Cedar Fence

[Dsltech1]

I’m looking to build a cedar fence. I’m no carpenter so grades of wood are foreign to me. Seems 7/8” or thicker is ideal for pickets. The big box stores only sell 5/8” and from the reviews I’ve read their grading system is sub par not to mention incorrect cuts. I also doubt they’ll let me hand pick 900 pickets. There’s a mill about 3 hours from me with a great price on square cut 1x #3 cedar. What kind of appearance will #3 have? Decent enough appearance for a privacy fence?

[Bmi48219]

For a general background on cedar grading see the link below.

https://www.timbertown.com/cedar-grades/

[ascast]

Are you going to paint it? Yes? Why ? it's cedar. Some towns villages don't allow sprayers to be used. Build in sectons you can un-bolt and take into garage or car wash. Better, buy plastic. my two cents, I have painted a lot of those.

[NSB]

I had a large fence around my backyard for about twenty-eight years. It was knotless red cedar and it looked great. However, every three years or so it required a power wash and then an application of clear wood sealer. It was a lot of work and even doing all of that it eventually just disintegrated to the point the boards just started falling off where they were nailed on. I replaced it with a vinyl fence and it’s a hundred percent easier to keep up and it’ll outlast me. It’s even cheaper than the cedar fence.