Slatted Fence

K09 · 25-09-2019 3:30pm #1

Hi,
I am looking to build a fence like the attached. What timber can I use for this? Would the treated timber in woodies be fine or what can I use for the narrow panels?

Thanks!

jmBuildExt · 25-09-2019 3:50pm

That timber is probably western red cedar. If you dont treat it it turns grey. Don't think you'd get it in woodies. And if you could you will pay way over the odds for it.
Stay away from woodies, calculate how much you need and get prices from proper timber providers.

Lumen · 25-09-2019 4:54pm

Red Cedar PAO Battens 44x18mm 1.83mtr (2x1" x 6ft)
https://www.goodwins.ie/products/red-cedar-pao-slats-44x18mm-1-83mtr-2x1-x-6ft-1272025.html?filter_set[]=20,2121

Red Cedar PAO Battens 69x18mm 1.83mtr (3x1" x 6ft)
https://www.goodwins.ie/products/red-cedar-pao-slats-44x18mm-1-83mtr-2x1-x-6ft-1272025.html?filter_set[]=20,2121

K09 · 25-09-2019 5:17pm

Is this timber wasted if we want to paint it a different colour?

Any other timber fence recommendations?

Thanks

Lumen · 25-09-2019 5:17pm

K09 wrote: »

Is this timber wasted if we want to paint it a different colour?

Yes!

Doop · 26-09-2019 10:57am

If you were going to paint it, get a cheaper timber like Douglas fir. Just did a similar job to the pic you attached in DF, for comparison the equivalent amount I wanted was being quoted at €850 for cedar and €230 for Douglas Fir. Image below is the cladding we did in Douglas fir treated with UV treatment to prevent greying.

Ordered from a place in wicklow delivered to Dublin, couldnt fault them.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qjzf01yE9HelvRq9DyxxHjpi2jrp57Oq/view

Stay away from woodies! order it from a timber yard, where are you located?

ontour2 · 26-09-2019 11:33am

Doop, that is an awesome fence. Couple of questions if I may, hopefully also beneficial to OP.
Did you compare Whitewood to Douglas Fir? Much of a difference in appearance, quality or price?

What fixings did you use? ( as I can't see them I was guessing a nail gun !

Can you share the timber merchant details if possible

Doop · 26-09-2019 11:55am

To be honest I have never heard of whitewood until now! I priced cedar, larch and douglas fir

Larch - 19mm x 44mm @ €1.85 per lin mtr + Vat
Cedar Battons - 44mm x 18mm @ €2.80 per lin mtr + Vat
Douglas Fir - 44mm x 20mm @ €0.85 per lin mtr + Vat

Fixings are express nails on the posts, I put the posts at 1 meter intervals, made a slight mistake in not planning a post at one of the joins of the battens but managed to get around it. Used a nail gun to fix the battens to the posts. Gaps are 20mm (size of a batten on its side..no need for measuring!)

I did a similar job for a family member last summer in cedar, and it looks great but it is expensive timber. I used the cheap option in my own garden

Its not difficult to achieve, once you have the right tools.. hammer drill and nail gun.

Larch and cedar were priced from MTS http://www.woodcomponents.ie/
Douglas Fir was priced (and ordered) from Wood Industries LTD... http://www.woodindustries.ie

ontour2 · 26-09-2019 12:47pm

Doop, thank you for the details, much appreciated.
Express Nails - that saved me making a mistake there !

K09 · 26-09-2019 10:50pm

Doop wrote: »

Stay away from woodies! order it from a timber yard, where are you located?

Live near the woodies in sallynoggin. That's why was looking there. Are they really bad?

Doop · 27-09-2019 9:10am

K09 wrote: »

Live near the woodies in sallynoggin. That's why was looking there. Are they really bad?

Ah sure no theres nothing wrong with woodies but you will pay for it, also are you going to transport it all yourself? First step is to work out the quantities, I'm not even sure woodies would have as much as you may need in stock. Timber yards/suppliers are going straight to the source and will deliver to your door, they will also generally help you with quantities if you are struggling to work it out. You could always price both and go from there.

K09 · 27-09-2019 11:53am

Thanks Doop! Appreciate the advice

27-09-2019 12:04pm

K09 wrote: »

Live near the woodies in sallynoggin. That's why was looking there. Are they really bad?

Yes,
I was looking for a few fence posts recently and happened to be in woodies so took a look.
they were 20e a pop!!
Went to the builders merchants and they were 7e (and longer)!

awec · 27-09-2019 12:07pm

Woodies timber is really only if you need the odd bit here and there. Buying a whole load of it for a project would be like buying your weekly shop in a Centra.

jmBuildExt · 27-09-2019 12:12pm

BrownFinger wrote: »

Yes,
I was looking for a few fence posts recently and happened to be in woodies so took a look.
they were 20e a pop!!
Went to the builders merchants and they were 7e (and longer)!

