PROBLEMS WITH WOOD FENCING OUTSIDE IN WEATHER

The warmth and beauty of a low cost wood fence is a great solution for many homeowners needing pet containment, privacy, or security. Wood fences definitely serve a large segment of the market, so you will want to know as much as possible about them to make an educated choice in materials for your new fence.

#1 PROBLEM – WOOD FENCING AND SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES

Southern Termite Belt

In my experience of over 30 years in the fence industry the #1 problem of wood fencing in the East Tennessee area is the damage done by SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES and other wood CONSUMING INSECTS and FUNGII.

A huge swath cuts across the states of TENNESSEE, ALABAMA, GEORGIA, and MISSISSIPPI mapping the highest problem (damage) areas in the nation with the subterranean termites.

Mild winters and moist ground create a perfect growing conditions. Each colony created by these termites may contain over a million termites. The worker termite continuously forages for food, cellulose wood fiber (your untreated fence posts, your home wood framing). As natures clean up crew for dead and decaying trees including fence posts in the ground they excellent in their job!

Worker termites will tunnel out from the colony up to 100 yards in search of wood to feed on. The worker termites live for about 2 years and they feed continuously for 24 hours a day!

Untreated fence posts are highly susceptible to this subterranean termite unless specifically treated with chemical insecticide ACQ .

Look around your home and view the number of natural wood fences in your area that have untreated wood! Grayed out, leaning, decomposing, termite riddled low grade cedar is not so appealing!

Now look at the increasing number of PEST CONTROL COMPANY TERMITE TRAPS INSTALLED in your neighborhood.

Is there a correlation between the increase in termites, great climate for growth, and a plentiful supply of untreated food source? I think so!

The damage is done from the inside out so by the time you see the evidence of the termite infestation, IT’S TO LATE!

Most of the damage done by this termite is hidden underground where they tunnel unseen underground from the colony searching for the wood and consume it inside out. By the time you see fence posts leaning, tracks on the wood, rotten at the base of a post ground level, the damage has been on going for several years.

If you have one of these KNOCK OFF CEDAR FENCES and it has termite damage call a professional pest control company, because it’s only a short jump from the fence to your house and there are millions of those subterranean termites! The photos below are from Knoxville and these are of KNOCK OFF CEDAR FENCES! On the left the termites have eaten the KNOCK OFF CEDAR FENCE posts away and the homeowner has been propping up the fence for a year. In the middle is a KNOCK OFF CEDAR FENCE riddled with termites, the inside of several posts are seen eaten out and also termite tracks on the posts, pickets, and rails. The photo below right is of another KNOCK OFF CEDAR FENCE eaten clear through by subterranean termites! Don’t get scammed! with a KNOCK OFF CEDAR FENCE. If you want a beautiful CEDAR FENCE that will last 15-20 years you MUST SPECIFY ALL PARTS TO BE REAL WESTERN RED CEDAR set in REAL CONCRETE!

I can understand seeing this damage after about 15-20 years, but in 5-8 years! This is scandalous! If you are being pitched this Cedar for the Price of Pine, Will Last For Generations…Buyer Beware, this is what happens to the KNOCK OFF CEDAR in 5-8 years.

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 #2 PROBLEM – NATURAL CHARACTERISTIC OF ALL WOOD FENCING OUTSIDE TO WARP, CRACK, SPLIT

The #2 problem with wood fencing in East Tennessee area is that of the natural characteristic of lumber cracking, splitting, warping and grain raising. This is a natural characteristic of all lumber. As a natural product, all wood is made up of cell structure, the severity of the potential to warp crack split is determined by the individual species lumber cell structure.

Wood fencing, no matter what type of lumber used, will require a regular maintenance to keep it attractive and useful. This includes replacing or repairing boards as needed, replacement of posts as needed, and a cleaning and staining of the fence inside and outside.