I get the appeal of sanding for a smoother finish, but honestly, I think it’s overrated for fences unless you’re after a showroom look. I’ve seen plenty of fences where the rough, unsanded boards actually hold up better over time—less prone to showing every little scratch or ding. Plus, with weathered wood, sometimes the uneven absorption just adds to the character. I’d rather spend that time on a good cleaning and let the oil do its thing. The top rail’s a different story, though—splinters are no joke if you’ve got kids or pets. But for the rest? I say embrace the imperfections.
I get where you’re coming from—sanding every board just isn’t practical if you’re watching costs or time. I’ve noticed rougher boards seem to hide wear better too. Curious, though: do you ever worry about splinters on the pickets themselves, or just the top rail?
I get what you mean about rough boards hiding wear, but honestly, I’ve had more trouble with splinters on the pickets than the rails. Maybe it’s just the wood I used, but my kids always seem to find the worst spots when they’re running their hands along the fence. I started just giving the pickets a quick pass with a sanding block—nothing fancy, just enough to knock down the worst bits. It doesn’t take that long if you’re not going for perfection. Have you had any issues with people or pets getting snagged on rough pickets?
I started just giving the pickets a quick pass with a sanding block—nothing fancy, just enough to knock down the worst bits.
That’s honestly the way to go. I’ve seen folks spend hours trying to get every board baby-smooth, but unless you’re building a fence for a daycare, it’s overkill. My dog used to come in with little wood shavings stuck in his fur from rough pickets, so I get what you mean. Still, I’d argue that sometimes those “character marks” are just splinters waiting to happen. Quick sand is worth it—your hands (and your kids’) will thank you.
Honestly, I’m with you on the “quick sand” approach. I tried to get every picket perfect the first time I replaced a section—ended up with sore arms and a fence that looked...well, pretty much like a fence. Now I just knock off the worst splinters and call it good. My neighbor’s kid still managed to find the one rough spot and got a tiny splinter, but hey, that’s part of growing up, right? As long as nobody’s getting impaled, I figure it’s fine.
