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How to Build a Fence - DIY with Woodmart

A good fence can make all the difference to a property and the best part is that it’s a simple enough project to do on your own. So if your property has no fence, here is a How To guide to build a fence. 

Woodmart is your one-stop-wood-shop when it comes to all things timber, fencing and building supplies in Auckland. We are happy to provide you with not only the tools and materials but also the advice you need to make all of your timber fencing, decking and retaining DIY projects a reality. 

What You Should Know Before You Begin

Before you start building a fence, you should know that you have the right to build a fence between properties. You do not need to obtain consent from the council in Auckland unless the fence is above 2.5m, according to the Building Act. If you plan to remove a fence or build a new one between two properties, you should obtain consent from your neighbour. You may also ask them to contribute to the costs.

 You will both have to agree on the type of fence, the costs and the construction before the work begins. Once you’ve come to an agreement, you should write it down and both sign it. If you cannot reach an agreement, you must progress the issue under the Fencing Act 1978.

What You’ll Need to Build a Fence

In this step-by-step guide we show you to build a timber fence. Woodmart your building supplies specialist in quality timber and building supplies in Auckland, 

Walk with this list into our store to make sure you get all the fencing timber supplies from one place:

 ·         Standard fence posts

·         Fence rails

·         Fence palings

·         Scrap timber

·         Timber fence finish

·         Galvanised nails

·         Bags of concrete

 To build a fence, here’s the following tools you’ll need:

 ·         Spirit level

·         Hammer

·         Circular saw

·         String line

·         Spade

·         Tape measure

·         Chisel

 Timber fences are not just functional but decorative that can complement the style of your house. Here’s the step-by-step guide to getting it done:

Step 1 – Find the Corners

Once you’ve chosen a style (trellis or picket, for example), you can stake the corner locations, placing the stakes roughly where you want the fence to go. Then run a string line between the stakes to mark it.

 Step 2 – End Posts

Set the end posts first. You’ll want the holes you dig to be about 600mm deep and 300mm squared for fences up to 1.8m high. Stand each post in the hole you’ve dug, and use your spirit level to make sure it’s vertical and square.

 Fill the holes with concrete to a bit over the top so that you can then smooth the concrete down and angle it in order to facilitate drainage. Stretch a line between the two end posts on top, and another between them about halfway down.

 Step 3 – Intermediate Posts

Set intermediate posts using the same procedure as in Step 2 every 2 to 2.4m along the string line.

Step 4 – Setting the Rails

Set the bottom rail 300mm above the ground. Fix them into position and nail them to the posts with galvanised nails. Make sure each joint is buttered together in the centre of each notch.

 Step 5 – Palings

Put up the first paling, starting on one side and use the spirit level to make sure it’s straight. Put each paling up against the next, continuing to use the spirit level to make sure it’s vertical every ten palings before you fix it to the rails.

 Step 6 – Trim the Tops

Once you’ve fixed all the palings, trim the tops to make sure they are all the same length.

 Step 7 – Timber Finish

If you’re using treated timber, apply a timber finish right away. Step back and admire your new fence.

Check Woodmart’s wide range of fencing timber supplies in Auckland at very competitive prices.

Talk to our team for more tips on building a fence or your next timber DIY project.

Get a free online quote from Woodmart today. 

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#fencing supplies #fencing timber #building supplies #auckland #new zealand #fence pailings #fence posts #fence pickets

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6 Things You Should Know about Retaining Walls

Retaining walls can be an integral and beautiful part of a functional landscape design. That being said, they can also be a large investment of your time and money. Before you get started with building a retaining wall in your yard, here are a few things you should know so that your project is a success.

Retaining Walls – Functional Beauty

Retaining walls truly serve a purpose. They are stable in the face of sinkhole prevention, water runoff and soil support. However, they can also add some serious style to your landscaping. New Zealand homeowners are catching on to this and using their retaining walls in their gardening. Transform your flowers and shrubbery into stunning and elevated showpieces in your front yard!

 Incorporate Retaining Walls into Your Lifestyle

While retaining walls are traditionally a landscaping tool used to hold back soil, often on sloping terrain, many homeowners in New Zealand are finding other uses for them. In fact, you can use retaining walls to create lovely outdoor living spaces that incorporate multi-function areas. Add a retaining wall to your patio to separate the barbeque space from the dining space, for example.

 Another way you can use retaining walls is by setting then up high behind your patio with shelves, nooks and crannies. You can use these to store pot plants or even build your barbeque into the retaining wall to really give your outdoor area a natural look.

