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A fence in Savannah showed me why we need to talk about ground contact more
I was checking out a historic district in Savannah, Georgia, and saw a beautiful cedar fence that was completely rotted at the bottom for about six inches up. The homeowner told me it was only five years old, but they'd set the posts directly in soil without any gravel or barrier. It really drives home how fast untreated wood can go when it's wet all the time. What's your go-to method for protecting the bottom of a picket fence in a damp area?
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ward.anna4d ago
Set posts in concrete above a gravel base for drainage. Use pressure treated lumber for the bottom foot, or add a rot board you can replace later. I also paint the cut ends of any wood that touches the ground with a thick sealant.
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beth_park4d ago
Good advice, but the gravel base can actually work against you if your soil doesn't drain well. It can just create a bowl that holds water right at the post base. In some heavy clay areas, it's better to skip the gravel and just use concrete so the water can't pool down there. The sealant on the cut ends is a total lifesaver move, though.
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baker.christopher4d ago
That "rot board you can replace later" is such a smart fix for when the perfect plan meets real life.
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