Big Easy Fence Company, a fencing contractor serving residential and commercial properties across more than twenty communities in southeastern Louisiana, published a detailed guide on its company blog addressing how residential property owners can evaluate wood fence styles, material grades, and cost management strategies before committing to a fencing project. The guide, titled “Choosing the Perfect Wood Fence Style for Your Home,” covers the grading system used for western red cedar lumber, the structural and aesthetic characteristics of several common residential fence designs, and maintenance practices that affect the long-term durability of wood fencing in humid subtropical climates.
A central section of the guide explains the three-tier grading system applied to western red cedar, the wood species most commonly specified for residential fencing due to its natural resistance to insect damage and moisture-related decay. Grade one cedar contains the fewest knots and produces the most uniform visual appearance, while grade three contains larger and more frequent knots at a lower price point. The guide identifies grade two, designated as premium grade, as the classification that most residential fencing projects use because it balances structural integrity and visual consistency against material cost. The guide also notes that property owners working within a fixed budget can specify grade two cedar for the pickets, which are the most visible component of the fence, while using lower-cost materials for the rails and posts that are partially or fully concealed once the fence is assembled.
The guide addresses cost management through the strategic combination of multiple wood species within a single fence installation. Pressure-treated pine, which undergoes a chemical treatment process that increases its resistance to rot and insect damage, is identified as a structurally sound option for fence posts and lower rail sections where ground contact and moisture exposure are highest. Douglas fir, noted for its straightness and load-bearing capacity, is described as a cost-effective rail material that can support higher-grade pickets without warping or sagging over the expected service life of the fence. The guide explains that combining these materials with western red cedar pickets allows the property owner to maintain the visual appearance of a cedar fence while reducing the total material cost of the project.
The style section of the guide covers several residential fence designs and the functional characteristics of each. Traditional picket fencing, which uses evenly spaced vertical boards along horizontal rails at approximately waist height, is described as a design that can be configured with pointed, scalloped, or flat-topped pickets depending on the property owner’s aesthetic preference. Split-rail and post-and-rail designs are presented as lower-material options suited to properties where the primary objective is boundary definition rather than privacy, as these designs use widely spaced horizontal timbers without solid panel coverage. The guide notes that split-rail fencing has been in continuous use since the colonial period in the United States due to its simplicity and reduced material requirements compared to panel-based designs.
A separate section of the guide addresses the role of staining in extending the functional lifespan of a wood fence. The guide states that regular staining acts as a barrier against moisture absorption, which is the primary mechanism through which wood fencing deteriorates in humid climates. When performed on a consistent schedule using appropriate products, the guide indicates that staining can add up to twenty years to the service life of a wood fence. This maintenance consideration is particularly relevant in southeastern Louisiana, where sustained humidity, heavy rainfall, and periodic storm events accelerate the rate at which untreated or under-maintained wood absorbs moisture, leading to warping, rot, and structural degradation over time.
Separately, Big Easy Fence Company announced the addition of a dedicated pressure-treated pine fencing service to its installation lineup. The new service category covers custom design, installation, and maintenance of pressure-treated pine fences for residential and commercial properties. The company stated that pressure-treated pine is increasingly specified by property owners seeking a wood fencing option with built-in resistance to rot and insect damage at a lower material cost than western red cedar or other naturally resistant species. The pressure-treated pine service joins the company’s existing installation categories, which include cedar privacy fencing, custom wood fencing, dog ear wood fencing, horizontal wood fencing, lattice wood fencing, shadowbox wood fencing, wood picket fencing, galvanized chain link, vinyl-coated chain link, and wrought iron.
Big Easy Fence Company serves residential and commercial properties in New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Gretna, Mandeville, Covington, Slidell, Hammond, Baton Rouge, Denham Springs, Gonzales, Prairieville, LaPlace, Madisonville, and additional communities throughout southeastern Louisiana. The published guide is available on the company’s blog at www.bigeasyfencecompany.com.
“The grading system for western red cedar is not widely understood outside the fencing industry, and property owners frequently make material decisions without knowing that the grade of cedar they select directly affects both the appearance and the per-foot cost of the project,” said a representative of Big Easy Fence Company. “The guide was written to document those variables so that the property owner can evaluate the tradeoffs between material grades, wood species, and fence styles before the project scope is finalized.”
Property owners may contact Big Easy Fence Company at 504-527-8792 or through the company’s website at www.bigeasyfencecompany.com.
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For more information about Big Easy Fence Company, contact the company here:
Big Easy Fence Company
William Gonzalez
504-527-8792
info@bigeasyfencecompany.com
New Orleans, LA
