Slab wood fence?????

[ckarotka]

A friend of mine wants to build a fence out of slab wood because he likes the look it will give with his hand made Tiki Bar. He would like to have the bark side out for looks, but I know that the bark will eventually fall off.

Is there a way to seal the slab wood for protection and to keep the bark on that's cost effective since the amount of sqft will be huge.
Someone told him to protect the wood with used tranny fluid and he was ok with a red tint but that won't keep the bark on, I don't think.

I posted here because it was slab wood, If it should go into the DIY forum thats cool.

 

[Duetech]

Your friend has some High ideals but I think he better buy a rake while he is at it. Tranny fluid might work for a while but that would still be expensive and if ever there were a fire that got to the fence falling bark would be the last of his worries.

 

[firefighterjake]

Hmmm . . . sounds like this would be one ugly looking fence since the slab wood I've seen isn't very uniform in its thickness, width or look . . . but if he is bent on going this route I would guess the best route may be to polyurethane the whole kit and kaboodle . . . although in hindsight that might not work either since the bark would fall off I'm guessing . . . so I guess I'm not really sure what I would do . . . well except to say I might go with rough cut boards vs. slabs if he is looking for a rustic look . . . but that would just be me.

 

[billb3]

He might have to carve 'bark. into the slab surface.

Why not bamboo and/or thatch ?

Bamboo doesn't have bark ( that I've seen) , peeling the bark off the slab wood might even look ' better'.

 

[Cowboy Billy]

Around here the bark draws insects and makes the wood rot faster. Sealing it like Jake said may make it last longer. I saved a few big slabs I am going to peal the bark off of. And use for shelves in my cabin for a rustic look as soon as I figure out how to hang them without having them look hokey.

Billy

 

[backpack09]

Your friend has some High ideals but I think he better buy a rake while he is at it. Tranny fluid might work for a while but that would still be expensive and if ever there were a fire that got to the fence falling bark would be the last of his worries.

I use a bit of waist oil when starting my brush burning fires.

Last time I built one, I accidently threw on a cup of used ATF. I could not get that sucker to light at all. I think it would be pretty safe for a fence. But it would always smell like ATF...

 

[ckarotka]

Your friend has some High ideals but I think he better buy a rake while he is at it. Tranny fluid might work for a while but that would still be expensive and if ever there were a fire that got to the fence falling bark would be the last of his worries.

I use a bit of waist oil when starting my brush burning fires.

Last time I built one, I accidently threw on a cup of used ATF. I could not get that sucker to light at all. I think it would be pretty safe for a fence. But it would always smell like ATF...

Ya, I would imagine that once the sun warms the wood covered in ATF that the oder would be strong. I'm guessing about 300' of fencing too.

He could always just do the cut side in and whatever happens to other side, so be it. I do think it needs to be treated for bugs and some type of oil to help preserve it. I'm not sure if he wants a certain color or not. Without any treatment a grey fence could be bland, but grey firewood is great looking

 

[sksmass]

Why go to great labor and cost trying to preserve slab wood?
Make the fence, forget the bark, when the fence starts to look like crap take it down and use it as awesomely dry firewood.
Buy new slab wood, make new fence.
Repeat process.

If you want a fence that'll last forever you need to make it out of something with more substance than slab wood will ever have, no matter what you slap on its surface.