Raupp Fence Company, P.O. Box 1716, Arlington Heights, IL 60006
Frequently Asked Questions on Fencing
What is the difference and benefits of different types of fencing material?
Western Red Cedar is a superior, all-weather wood fencing material naturally resistant to decay and insect damage. Cedar wood fencing has a unique wood preservative oil requiring no additional treatment to the wood, unless it comes into contact with the ground. Cedar wood fencing material has less than half the swelling and shrinking tendencies of other domestic softwoods. Western Red Cedar material lies flat, stays straight, retains fasteners and provides an firm base for paints and stains which allows the fencing to age gracefully for decades, even when exposed to extreme weather.
The best feature of Western Red Cedar is its rich grain, texture and color that compliments any architectural style, from traditional to post-modern.
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www.cedar-outdoor.org
Hot-dipped galvanized, aluminum and stainless steel fasteners are all corrosion-resistant and can be used to fasten Western Red Cedar. Other types of nails are not recommended because they can rust and disintegrate. They also react adversely with natural preservative oils occurring in cedar. This can result in unsightly stains and streaks
Copper nails also react with cedar and should not be used. Your best choice is stainless steel nails, especially if you intend to stain the wood with transparent or semi-transparent stain. 2 www.cedar-outdoor.org
Aluminum fencing is specifically designed to protect your property from theft. Aluminum has great variety in color, styles and heights. Beautiful aluminum fencing gives your property a rich, upscale look to your home, pool or yard area.
There are several advantages to aluminum fencing. It includes: low maintenance because of its powder coating, meets safety standards due to a more ridged construction and is economical than other fences because there is no painting or staining required. 3 www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/7-advantages-of-aluminum-fences
Vinyl /PVC fencing has been on the market a few years. Vinyl and PVC are interchangeable. PVC stands for Polyvinyl chloride which is a thermoplastic polymer. This material is widely used on construction building material and is most commonly used for plumbing pipes. It is a hard plastic used primarily for its durability, low maintenance, and it can be recycled for repeat use. Vinyl fence requires posts that measure 5 ½” x 5 ½” or 4” x 4” wide, depending on the height desired. These posts are 6 to 15 feet long and are buried at the base 2 to 3 feet below ground. Again, height will determine depth. It is a long-lasting, clean and neat look. This type also has many styles including: three rail ranch, tongue and groove privacy, and picket. There are three color choices as well: white, tan and gray. Newly available is a wood grain look vinyl fence. Some of the leading manufacturers of Vinyl/PVC is Bufftech, Homeland Vinyl Products and Maximum. 4 www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/the-quotins-and-outsquot-of-fence
To help you determine your fencing needs and what to look for in a contractor, we at Raupp Fence suggest you go to the American Fence Association web-site: www.afachicago.com . There is an excellent guide to assist you.