And in Sallynoggin, they are right next door to each other (woodies and chadwicks), and at one stage (maybe they are still) owned by the same group

ontour2 · 14-10-2019 4:20pm

I took Doop's advice and took a trip down to Wood Industries in Rathnew. Nicest people you could possibly deal with. I headed with the intention of getting Douglas Fir but ended up getting Larch at a fraction of the price I was quoted in Dublin. One thing I had not realized is that, because they are a sawmill, they can give you any length. So a bit of planning before you go can reduce the waste, the work you have to do and the cost.

I had planned to manually nail it in and went looking for stainless steel nails. I ended up on a fools errand, at the end of which I went with galvanised pins and rented a nail gun for the weekend. It would have been insane to try to do it without a nail gun. Be warned that nail guns are not quiet and you will probably end up firing 100s of shots.

the worst part of the job was painting the wall black to give a consistent shadow. Painting blocks is one of the worst types of painting. It really needs a sprayer if you want to maintain your sanity.

All in it worked out at c. €22 per square meter.

Now I need to decide whether to treat it or just let it grey !
Thanks again to Doop for point me in the right direction.

Lumen · 14-10-2019 5:47pm

I vote "let it grey". Once you start treating it you'll never stop.

Actually, there is a (pricey) treatment that you apply as a one off and accelerates the greying process but supposedly makes it more consistent.

It's best applied in factory but it OK to do on site.

http://www.sioox.org.uk/wood-protection/products/treatment/hand-treatment/

DavyD_83 · 14-07-2020 8:29pm

ontour2 wrote: »

I took Doop's advice and took a trip down to Wood Industries in Rathnew. Nicest people you could possibly deal with. I headed with the intention of getting Douglas Fir but ended up getting Larch at a fraction of the price I was quoted in Dublin. One thing I had not realized is that, because they are a sawmill, they can give you any length. So a bit of planning before you go can reduce the waste, the work you have to do and the cost.

I had planned to manually nail it in and went looking for stainless steel nails. I ended up on a fools errand, at the end of which I went with galvanised pins and rented a nail gun for the weekend. It would have been insane to try to do it without a nail gun. Be warned that nail guns are not quiet and you will probably end up firing 100s of shots.

the worst part of the job was painting the wall black to give a consistent shadow. Painting blocks is one of the worst types of painting. It really needs a sprayer if you want to maintain your sanity.

All in it worked out at c. €22 per square meter.

Now I need to decide whether to treat it or just let it grey !
Thanks again to Doop for point me in the right direction.

I want to do essentially the same job in back garden, hoping to add a little bit of height to side wall for added privacy and to keep dog in. The current wall is only just under 4ft.

A couple of questions of you don't mind.

Looking like 4ft tall by 38ft in length (2ft on front of the wall, and 2ft above)
At the moment I'm thinking 3x1 lasts for the horizontals, I think you guys all used 2x1s, do you think this is better?
For the timber, I has found the red Cedar which seem like the best finish, but are pricey enough. ~800 all in from Goodwins, haven't gotten any other confirmed pricing yet.
With the latch or spruce, did you find either planed and treated to same level as the cedar or were they all rough wood?
I'm all up for saving money on the job, but still going for a pretty good finish without a lot of manual planing/sanding etc.
Oh, and delivery; how did you manage, was it expensive? I don't fancy trying to get 70-80 boards in our on top of my Octavia...

And thanks for the nail gun to, wouldn't have even thought of that

jmBuildExt · 22-07-2020 1:17pm

Doop wrote: »

To be honest I have never heard of whitewood until now! I priced cedar, larch and douglas fir

Larch - 19mm x 44mm @ €1.85 per lin mtr + Vat
Cedar Battons - 44mm x 18mm @ €2.80 per lin mtr + Vat
Douglas Fir - 44mm x 20mm @ €0.85 per lin mtr + Vat

Fixings are express nails on the posts, I put the posts at 1 meter intervals, made a slight mistake in not planning a post at one of the joins of the battens but managed to get around it. Used a nail gun to fix the battens to the posts. Gaps are 20mm (size of a batten on its side..no need for measuring!)

I did a similar job for a family member last summer in cedar, and it looks great but it is expensive timber. I used the cheap option in my own garden

Its not difficult to achieve, once you have the right tools.. hammer drill and nail gun.

Larch and cedar were priced from MTS http://www.woodcomponents.ie/
Douglas Fir was priced (and ordered) from Wood Industries LTD... http://www.woodindustries.ie

Hi Doop,
Any chance you remember what nails you used? I'm assuming maybe galvanised brads.... in/around 40mm?
Was it your own gun or did you rent it?

cheers.

Mullfam5 · 19-03-2021 5:48pm

Hi, I have been reading your post from several years ago about selecting between cedar wood screen verses Douglas Fir screens. You mentioned that you had done one for your parents in the Cedar but that you had used Douglas Fir on your own project. I was wondering given the time lapse between your posts if you had an update regarding durability and aesthetic of each of these options. I am looking to do similar in section of my garden and swithering as to which is the best option.

