Redwood or Cedar for a Fence With Termites?

Natural Repellants

• Redwood and cedar are both popular fence wood options because both lumbers have natural chemicals that deter insects, including termites. This is mostly true of the heartwood, lumber from the center core of the tree, and less true of sapwood, the outer layers. Both woods are more insect-repellant than most other fencing options, such as pine.

Where Woods Come From

• Redwoods are giant and ancient trees that grow in northern California. Many are well over 100 feet tall and more than 100 years old.

  Cedars grow in all parts of the country, in several varieties. The most common lumber types are eastern, which is a whitish wood; western red, which is similar in color to redwood; and Alaska yellow, which is yellowish. Cedar is a more common fence wood in most areas because of its greater availability.

Both Repel Termites

• Research has shown that both redwood and cedar are resistant to termite infestation. A University of Hawaii study found redwood had some natural resistance to termites and fairly high durability to high termite activity. The same study found cedar, specifically Alaska yellow, was actually less attractive to termites than redwood in some instances.

Resistance Fades

• Both redwood and cedar lose their natural resistance to termites over time, as oils in the woods evaporate and the fencing dries out. A University of Nebraska study found that as natural resins leach out, termites will readily feed on either redwood or cedar.

Availability and Expense

• Cedar is often the preferred fencing wood because it is more available and less expensive. Redwood fences are common in California, where the trees grow, but can be more expensive in other parts of the country. Eastern white and Alaska yellow are the most common cedar fencing woods; western red is used more often for decorative fences.