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When choosing your fencing materials, there are many synthetic and wood options available. Cedar wood continues to be a favorite choice among homeowners for several reasons. Some of our readers have highlighted their favorite reasons for choosing cedar wood and why you should too.

Kyle Richards

Kyle Richards

Kyle Richards, Co-Founder of Best Overland Park Painters

It’s Traditional and Practical

The preference of most homeowners for cedar wood as a fencing material is due to a complicated combination of several factors.

First, let us get aesthetics out of the way. Except for cast iron, wood is perhaps the most visually-pleasing material for fences. But cedar wood isn’t the only beautiful wood. Other softwoods like pine and redwood are just as beautiful, and hardwoods even more so.

Part of the appeal is practicality. Compared to many other kinds of wood, cedar wood is cheaper, more durable, more lightweight, and more easily available. It is also resistant to insect attacks because of its natural oils and resins.

A third factor I will venture to mention is tradition. It just made economic sense to use cedar wood as fencing back in the day. Cedar wood isn’t a great wood for load-bearing structures, so it’s usually left out of house construction. So what’s there to do with this beautiful wood that’s readily available? Cabinets, obviously, and then fencing. The tradition stuck, and many homeowners and contractors simply take it for granted that wooden fences should be made of cedar.

It’s Aesthetically Pleasing, Durable, and Low-Maintenance

While vinyl has become popular for fencing because of its durability and low maintenance, many people still want wooden fences because they are more aesthetically pleasing or appealing to the eye. They still want fencing that is strong and relatively low-maintenance, which is where cedar wood comes in.

It is one of the most durable types of wood out there, which means that homeowners can install it with the confidence of knowing it can withstand weather conditions and have a longer lifespan than woods like oak, pine, or cypress.

Jeremy Yamaguchi

Jeremy Yamaguchi

Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of Lawn Love.

Craig Miller

Craig Miller

Craig Miller is the founder of Academia Labs LLC, an education-driven content company.

It’s Inexpensive and Weather-Resistant

There are many reasons why cedar wood is preferred as a fencing material. The first reason is its price. Compared to other types of wood, cedar wood is fairly cheap. Aside from that, it is a very weather-resilient wood that is sure to withstand changing climates or seasons. You don’t have to worry about it breaking down because of the changing temperatures throughout the year.

Another is that it is a poor water and moisture absorber because of the natural oils present on the wood itself. This means that you won’t see it bulging or shrinking because it has rained non-stop for the past few weeks. These reasons make it the best [fencing] material there is.

It’s Naturally Resistant to Bugs and Moisture

Cedar wood is a great option for outdoor use because of its natural resistance to moisture, rot, and decay. Additionally, it is naturally resistant to bugs and insects, making it the preferred choice of wood for many homeowners.

Suzie Wible

Suzie Wible

Suzie Wible is the owner of the DIY website and blogs The Accent Piece.

Henry Davis

Henry Davis

Henry Davis, Owner of Adept Golf.

It’s Sturdy and Readily Available

Most people choose cedar wood over any other wood in making because cedar wood is not that expensive and is pretty sturdy. It is also a good and reliable wood that is sure to last for many years, [which is] why many people choose cedar wood rather than any other wood on the market.

Cedar wood is also common, so there is no reason for it to be unavailable. Since cedar wood is quite common and easy to buy, it is not that expensive.

This is a crowdsourced article. Contributors are not necessarily affiliated with this website and their statements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this website, other people, businesses, or other contributors.