Introduction
Species is the single biggest lever on a wood fence: it sets the material price, the lifespan, the staining schedule, and — less obviously — how many boards you’ll reject for warp. Cedar, pressure-treated pine, and redwood cover 95% of residential fences, and each one is the right answer for a different set of priorities.
The Wood Fence Calculator turns your species choice into quantities — pickets, posts, rails, and stain. This guide helps you make the choice: species compared on cost, lifespan, and maintenance, plus treatments, fasteners, and the grading details that separate good lumber from a warped mess.
Species Compared
| Species | Lifespan | Relative cost | Maintenance | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western red cedar | 15–20 years | $$$ (baseline premium) | Stain every 3–4 years; can weather naturally | Privacy fences where appearance and longevity matter |
| Pressure-treated pine | 10–15 years | $ (cheapest) | Stain/seal every 2–3 years, mandatory | Budget builds, rental properties |
| Redwood | 20+ years | $$$$ (premium) | Stain every 3–4 years | High-end jobs, dry climates |
| Douglas fir (treated) | 10–12 years | $$ | Stain every 2–3 years | Posts and rails where strength matters |
Cedar
Naturally rot- and insect-resistant thanks to its oils — the reason cedar fences survive 15–20 years with modest care. It takes stain beautifully, weathers to an even silver-grey if left unfinished (a legitimate low-maintenance choice), and stays dimensionally stable, which means fewer warped pickets to cull. The tradeoff is price: roughly 30–40% more than treated pine. For a 150-ft privacy run, that’s the difference between ~$2,700 and ~$1,900 in DIY materials — see the worked budget in the cost guide.
Pressure-treated pine
The economical workhorse: pine forced full of preservatives (ACQ or MCA treatments) resists rot and insects nearly as well as cedar as long as the treatment stays sealed. The catch is maintenance — stain every 2–3 years without fail, because once the treatment envelope is breached by UV and checking, decay starts. Pine also moves more: expect to reject 10–15% of pickets for warp versus ~5–8% for cedar, so lean toward the high end of the waste allowance in the formula guide.
Redwood
The premium option — gorgeous, naturally durable, 20+ years in dry climates. The catch is availability and price: true heartwood redwood is a western-US specialty and costs 50–100% more than cedar. Worth it for a showpiece front fence; overkill for a back-lot boundary.
Posts Deserve Better Wood Than Pickets
Posts live in soil contact — the harshest environment on the fence. The professional practice is pressure-treated posts (rated for ground contact) regardless of picket species: a cedar fence on treated posts outlasts an all-cedar fence, because even cedar rots faster at the soil line than treated pine does. Look for the “ground contact” (UC4A or higher) treatment tag, not just “above ground” rated lumber.
Treatments and Finishes
Stain vs sealer vs paint
| Finish | Pros | Cons | Reapply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-transparent stain | Shows grain, penetrates wood, easy recoat | Fades in sun | Every 2–4 years |
| Clear water sealer | Natural look | Minimal UV protection, shortest life | Every 1–2 years |
| Solid stain / paint | Maximum UV protection, uniform colour | Peels when it fails; hides grain | Every 4–6 years |
Semi-transparent stain is the default recommendation: it protects without the peeling failure mode of film finishes. Coverage runs 150–300 sq ft (14–28 m²) per gallon — rough-sawn wood drinks more, smooth-planed less. A 150-ft × 6-ft fence (1,800 sq ft / 167 m² both sides) needs ~8 gallons per coat at mid-range coverage.
When to finish
Pre-stain pickets before installation to coat all six faces, or stain within 4–6 weeks of installation. Pressure-treated pine needs 2–3 months of drying before it accepts stain — the “wait to stain” advice applies to fresh treated lumber, not cedar. The pro tips guide covers application technique.
Fasteners and Hardware
- Exterior screws (coated or stainless): the default — high pull-out resistance, no pop-out. Budget ~2 screws per picket per rail crossing. For 330 pickets × 3 rails × 2 screws ≈ 1,980 screws: buy the 5-lb box.
- Ring-shank nails: faster with a nail gun, nearly as grippy. Hot-dipped galvanized minimum; stainless within 5 miles of salt water.
- Never use plain bright nails or drywall screws: they rust, streak the wood black, and back out. The black streaks are iron tannate — permanent.
- Gate hardware: through-bolt hinges (not screws) on 6×6 gate posts; a diagonal-braced gate frame; a latch rated for exterior use. Budget $75–$150 per gate in hardware alone.
Buying Smart: Grading and Culling
- Buy one grade up for pickets. The price step from #3 to #2 pickets is small; the warp-and-knot difference is large.
- Sight down every post. Reject anything with more than ~1/2 in (1.3 cm) of bow over 8 ft — a crooked post telegraphs through the whole run.
- Check moisture. Kiln-dried-after-treatment (KDAT) lumber is worth the premium: it moves less after installation, so your tight privacy face stays tight.
- Sort on delivery day. Cull defects immediately and report them within days — suppliers replace bad boards fast early, never late.
- Store flat, stickered, and covered. Lumber left in a sunny pile warps before you hang it. Stack flat with spacers (“stickers”) between layers, under a tarp.
Related Guides
- Wood Fence Complete Guide — the flagship estimating overview.
- Wood Fence Cost Guide — species price differences in the worked budget.
- Pro Tips — installation practices that protect your material investment.
- Formulas Explained — waste allowances by species.
- Pre-Install Fence Checklist — delivery-day sorting and storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which wood lasts longest for a fence?
Redwood (20+ years) and cedar (15–20 years) lead on natural durability; pressure-treated pine reaches 10–15 years with diligent staining. In all cases, ground-contact-rated treated posts outlast any species used below grade.
Is cedar worth the extra cost over treated pine?
For a fence you’ll look at daily: usually yes — better stability, less maintenance, longer life. For a back boundary or rental: treated pine with a staining schedule is the rational budget pick. The 150-ft price gap is roughly $800 in DIY materials.
Can I mix cedar pickets with treated posts?
Yes — it’s the professional standard. Treated posts rated for ground contact, cedar (or pine) above grade. Nobody sees the posts; everybody sees the pickets.
How often should I stain a wood fence?
Semi-transparent stain: every 2–3 years for pine, every 3–4 years for cedar. South- and west-facing runs fade faster — inspect annually and recoat the sunny side sooner.
What screws should I use for a cedar fence?
Coated exterior screws or stainless steel. Plain steel causes black iron-tannate streaks in cedar and redwood that can’t be sanded out.
Get Your Number
Pick the species that matches your budget and maintenance appetite, use ground-contact treated posts regardless, and buy fasteners that won’t streak the wood. Then run the quantities through the Wood Fence Calculator — the material list doesn’t care which species you chose, but your wallet and your weekends will.
Disclaimer: Species lifespans and costs are typical US planning figures that vary with climate, grade, and local markets. Calculator results are planning estimates. Verify lumber grades with your supplier and consult a licensed professional or your local building authority for structural or code-related decisions.
