FAQ
Important information for consumers to know about Cedar
Built to last: The power, strength and longevity of Western Red Cedar.
Not all cedar is created equally. In recent years, the market has been flooded with lower-grade inferior cedar products, both imported and domestic. This looks appealing at first, but once installed it simply cannot withstand Colorado’s high altitude and harsh climate. It cannot tolerate the extreme temperature changes, with arid heat in the summers and subzero cold in the winters. Some of these inferior cedar products with the word “cedar” in their name include, but is not limited to, the following: Chinese cedar, Northern white cedar, Inland red cedar.
Consumers are misled to believe that these are equivalent to the high quality of Western Red Cedar product. However, these are inferior cedar products in comparison, with less than half the life span of a fence built with Western Red Cedar. The same applies to Pressure Treated lumber(PTL), which is pine with a chemical treatment. In our extreme Colorado climate any cedar that is not Western Red Cedar and any PTL used for fence post, fence rails support and tickets twist, split and warp drastically in as few months.
Where does Western Red Cedar come from, and why is it superior when building a fence?
Western Red Cedar grows in the Pacific Northwest and in Canada. It is prized for its natural beauty, strength, and resistance to rot, insects, and extreme climate. A fence properly built with all Western Red Cedar will have a lifespan of 20-25 years. Comparatively, a fence built with the inferior cedar products will have a lifespan of less than 10 years and will begin to warp, split, crack, and bow within just a few months. These inferior products simply lack the natural oils, tannins, and density that Western Red Cedar possesses, which is required to withstand the harsh Colorado climate. For these reasons, No Hassle Fence and Iron Company uses exclusively Western Red Cedar products.
FENCE STAINING
Do I need to stain my Western Red Cedar Fence?
No. Staining your Western Red Cedar fence isn’t required but it’s highly recommended if you want it to look great and last as long as possible.
- Prevents cracking and warping: A high quality stain seals in moisture and minimizes expansion and contraction from our extreme temperature swings.
- Protects against weather: A high-quality stain shields the wood from UV rays, rain and snow. All of which are very harsh in our Colorado climate.
- Extends lifespan: A properly stained and maintained Western Red Cedar fence can last much longer than an unstained one.
- Preserve color: Western Red Cedar naturally fads to silver gray when untreated. Staining helps maintain its rich reddish tone.
Can a fence be stained with a brush or rolled on?
Yes, but this is not recommended. Western Red Cedar is very porous (like a sponge). It soaks up stain instantly when applied, so you cannot roll or brush it out evenly like you can when painting the walls inside your home. Staining a fence with a brush or roller will leave dark blotches all over the fence from each initiation point where the brush or roller made contact on the fence. The more you try to fix it with more coats of stain the darker that area will get, making the blotches more noticeable. Once this happens the only fix is to re-stain the entire fence with a solid dark color like a brown, black or grey. Fence stain should be applied with a professional airless sprayer by an experienced fence stainer to ensure the best even coats of stain for the best appearance.
When can my fence be stained?
Depending on how hot the daytime temperatures are, a new fence should be given 2-4 weeks to dry out and shrink after it has been built before it is stained. The ideal temperatures for staining are between 60 and 90 degrees. Both of these reasons are to ensure the best absorption of the stain into the wood. Depending on the color stain you choose and the direction(exposure) the fence faces to the sun, a proper high-quality stain can last anywhere between 3 years and 8 years.