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After Hurricane Ike I had my fence replaced -- one side at a time. The wood on the side fences is fine but the wood on the back fence started warping almost from day one. Some tops of the boards turn inward and others turn outward. The fence installer comes out regularly to repair them (by re-nailing the tops, I think) but they just warp again.
I asked him what could be causing this and he said it might have been a bad load of wood. Could that be true? If so, what's my recourse? The fence is less than six months old and, the way things are going, the upkeep will be so tedious that I may end up replacing the entire back side.
The new treat wood fencing I have noticed is coming from mill much wetter than the old. I think that the wood needs to be stacked properly so as to dry out before making the fence.Even then they must be support right to not warp as bad ;person I like three horizonal supports with the top and bootm not to far from the end of the fencing.
Thanks, texdav. Is this something the fence installer (who is also my yardman -- he owns a landscaping service company) should have done? He did put an additional support board across the top of the fence last week, but that will only prevent the warping in that direction. Two more boards have already started warping in the opposite direction.
The support boards are the same one all three fences (back and sides) so I doubt that's the problem.
I dont want to cause my yardman any more trouble and inconvenience if this is something that was out of his control. But I also hate the idea of paying to have a new fence put up if he should have dried it out more properly before installing the fence.
Boards will bend and twist when they dry out. The fence boards were probably not sufficiently dried before they were used.
Since the boards used on your fence job are not likely from the same trees, you could have some dryer than others. It also could be how the sun hits the fence.
Pressure treated wood is commonly served wet. The concept is that when it is nailed in place, the structure will limit the amount of warping and shrinking. Some of it does more of this than others.
There is no such thing as a bad load of wood unless they are full of knots that wood in time crack on it's own.
Wood has not been allowed to dry properly over time before selling to the consumer.
Have seen 2/4 studs warp after installation in a house.
Visit any lumber store and pick up a 2/4 or 2/6 etc and feel the weight or dampness and you will know the wood is GREEN. PASS and do not buy.
Problem with construction today is the demand for material needed for rebuilding homes damaged in storms like Katrina. The price of plywood jumped sky high right afterwards all over the US. Flimsy excuse to raise prices.
Sorry for the fence problem...only recourse is dry wood for repairs. The guy who did your work should have known better. Steve
texdav is correct about them being sold to wet... You never want to use it until they have dried out...
I have some 2x4x10 and 2x4x8's drying in my garage right now. Two of the 2x10's are curling, I was in McCoys and told them about it and they told me to bring them back and they will replace them.
I remember when you could buy them and they were dry. But not anymore....
I haven;'t seen Kiln dryed treated lumber in sometime.In fact ;a friend of mine who is a cabinet maker and knows wood said some of the fencing he sees isn't any pine he has ever seen.Also be sure and use the right fastener with the new type treated because it will eat some cheaper galvanized nails. Maze is one that is double dipped hot galnvanized naius. I have heard they are one of only two american nail manufacturers left.Some of the mexican hot dip are pretty much junk from test.Even some of the coated screws are not good for the new treatment chemical I am told.
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