build a fence along the north and east side of my house. The
total length is about 240 feet. I prefer stone fences but the cost is
just
prohibitive, I am not a fan of vinyl PVC fences or metal fences, so I
started to look at wood fences and bamboo fences. The standard 4'x8' HD
vertically slatted board fence do not appeal to me and after looking at
books and web site I found something that is close to what I am looking
for - something clean line and simple.

http://vintagemodernhomes.com/Fence-small.jpg
clean line and simple? yes. a fence? no. Looks to be more
of a trellis. and very prone to damage from kids, whatever running
into it. a few years of FL weather should produce lots of warping
and turning. at 240' feet, am i correct to assume that this is on
the property lines? The only thing substantial would be the
posts, IMO.

A neighborhood kid climbing up a panel would reduce it to
rubble. even a dog could damage it easily.

yes it looks good, if you don't mind lack of privacy. But it
doesn't appear to be *durable* at all.

lee


http://vintagemodernhomes.com/Crestland19s.jpg

I think construction wise, it is the same as the standard wood fence.
Set
4x4 PT posts at preset intervals into concrete. Then screw the slats
horizontally one by one. I assume the slats would have to be cedar or
teak
in order to withstand the extreme hot/cold/rainy weather of south
Florida?
Perhaps the slats can be stained darker...or perhaps the slats may be
screwed
such that it is flushed with the posts, and the posts be painted to
achieve
a
framing effect. Not sure what size these slats are...2x1? or 2x0.5? Do

they
have
to be pressure treated or not? Just have to find a lumber yard that can
sell me
a lot of these at reasonable cost. I don't think I can use the cheaper
PT
furring
strips? or can I? Those probably do not have the nice color and may be
knotted
or warped too much I would think.

Any idea or comments welcome.

MC

"dpb" wrote in message
oups.com...

miamicuse wrote:
I need to build a fence along the north and east side of my house. The
total length is about 240 feet. I prefer stone fences but the cost is
just
prohibitive...something that is close to what I am looking
for - ...

...I assume the slats would have to be cedar or teak
in order to withstand the extreme hot/cold/rainy weather of south
Florida?

Teak??? And you're worried about what stone would be?

Cypress would be another alternative...

...
... what size these slats are...2x1? or 2x0.5? Do they
have to be pressure treated or not? Just have to find a lumber yard
that can
sell me a lot of these at reasonable cost. I don't think I can use the
cheaper PT
furring strips? or can I? Those probably do not have the nice color and
may be
knotted or warped too much I would think.

Can't tell exactly what the dimensions are there, but I'd guess on the
order of 1 to 1-1/2" wide and a little less than full 1x
thickness--half to 5/8, maybe. Don't look like are full-thickness 1x.
Is thicker (and would have to be) than the slatting like for a
lattice-work fence, however.

Those are obviously PT -- look at all the knot and it's starting to
bow/twist/warp already and I'd suspect the pictures were undoubtedly
taken within a relatively short time after completion.

Virtually anything you put up that is that light weight a material is
going to move a lot unless it is very straight-grained, good quality
material (read--expensive!).

As for making such an animal, it would definitely be time-consuming but
as for the material, I'd make it more substantial and simply rip
material down from 1x6 or 1x8, the selection being made to get an even
number of pieces of whatever width seemed to most nearly match what I
wanted as the look. For selection, if it weren't almost prohibitively
expensive any more, I'd suggest redwood. Don't know what you could get
cypress for down there. Cedar would be an alternative. To use PT
would require hand selection of every board and controlled long term
drying before using to have much of any chance that it would look like
anything other than spaghetti in a year, imo.


If I widen and thicken the plank to like 3"x1" will it be more durable? I
don't know about cypress I am sure cedar is available locally but not cheap.

MC