Rant: Why using old wood for fences can backfire badly

I thought it would be cool to build a rustic fence for my backyard using planks from a demolished barn. I saved cash and felt good about recycling. My posts went down maybe two feet, which felt solid when I set them. Then a big storm hit, with lots of wind and water. The whole fence began to lean badly, and some boards snapped. When I checked, the wood was rotten inside where I couldn't see before. I spent a whole weekend tearing it out and putting in proper pressure-treated wood. Take this from me, inspect any used material like a hawk or skip it to avoid a headache.

2 comments

2 Comments

sage_reed10h ago

Last year I loved the rustic look, but your story totally changed my view.

knight.amy6h ago

Remember my aunt's "antique" coffee table from a garage sale? Thing looked solid until my cousin plopped down a heavy textbook and a leg just SNAPPED clean off. Dry rot had eaten it from the inside, just a hollow shell. Seeing @sage_reed's comment about changing their view totally reminds me of that moment. Sometimes old wood isn't rustic charm, it's just secretly tired and waiting to fail.