Hemlock boards vs oak
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Hemlock boards vs oak
I am planning on putting in some 4 board fence and a few people told me that oak after a few years has a tendency to twist. Does anyone have experience with using Hemlock vs oak boards. Is it stronger than pine? Does it splinter like pine? Any help appreciated.
Pine is a soft wood, while oak is a hardwood. I have no experience with hemlock. If the oak boards are from logs that are fully dried before being cut you would have minimal twist - cypress is a very good, rot proof wood but is really only available in the south. I would never allow poplar boards - the fence salesmen seem to always try to sell that but it splits and horses like the taste of it. It's fast-growing and quite cheap.
For a cost cutting measure, I usually order mixed hardwood boards from the sawmill - I get oak, ash, hickory and maple. It is about 30% cheaper than all oak, and is about 70% cheaper than dressed lumber from a lumberyard. I get 4"x1"x8' long for about $2 per board. Plus they have it palleted for me, pick it up with a fork and put it on my flat trailer. If I get the occasional twist after 8 months or so it is a small price to pay for the original savings in the cost of the lumber. One way to somewhat prevent twist - put the tree ring with the open end facing the fence post. I also use deck screws and a powerful cordless driver - makes my life so much easier. No nails.
For a cost cutting measure, I usually order mixed hardwood boards from the sawmill - I get oak, ash, hickory and maple. It is about 30% cheaper than all oak, and is about 70% cheaper than dressed lumber from a lumberyard. I get 4"x1"x8' long for about $2 per board. Plus they have it palleted for me, pick it up with a fork and put it on my flat trailer. If I get the occasional twist after 8 months or so it is a small price to pay for the original savings in the cost of the lumber. One way to somewhat prevent twist - put the tree ring with the open end facing the fence post. I also use deck screws and a powerful cordless driver - makes my life so much easier. No nails.
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....
Actually, I spent a little time researching hemlock - it is a softwood, like douglas fir, and has large shrinkage. It is listed with moderate strength which I believe would make it unsuitable for board fencing. It is apparently used mostly for panelling, sauna lining, laminating and trim. Its gluing properties infer a large volume of sap in the lumber.
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....