 Check Local Codes before You Build

If you’re building a small retaining wall – less than 1.2 metres – you can easily plan it out without having to worry about structure. However, if you plan on a larger wall, you may not only need the assistance of an engineer, but you may also need approval from your local council.

 The Importance of an Effective Drainage System

If you use timber posts, like No2 H4 posts, to build a retaining wall, you must create a proper water drainage system. This prevents excess rainwater from accumulating and causing the wood to rot. Rotted wood will compromise the structural integrity of your wall, weakening it and increasing the chance of a partial or complete collapse.

 A Level Base is Vital to Success

Before you start laying down blocks of timber posts, make sure you create a solid base. The base should be dug out several inches below grade and compacted to be level. A level base gives you a sturdy, balanced wall, as well as an even and consistent look.

 The Best Soil for Retaining Walls

Timber retaining walls work best with sustainable soils such as gravel, sand, stiff clay or rock. Soft clays, peat, topsoil or made-up ground are not ideal for retaining walls.

Build Stunning and Functional Retaining Walls Using High-Quality Timber!

 For the timber materials needed to build your own retaining wall, contact Woodmart in Auckland for a free quote, or visit our shop today!

#retaining walls #building supplies #building project #timber #auckland #new zealand

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Pros and Cons of Plywood Flooring

Plywood is made of multiple layers of wood veneer that are sandwiched together into a solid piece. You can get plywood in varying degrees of thickness and grades of quality, so you can easily find one to suit your building application. 

When it comes to DIY installation of your own flooring, plywood can give you a great advantage over other materials. Due to its nature, it is a very flexible and versatile flooring timber that has the potential to look amazing as a finished product.

In this article, we go over the pros and cons of plywood flooring as it relates to the New Zealand climate, cost, appearance, wear and tear issues, and other important factors.

Pros of Plywood Flooring

Durable for Any Environment

Because it is engineered with many layers, plywood flooring is strong, stable and durable. You can use it in both hot and cold weather conditions, making it perfect for New Zealand’s range of cool and warm climates.

Easy to Work with

Plywood can be secured with a range of glues, screws and nails. It can also be stained and painted in a range of beautiful designs. If you want an impressive-looking floor on a budget, plywood is the way to go.

Affordable

Speaking of budgeting, plywood is affordable, coming in at a fraction of the cost of other timber materials. With plywood flooring, you can remodel your home without having to worry about huge expenses.

 Incredible Stability

Plywood is made up of multiple cross-grained layers that combine to keep each other from excessive expansion or warping. This means plywood surfaces can remain truer for much longer than plain wooden flooring. If your floor needs a renovation, consider laying down plywood instead as a cheaper, strong alternative.

 Cons of Plywood Flooring

Not Water Resistant

Although you can find some water resistant plywood, standard plywood should not be used in areas where water comes into play, such as the bathroom. If installed incorrectly or if the wrong type of plywood is used, it could distort and cause tiles on top to loosen or crack.

 Not as Attractive as Hardwood

This may not be an issue for some people. After all, plywood, while not as lovely as traditional hardwood, still has the capacity to be sanded and finished to give you the look you desire.

 Not Suitable for Designs

As plywood can splinter when cut, you wouldn’t use this type of timber for decorative mouldings. But as flooring, this shouldn’t present any issues.

 Should You Choose Plywood Flooring?

Plywood is ideal when money is a constraint or if you love working on DIY projects. Plywood is a great material to work with at home, which means you can save money on both your flooring and the installation by forgoing a builder or contractor.

Woodmart Brings You the Best Timber Materials in Auckland for All Your Building Needs, Including a Selection of High-Quality Plywood for Flooring.

Call us on 09 525 6293 to get a quote on plywood, hardwood, or retaining materials in Auckland. Alternatively, visit us online to request a quote.

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Popular Decking Timber Options in NZ

If you’ve been inspired to build your own deck, the most important thing to consider is undoubtedly the wood. When you're shopping for decking timber, consider which wood species are popular in NZ and which ones would work best for your project

As you consider the aesthetic appeal of each type of timber, make sure you also factor in which one is the most suitable for the local climate.

 Types of Hardwood Decking

 New Zealand homeowners and architects are increasingly choosing hardwood over other types of timber decking. Hardwood decking is cut from trees with a slow growth habit, so they cost more to produce. 

However, hardwoods are very durable, highly resilient and they look and feel great. Let’s break down some of the popular hardwood decking timber.

