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Redwood vs. Cedar: Choosing the Right Wood for Your Fence in Orange County + Los Angeles

Writer's picture: Mikes FencesMikes Fences

Redwood and cedar are undeniably the two most popular wood choices for fences in Southern California. One of the most common questions our expert fence team hears is: which one is better? The answer ultimately depends on your specific priorities—whether that’s cost, longevity, stability, or aesthetics. Here’s a quick summary to get you started:



Now, let’s dive deeper into each factor to help you make the best choice for your fence.


Cedar Cap&Trim Fence in Costa Mesa
Stained Cedar Cap&Trim Fence in Costa Mesa, CA

Cost

Since COVID, redwood prices have risen significantly, while cedar prices have remained stable, making cedar a more budget-friendly option for many homeowners. In our Orange County/Los Angeles market, fence installation costs redwood fences are typically 15-25% higher than cedar fences. If you want to play with prices for different styles of fences, feel free to check out our online measuring and instant quote tool!



Longevity

This may come as a surprise if you have Googled this before, but cedar fence boards will typically outlive redwood fence boards (in most cases). A widespread misconception is that redwood outlasts cedar, but the truth is actually pretty nuanced. It comes down to the fact that redwood is made up of two parts:


  • Heartwood: The red part, which is old growth and naturally resistant to termites. This is the durable part of redwood. This is where redwood gets its great reputation!

  • Sapwood: The white part, which is younger and less resilient, similar in durability to Douglas fir or pine.


Redwood fence boards are typically a mix of Heartwood (red) and Sapwood (white). Dog Ear Fence in Yorba Linda, CA.

Most redwood fence boards are a mix of heartwood and sapwood - not 100% heartwood. Since cedar does not have the vulnerability like sapwood, it is actually more resilient to termites and other pests. *However, you can use ALL Heartwood Redwood for your fence. All Heartwood comes at a 15-25% premium, but the increased protection against termites is usually worth it. 

All Heartwood Cap&Trim Board on Board Fence in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. Notice how the boards are all Red (not variegated)

Stability

Redwood is generally more stable (less likely to warp) than cedar due to its thickness. Redwood fence boards are typically three-quarters of an inch thick, while cedar boards are five-eighths of an inch thick. While redwood can still warp, the increased thickness makes it less likely.


To address cedar’s stability, we use three horizontal 2x4 rails instead of two for redwood. While this adds support, some homeowners prefer redwood for its cleaner look with fewer rails visible on the backside.

Stained Cedar Cap&Trim fence with a third (middle) rail in Laguna Niguel, CA. Note how if you use Cedar 2x4's the extra 2x4 isn't as noticeable (*Cedar 2x4s are more expensive than Pressure Treated 2x4s)

Aesthetics

Redwood and cedar both offer beautiful, natural appearances that change over time:

  • Redwood: Starts as a bright red and white but mellows into a rich brown after a few weeks. Eventually it will gray out. 

  • Cedar: Has a white-tan hue and grays out similarly to redwood as it ages.


    This is actually the same Redwood Cap&Trim Fence in Costa Mesa, CA. The left picture was taken the day of installation and the right picture was taken a couple months later. Note how the red mellows to brown. Eventually the fence will patina to gray.

Both look great with a coat of stain! Choosing between the two often comes down to personal preference. One thing to keep in mind is that is hard to get all of the redness out of redwood so if you don't like red - definitely go with the cedar! For the structural elements like 2x4's and 4x4 posts, you can match the boards with either cedar or redwood, use pressure-treated lumber, or opt for metal posts.

  • Pressure-treated lumber: Dark reddish-brown, matching redwood well but is a pretty stark contrast with cedar.

  • Metal posts: Galvanized steel posts are a durable and modern option that we highly recommend for their longevity. At Mike’s Fences, we will cover the steel posts on two sides to minimize their visibility.


Note the contrast between the cedar boards and the pressure treated lumber (reddish brown). Cedar Cap&Trim Fence in Dana Point, CA

Recommendations for Durability

Our number one recommendation for increasing the lifespan of a wood fence is to upgrade to galvanized steel posts. Whether you are in a coastal area that receives a lot of moisture (Laguna, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, etc) or in some inland Orange County areas that receive a super high winds (Mission Viejo, Orange, Anaheim Hills, etc), galvanized steel posts will are stronger and more resilient to the elements.


We will cover the galvanized steel post with a fence board on both sides, but it will still be slightly visible from certain angles.

We have seen thousands of fences over the years and hands down the first thing we see fail are the posts. Fence posts are usually the first to fail because they have the most exposure to water and termites. Unfortunately, posts are also the hardest things to replace on a fence (much easier to swap out a board here or there than digging out 1.5-2 feet of concrete!). Metal posts will cost more, but are typically well worth the investment!


A fence in Yorba Linda, CA that recently fell over because the posts rotted out while the rest of the fence was in OK condition. Posts are typically the weak point of a fence.


Final Thoughts

Overall, we’ve leaned more toward cedar over redwood for fences in recent years due to its advantages of cost and longevity, but we still build a wide variety of combinations between redwood, cedar, pressure treated, and galvanized steel posts. Overall, here are our recommendations:

  • Most Affordable Option: The most cost-effective traditional fence uses cedar boards with pressure-treated posts and 2x4s.

  • For Redwood Lovers: We recommend using all-heart redwood for the boards, 2x4s, and 4x4s posts.

  • #1 Hack to Prolong the Life of your Fence: Use galvanized steel posts instead of wood!


We hope this helps clarify your questions about redwood vs. cedar for your fence! For more details, check out some of our other helpful guides:


Still have questions? Feel free to contact us at office@mikesfences.com or (949) 610-6859!

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