Mullfam5 · 19-03-2021 5:55pm

Doop wrote: »

To be honest I have never heard of whitewood until now! I priced cedar, larch and douglas fir

Larch - 19mm x 44mm @ €1.85 per lin mtr + Vat
Cedar Battons - 44mm x 18mm @ €2.80 per lin mtr + Vat
Douglas Fir - 44mm x 20mm @ €0.85 per lin mtr + Vat

Fixings are express nails on the posts, I put the posts at 1 meter intervals, made a slight mistake in not planning a post at one of the joins of the battens but managed to get around it. Used a nail gun to fix the battens to the posts. Gaps are 20mm (size of a batten on its side..no need for measuring!)

I did a similar job for a family member last summer in cedar, and it looks great but it is expensive timber. I used the cheap option in my own garden

Its not difficult to achieve, once you have the right tools.. hammer drill and nail gun.

Larch and cedar were priced from MTS
Douglas Fir was priced (and ordered) from Wood Industries LTD...

Looking for feedback now that time has passed as to which of the woods has weathered the best?

Doop · 22-03-2021 12:28pm

Mullfam5 wrote: »

Hi, I have been reading your post from several years ago about selecting between cedar wood screen verses Douglas Fir screens. You mentioned that you had done one for your parents in the Cedar but that you had used Douglas Fir on your own project. I was wondering given the time lapse between your posts if you had an update regarding durability and aesthetic of each of these options. I am looking to do similar in section of my garden and swithering as to which is the best option.

Hi Mullfam5,
Realistically there has been no difference in weathering, both were treated with;

https://www.woodcomponents.ie/shop/osmo-uv-extra-protection-oil-clear/#:~:text=As%20a%20microporous%20finish%2C%20Osmo,preventing%20the%20wood%20from%20drying.

to prevent greying prior to being put up. There has been some slight grey patches to the cedar which is most likely due to inconsistent application of the UV treatment, they both need re treating every 5 years I think. The Douglas Fir is holding up well. If I was doing it all again I would probably just use Douglas Fir as I'm not sure the cedar can justify its own cost! it is a nicer wood, smells great looks a little better but again I dont think its justified in the cost. But thats down to personal choice. Long story short I have not experienced any difference in weathering on the two timbers!

Curious Geroge · 06-04-2021 11:33pm

Has anyone had a reasonable price for the red cedar ? I'm getting price's at €80 per sq m for just the slats with a 6mm gap. it seems crazy, how does it sound to others ?

jmBuildExt · 07-04-2021 12:55pm

Curious Geroge wrote: »

Has anyone had a reasonable price for the red cedar ? I'm getting price's at €80 per sq m for just the slats with a 6mm gap. it seems crazy, how does it sound to others ?

Got mine from timberireland last year for about €9+VAT per 2.4m length (18mmx44mm). That's slightly more than your sqm price if you work it out.
Price doesn't seem to have changed there going by the website .

It's expensive stuff alright - but that seems to be the going rate.

Curious Geroge · 08-04-2021 8:51pm

Local sawmill prices at €8 for 3.4m lengths but giving a size of 50x22mm. Anything I should be asking ? I assume it's square edged but should I treat it before installing it and what is recommended posts for the wall to batten against? Thanks

Ceady · 14-05-2021 2:13pm

I need to make a wall topper screen for a patio area of 15 foot long between 2 and 3 foot of screening on the wall with posts to keep my cat off the neighbors wall

Anyone use Micro Shades Brown comes in 4.8mx70x20 would have 20mm gaps sounds perfect length for what I need.......

Ceady · 14-05-2021 2:44pm

Do you need to put batons on the back ? Can I fix to a post 1 meter apart and fix the post to the wall?

Doop · 14-05-2021 4:06pm

You could do it that way but would it not be easier to mount the post on the wall and then fix the battons? Also your new fence wont be o top of the wall so in theory your cat could still wall along the top of the wall!

Posts every meter or so will work fine just make sure you plan a post at the join of two runs of battens if you get me.

caddy16 · 15-05-2021 7:04pm

Ceady wrote: »

I need to make a wall topper screen for a patio area of 15 foot long between 2 and 3 foot of screening on the wall with posts to keep my cat off the neighbors wall

Anyone use Micro Shades Brown comes in 4.8mx70x20 would have 20mm gaps sounds perfect length for what I need.......

Thinking of doing a fence myself and that timber sounds perfect, where are you getting that timber?

Fine Cheers · 15-05-2021 9:39pm

20mm gaps too big for me but I guess it depends on what you are after. Of course impacts on cost too. I like the dark narrow lines and for me you shouldn't be able to see through what's behind. I see some people paint the wall black or use a fabric.

redser7 · 21-10-2022 10:54pm

Hi - I'm about to put an order in for some 2 x 1 cedar battens to build a horizontal fence and came across this discussion. It's air dried square edge @ 4.34 per metre inc. VAT. Does anyone know of a better price?

I also plan to use Osmo UV clear 420 to try keep the original colour but I'm a bit confused. Osmo says that for cedar you need to weather the boards for 3 months before oiling it. But then how do you oil all faces of the battens? And is there not a risk of greying starting? I've read that people treat the cedar before installing. So I'm confused on that point.

One last thing - I'm considering routing a 3 mm pencil edge on the two front-facing edges. I've read that cedar can be tricky to work and can split and I haven't used a router before. Is this a dumb idea to try?

Cheers

Slatted Fence

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