 Kwila Decking

Kwila, or Merbau, is a hardwood decking that is naturally tough and durable. Aside from its strength of character, Kwila is very popular in New Zealand because it’s got a natural red colour that enhances any backyard. Some other benefits of Kwila decking include:

 ·         Naturally occurring oils protect Kwila from harsh environments – great for outdoor use

·         Low shrinkage

·         Resistance to splitting or cracking due to tannins

·         Minimal maintenance required

Genuine Mahogany Decking

Tropical hardwoods, like genuine Fijian Mahogany, are popular as decking timber in New Zealand due to their resistance to moisture, decay and insect infestation. Some other benefits of Mahogany decking are:

·         Natural beauty, with colours ranging from pinkish-red to orange-browns

·         Harvested from sustainable plantations – one of the world’s most environmentally friendly timbers

·         Close, straight grain makes it resistant to splintering

Vitex Decking

Another popular hardwood decking choice is Vitex decking. This is a durable timber with a pale yellowish to creamy-grey appearance. Some of the benefits of Vitex as a decking timber are:

·         Fine, slightly lustrous texture with even grain

·         Leathery odour and nice to the touch – perfect for bare children’s feet!

·         Sourced from low-impact, village-based operations in the Solomon Islands

·         High resistance to shock loads

Hardwood Decking Maintenance Tips

Whether you install Kwila, Mahogany or Vitex decking, maintenance is important in upholding the appearance and functionality of your deck. All hardwood decks should be cleaned at least once a year in order to clear gaps and remove surface mould. Use a stiff brush and keep the deck clear of leaf litter. Don’t power-wash at too high of a pressure setting, as this will damage the fibres of the board.

 To ensure the health of the wood and to prevent fading, it’s important to treat your hardwood deck. How often you treat it will depend on how much sun it gets but we usually recommended every 6 to 12 months. If you’ve started to notice that the colour is fading, test a drop of clear oil on the deck and see if it soaks in. If it does, then the treatment will also soak and you’re ready to treat the deck.

 Treated Pine Decking

Treated pine is considered a softwood, as it is cut from coniferous trees, which are quicker growing, and therefore, more affordable. Treated pine decking is most commonly available in New Zealand. Pine isn’t naturally durable, but the preservative treatments can make this timber as durable as most hardwoods.

The three common treatments for Radiata Pine are:

1.      Light organic solvent preservative

2.      Alkaline copper quaternary

3.      Copper chrome arsenate

 Some of the benefits of Radiata Pine as decking timber are:

·         Easily worked by machine or hand

·         Smooth, clean finish

·         Holds glues and nails excellently

·         Resistant to splitting

·         Accepts stains evenly

 Treated Pine Maintenance Tips

While good quality, pressure treated pine will last without substantial decay for forty years, discolouration and splintering introduce themselves after only a few months. To keep it looking good and feeling splinter-free, use a deck sealant as soon as it has become stabilised with the environment, usually after a few weeks.

 For more great projects and materials, visit Woodmart in Auckland to view our range of decking timber!

#kwila decking #decking #timber decking #hardwood decking #vitex decking #mahogany #auckland #new zealand

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How to Build a Timber Deck – DIY Guides

If you want to take on one of the grandest DIY yard projects of all time, we’re here to help. Woodmart can help give you the advice and high-quality materials you’ll need to build yourself a timber deck. Let’s get started.

Choose a Decking Timber

There are many choices for decking timber but the most popular decking timber used in Auckland, New Zealand is Pine, Vitex and Kwila Decking timber, so we’ll quickly compare and contrast a few of them.

 Pine Decking Timber

Pine is a very popular decking timber, as it’s one of the least expensive and it looks great. You can stain and paint it easily, as well. Look for the right H rating for decking.

 Kwila Decking Timber

Kwila is tough, durable and lovely to look at, but it does have issues with tannin bleeding when exposed to water.

 Mahogany Decking Timber

Mahogany is a great choice because it is a more sustainable timber. It is a lovely pinkish to pale brown colour and it has a durability and stability that can last up to 45 years.

 Vitex Decking Timber

Durable and easy to work with, Vitex Timber also produces colours from blonde and pale yellow to golden brown and olive grey.

 Steps to Building Your Deck

If you are building a deck in Auckland, New Zealand within a specific distance of a boundary or more than 1.5m above ground level. Make sure to check with your local council for guidelines or consents before building your deck.

 Tools and Materials

For tools, you’ll need:

·         Tape measure

·         Shovel

·         Hammer or nail gun

·         String line

·         Pencil

·         Spirit level

·         Nail punch

·         Circular or hand saw

 To  build timber deck, here’s the materials you’ll need:

·         Posts

·         Joists

·         Decking timber

·         Concrete

·         Joist hangers

·         Coach screws

·         Bracket nails

·         Decking screws and nails

 Step 1 – Survey the Site

Determine the site for your deck, making sure to avoid anything like external plumbing and drains. Accurately mark out the length and width of the site and run string lines along the edges of your deck space to ensure a level deck. Rip up, turn, and dig post holes along the string lines.  

