Black wooden fence??

[Dirtshooter]

Hi guys got a question for ya. I have seen several black wooden fences and am wondering if people are using burnt motor oil on them or are they painting them a flat or matte finish black paint? Anybody done this?? I think they look so much better than the natural or white wooden fences especially a few years down the road. Thanks Mac

[Erik88]

I'm curious. I just had a fence put in and we plan on staining it soon.

[56FordGuy]

If you want black, then paint. Oil, used or otherwise doesn't give that absolute black like paint will. Any type of finish will require maintenance and touch ups over the years. 

[swim615]

Sounds like creosote to me. Be sure to wear proper clothing ,gloves, and don't wipe the sweat off your face with clothing or gloves after touching them.

 

Your local farmers COOP should sell them. I've bought them from mine.

[luvmyberetta]

Most fences like the ones you describe use a solid color stain. They're usually water based & can be mixed just like paint in just about any color including black & give a really flat/matte finish.

[peejman]

They're typically just paint or stain.  The only things I've ever seen coated with creosote are railroad ties and telephone poles.  I sure wouldn't want to build a fence out of those. 

[TerryW]

  I sure wouldn't want to build a fence out of those. 

 

 

Is that because they are messy?

[peejman]

Is that because they are messy?

 

 

Messy, smelly, and they weight a frickin' ton. 

 

Dad and I built a retaining wall out of brand new ties at our house many years ago.  New ones are nothing like the old, rotten crap they sell at Lowes.  The most effective way we could come up with to cut them was to use a chainsaw.  We ruined a bar and a couple chains in the process. 

 

The flip side is, 30 years later, that wall hasn't moved or degraded at all. 

[TerryW]

I'm guessing fire might be an issue too? 

[peejman]

I'm guessing fire might be an issue too? 

 

Not really.  It would take a lot of heat to get it to burn.  But once it started burning, you'd never put it out.  And new RR ties are really expensive now.  There's other more cost effective options. 

[TerryW]

I want to put a wooden fence up but I've got about 1200 I need to run and I don't want to paint it every year. 

 

 

What I want to know how do they make the top of the fence(the line) so perfectly straight?  The lines I've ever made had a level floor.  The dirt isn't so level. 

[leroy]

Check this out:   http://totalfarmandfence.com/asphalt-premium-fence-paint-gallon-p-359.html

 

It would appear that "barn and fence" paint is an asphaltic type paint... That's a good thing... Asphalt is a good wood preservative and never changes color... I would go to the coop and look around for some paint...

 

RE:  Straight lines... Use a string and a line level... Set the posts first; then string the line to set the top rail...

 

leroy

[Dirtshooter]

Thanks to all, Leroy I liked the link now I need to see if any is local.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Creosote is nasty stuff. When I was young and dumb was carpenter helping rebuilding a stock yard that got hit by a tornado. Even with long sleeve shirt and gloves, in the south GA summer sun, handling fresh creosote fence posts, outgassed enough to make my forearms swell up twice normal size and put me out of work a couple days. After the swelling went down, several layers of dead skin peeled off. Don't wanna think about what it might have done to the lungs. :)

Edited October 17, 2013 by Lester Weevils

[UncleJak]

We had a fence on our old farm that had creosote posts. They were rock solid!

Sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[MacGyver]

I've had a song in my head all day, and just realized it was because I looked at this thread this morning.

I can't hear the word creosote without thinking about riding around in my dad's MGB wagon as a kid listening to Jimmy Buffett's A1A on 8 track.

"I remember the smell of the creosote plant when we'd have to eat on Easter with my crazy old uncle and aunt..."