When building a wood fence, you need to decide whether you’ll use wood posts or metal posts to secure your fence. These metal posts can provide strength to what would be the weakest parts of your fence. Although it may seem overwhelming to build a wood fence with metal posts, this isn’t the case. Through a simple process, you can make a wood fence that stands the test of time.
Step 1: Set the Posts
If you’re setting new posts, make sure that they are 8 feet apart or closer. Sink them into the ground about ⅓ of their total length.
Step 2: Wrap the Posts
To conceal the metal posts, you can use special brackets to wrap them with the lumbar. Secure the brackets to each post, and screw two-by-fours to the wings of brackets in the post. The fence planks will cover the front sides of the brackets.
Step 3: Install the Fencing
Since the brackets are already secured, screw the fence rails into place. You then need to screw the fence planks to the rails.
Benefits of Metal Posts
If you’re still not convinced that you should be using metal posts for your wood fence, here are a few benefits of metal posts.
- Metal posts don’t rot or warp. Unfortunately, most wooden posts tend to rot away or warp after a few years in the garage. From the moment that wood posts are placed into the ground, moisture begins to set in, and wood rot occurs relatively quickly.
- Metal posts aren’t affected by insects. With all the time that your wood fence spends being exposed to the elements, insects and other pests can begin to make a home in it. If termites make their home within the wood posts in your fence, they can slowly eat away at it, causing irreversible damage. Over time, you will have to replace the entire post.
- Metal posts are low maintenance. Although treated wood posts don’t require as much care, wood fencing of any kind will need regular cleaning, staining, and sealing to avoid drying out and shrinking. Metal posts can cut some of that maintenance, allowing you to focus on the appearance of your fence.
Wooden Posts vs. Metal Posts - What Will You Decide?
Deciding on wooden posts vs. metal posts is never an easy decision. You’ll need to consider your neighborhood, the needs of your yard, and your weather patterns. Regardless of what kind of fence post you choose, Liberty Fence Company is here to help. We provide our customers with some of the highest quality fences in the midwest.
Our highly trained team has experience working with both wooden and metal fence posts, and we can help you make the right decision for your home. To get started with your free fence estimate, give us a call or fill out our online contact form. This estimate will help us have a better idea of the needs of your property, and we can move forward accordingly.
We look forward to building a fence that will live on your property.