 Step 2 – Deck Bearers

Lay out your deck bearers and fix them to the posts using the frame anchor or screw nail technique.

 Step 3 – Assemble

Assemble the decking frame, either as you go or pre-fabricate it before you begin.

 Step 4 – Lay the Decking

Lay the decking across the joists, beginning at one end, nailing to each joist with two galvanised nails. Fix the decking and use a saw to trim any excess wood.

 How to Maintain

Like any timber project, you’ll need to make sure to maintain the wood so that it lasts longer. You’ll either want to paint or stain the deck. If you live in a rainy area, you might want to reseal and stain the deck about every two years. 

Woodmart, your timber supplies in Auckland with years of experience and providing you with the best quality of decking timber – vitex decking, kwila decking in Auckland.

 For more advice on how to build a deck, or for the materials to get the work done, get in touch with Woodmart in Auckland today! 

#building supplies #decking timber #auckland #new zealand #timber deck #vitex decking #pine decking

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Your Complete How to Guide: Building a Timber Retaining Wall

How to build a Retaining wall

Are you a DIYer? Do you enjoy getting your hands dirty and reaping the benefits of some hard work? You might be looking at your yard and thinking of ways to improve upon it during your spare time.

One simple yet effective DIY project is to build a timber retaining wall. A retaining wall is used to hold or retain soil behind it, which is helpful if you have a slope and want to prevent soil or other materials from sliding away.

  This “How To” guide is here for any DIYers, builders, engineers and others who are passionate about building projects and looking for building supplies in Auckland. Woodmart has the products and services that you need for all of your retaining timber materials projects in Auckland.

  What You Need

Woodmart, premier timber merchant specialise in supplying wide range of efficient Timber Retaining Materials in Auckland. In terms of Retaining materials, here’s what you’ll need:

Retaining timber, like treated sleepers or 150x50, 200x50 H4 Rough Sawn

Bags of cement

Galvanised nails

Drainage gravel

Drain Flow

Here’s some of the tools you should have if you planning to build a timber retaining wall:

Circular saw

Sledgehammer

Club hammer

Wheelbarrow

String line

Tape measure

Angle grinder

Square

Spirit level

Marking paint

  How to build a Retaining Wall

There are various different ways that you can choose and that are used by a confident DIYer and the materials you use including timber, logs and posts to add style to your yard.

  Step 1 – Measurements

Use a string line to determine where you’ll build the wall and then mark your post spacing according to timber length. Your posts should be spaced at 1.2m intervals for 2.4 m long sleepers, or 1.5m apart for 3m sleepers.

  Step 2 – Posts

Cut your posts to length (for example, 1200mm for a 600mm high wall). You want to cut the tops of the posts with a slight slope so that they shed water. Once you’ve cut them, seal the ends with timber preservative.

  Step 3 - Concrete

Put the end posts into the holes, leaning about 5 degrees toward the bank, and fill them with concrete up till the ground. Let the concrete set, and tie a string between the posts in order to align the other posts

  Step 4 - Drilling

Place a timber sleeper horizontally and mark where the upright posts are. Remove it, and then drill a slightly undersized hole in the horizontal timber where it meets the upright post. Replace the horizontal timber, making sure to line up the hole behind the posts and the timber is level.

  Step 5 - Create Height

Stack additional sleepers or Timber on top until you reach the desired height. Make sure to place them behind the posts and secure with nails/spikes as you go.

  Step 6 - Drainage

Once you have a second layer of timber laid down, lay a slotted drain Flow for drainage behind it, then surround the pipe with scoria.

  Step 7 - Completion

Back fill behind the wall with scoria. Wash your hands and admire the hard work you’ve put in.

  Do you know how high you like your walls? Do you have a driveway, or a steeply sloping bank?

  Before you get started to build timber retaining walls in New Zealand, think first about building consents. In New Zealand retaining walls over 1.5 meters high or walls carrying extra loading on top require a building consent from the Local Body Council.

  For any other DIY advice or for the tools to complete all of your timber projects like decking timber, fencing timber, pergola or retaining timber in Auckland, New Zealand get in touch with Woodmart. Request a free online quote now!

#retaining walls #timber #building materials #auckland #new zealand #timber supplies #diy projects #diy ideas