The Type Of Fencing Post Is An Important ConsiderationWhen looking at constructing a fence in the garden most people take a lot of time to think of the materials for the fence, and decide whether to go for wood, metal, or concrete. They also spend much time of deciding which style of fence to build. But one thing that is often not thought about is the type of fence posts that will be used to support the fence. This is an important decision, because without suitable fencing posts there is no suitable support, and that means the longevity of the fence will be compromised. As with general fencing options, there are essentially three options for fencing posts, and these are wood, metal and concrete. This article will look at threes three types and the advantages and disadvantages of using each. Wood fence posts are one of the most common choices when it comes to putting up a fence. This is especially true when the fence itself is constructed primarily from wood, either with wooden fence panels, a wooden split rail fence, or a log fence, such as a cedar log fence. The advantages of wooden fence posts is that they look extremely natural and so fit in well with a garden, especially when the main body of the fence is wooden. But the disadvantages are that wooden fence posts, as does the wooden fence itself, need a great deal of maintenance. Unless painted, or painted with creosote or other preservative every few years, the wood can easily succumb to rot. The base of a wooden fence post also needs preservative or can rot when planted in damp ground. Metal Fence Posts A type of fence post that will never rot, either from the base due to damp ground or due to the action of the weather, is a metal fence post. No matter how damp the ground or how wet the weather, a metal fence post will weather the elements easily. The main types of metal used for fencing posts are aluminum and steel. Aluminum fence posts are among the most popular, mainly because of their low maintenance properties, and because there is a wide range of aluminum posts available in various decorative styles. In this way you get a low maintenance fence post with good looks too. Steel fence posts are less popular but can also have decorative elements. The main disadvantage of metal fence posts is that they do not look natural, and when wedded to a wooden fence may look slightly out of place. Concrete fence posts are another type of low maintenance fence post, though some types of concrete post can begin to look dull due to the effects of the weather. This can be offset somewhat by painting the concrete. A concrete fence post will weather the elements well, and will not rot even when planted into damp earth, although some types of concrete fence post can begin to crumble in extremely damp and humid conditions. Decorative Concrete Fence Posts The general disadvantage of a concrete post is that it may look out of place when placed with a wooden fence. However, there are several types of decorative concrete fence posts now available that mimic a wood look and so can be used with wood or other materials such as brick. As can be seen, the choice of which fence post material to use is an important one. Wood is natural but is high maintenance, while metal and concrete are low maintenance but can look out of place when used with natural materials. Take some time to think carefully about the type of fencing posts you want, and to do some research at one of the many fencing suppliers accessible online. |