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AR15.COM
10/6/2009 6:59:01 PM EDT
I am building a cedar post fence around my cabin in the hill country. It will be cedar post with 5ft tall welded wire. My question has to with removing the bark off of the post. I really like the look of post that have the bark removed. My question is will this effect the post as far as longevity? If i do remove the bark what is the best way to preserve the post so they don't get turn grey over the years?

Thanks
10/6/2009 9:53:12 PM EDT
[#1]
For our house (as beams)we took a pressure washer to take the bark off, it turned out really nice. It took about 2 days, but only because the beer slowed us down. I don't remember putting a sealer on it, i would have to ask my friends they helped a lot when i had to work.
10/7/2009 5:17:22 AM EDT
[#2]
They used s sealer on the cedar posts in our cabin.
I have never heard of sealing them outside. Turning grey over the years is part of the look.
10/7/2009 5:39:42 AM EDT
[#3]
I have used cedar posts as well for fencing.  I have pressure washed them to get the bark off and then selaed them to keep them looking new.  After about two years, it looks gray anyways.  So you need to keep pressure washing just like a regular fence to keep it looking new.  Or you can get the bark off, and it will be gray in one year.

On the last fence I built, I left the bark on.  Two years later, bark is grey but still on there, not stripping off or anything like that.
10/7/2009 5:53:39 AM EDT
[#4]
Where at in the hill country?
10/7/2009 6:40:16 AM EDT
[#5]
When you say cedars, are you talking about those nasty ash junipers we have out here?
10/7/2009 10:12:31 AM EDT
[#6]
I had a Palapa built (www.texaspalapas.com) out back by my pool and they use those shaved/cleaned Cedars as main posts and also ceiling joists. It is REALLY NICE. Gorgeous, in fact. They do use a sealer - Kelly Moore TWP 101 cedartone natural - the end result is beautfiul. You can see pics on their website.
10/7/2009 10:52:54 AM EDT
[#7]
When building fence on our place we use  machete to shave them.  Pressure washer would be faster of course, but if you don't have access to one a machete is another option.  My grandpa used to say they lasted longer if you shaved them because they would dry faster and termites couldn't get between the bark.  Sound theory IMO but haven't done any test to prove it.
10/7/2009 11:41:10 AM EDT
[#8]
Why you would ruin a perfectly good cedar post is beyond me, those things look like crap when they are stripped and sealed.... a milled timber would look much better with the welded wire than the fake log cabin look of the stripped cedar.
10/7/2009 1:02:43 PM EDT
[#9]
a lot of the fences i see out on the ranches have tar on top of the posts to slow down the rot/sun damage.
10/7/2009 5:13:10 PM EDT
[#10]
Quoted:
Where at in the hill country?


Spicewood 50 miles west of Austin.