The first stockade fences were built as a defense around military forts. The rough-hewn saplings had gaps that were filled with moss and mud to make more of a windbreak. Today’s reasons for building a stockade fence are much different. A stockade is used as a wood privacy fence, to protect a garden, or for decoration around a house or property perimeter.

About Cypress Wood

Cypress is native to the southern United States, growing best in swampy conditions. Cypress is a slow-growing, deciduous tree that sheds its needle-like leaves every winter. Some of the oldest cypress trees have been dated to 364 AD, and grow up to 120 feet tall. The trunks of mature cypress range from 3-26 feet in diameter.

Benefits of Cypress Wood

There are many manmade materials on the market today, as well as fabricated steel and aluminum. The best material for a fence is cypress wood. Why cypress? Cypress makes its own natural preservative called cypressene. Cypressene makes the wood resistant to insects, rot, and decay. Unlike other species of wood, cypress doesn’t need to be pressure-treated, with chemicals that are toxic to the environment, to maintain its strength and appearance. Cypress wood doesn’t trap dust, dirt, and other allergens, making it ideal for a healthier environment. Cypress has a natural, honey-like hue, and if you leave your fence wood natural, it will weather to a soft grey. Cypress readily accepts stain and other finishing options without the weight that pressure treated pine demands. Cypress is also a sustainable and renewable resource. It grows in thirteen states in the southeast and is native to Florida. Cypress regenerates annually more than what is harvested.

Building a Stockade Fence

If you are planning on building a stockade wood fence in Tampa, FL, wood fence companies might sell you wholesale wood to save money. Be sure to request mature cypress for the most durable wood fences. Young cypress hasn’t fully developed the same durable properties as older trees. The zoning for a tall wood fence can be a maximum height of six feet, anything taller will require a variance. A stockade fence has vertical boards placed tightly together, with no gaps between the boards. The tops of the boards are typically cut to a point to discourage climbing over, but many stockades have even tops. A stockade fence takes a lot of lumber to build. By choosing cypress for the fence, the natural durable qualities will help the fence last a long time. The lifetime of a fence will depend on the climate where it is built, and whether the wood is left natural or stained. A cypress fence can last 10-15 years or longer, making it more cost-effective over time.

Construction Tips

There are many pre-assembled sections of fences on the market. They are less expensive, but heavier to move to the site. Another drawback to pre-assembled sections is the grade of the land. You might end up with big gaps under sections of fence. Buying individual boards is more expensive, but the fence can be customized to the lay of the land, with no gaps to crawl under. Unless you have a lot of time and muscle, a professional builder will be able to erect the fence to your specifications and in a lot less time.