# Forum Home Renovation Fences & Screens  treated pine vs hardwood

## sports fan

hello all, 
time to replace fences each side of boundary.  im in sydney the boundaries are approx 70m long and gently slopes down hill 
as we have a lot to do we want to keep costs to minimum.  single paling type butted up against each other 
existing fence is hardwood and has rotted and also been taken out by falling branches and trees.  this issue is being addressed now before we build new fence 
would like everyones fors and againsts: 
treated pine
treated pine with gal posts
hardwood
lap and cap 
your thoughts and advice much appreciated

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## stevoh741

hardwood for me. Anything pine just looks crap IMO.

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## Lawriet

Anything in the ground at my place is gal steel - otherwise it either rots or the white ants gets it.  I agree that hardwood looks better and is hardier and more resistant to damage especially if the fence is between you and a road or you and neighbours with kids.

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## barney118

TP looks good for 12 mths then it twists bends. I have had no issues with colorbond that has lasted on a sloping block if your area permits. Otherwise I would go hardwood and gal posts.

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## sports fan

thanks for the reponses.  most suggest hardwood is prefferred and hardwood with gal posts is even better 
might get a few options priced up and take it from there.  any more suggestions welcome 
(colorbond is out my wife hates it - needs to be timber  :Wink: )

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## goldie1

I recently demolished a post and rail fence in a rural area which was built 25 years ago. Posts were 150mm square  
some hardwood some treated pine.  The hard wood was completely shot ( rot and termites ) the treated pine 
had barely a mark on them.

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## stevoh741

> I recently demolished a post and rail fence in a rural area which was built 25 years ago. Posts were 150mm square  
> some hardwood some treated pine.  The hard wood was completely shot ( rot and termites ) the treated pine 
> had barely a mark on them.

  Other way round for us QLDers

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## goldie1

> Other way round for us QLDers

  That would depend on which part of Qld.  Brisbane is just up the road from me. If your in the tropics I take 
your point.

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## sports fan

yeah ive been asking few people about these materials and most i speak to talk up treated pine saying chemicals are better resistance, value for money etc 
im leaning to treated pine on this basis thanks for the replies

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## stevoh741

I'm on sunny coast and last time I used H4 treated pine sleepers on ground (not in) they were rotted out in under two yrs. funny enough the treated hardwood posts they were attached to we're as good as the day they went in. TP not worth a lick of chit IMO

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## Random Username

Treated pine in-ground here (Canberra) looks good even when 30+ years old.  Local hardwood (yellowbox or similar) in ground starts to rot out in under 5 years.

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## stevoh741

> Treated pine in-ground here (Canberra) looks good even when 30+ years old.  Local hardwood (yellowbox or similar) in ground starts to rot out in under 5 years.

   Like I said earlier stuff we get in qld is rubbish. I wouldn't use it to wipe my ass (aside from the splinter thing)

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## sports fan

anyone from sydney got any input?  from the replies so far treated pine is no good in warmer climates however replies suggest tp is superior in cooler climates eg canberra

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## Random Username

Have a read of the PDF you can find here: http://www.renovateforum.com/f196/ti...76/#post876556

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## chalkyt

Back in the olden days when I lived in Sydney (wet Turramurra), the place next door was demolished and rebuilt. Part of the deal was new fencing (at no cost to me). They used treated pine with three rails. After 12 months of sun and rain it had twisted, split, and looked cr@p. Maybe they used the cheapest material available but it looked ordinary even though it probably last and lasts, The best solution on a short section of fence was gal steel posts and colourbond. 
Try to convince the Minister for Appearances that nobody notices fences, especially once you have planted something in front of them. Hardwood is great if you have a fireplace since you have an endless supply of wood when you replace it every 15 years or so.

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## stevoh741

> Hardwood is great if you have a fireplace since you have an endless supply of wood when you replace it every 15 years or so.

  I wouldn't recommend burning it especially if it was CCA treated

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