Cedar vs pine fence pickets in West Texas

Cedar. Treated pine goes on the fence wet and dries out fast in Lubbock's low humidity, so it twists, cups and checks. Cedar is more stable, resists rot and insects on its own, and takes an oil-based stain well. We use cedar pickets, never pine pickets; the rails are pine 2x4s.

By the A+ Fence Repair & Installation team · Updated November 7, 2026 · 4 min read

What the two woods are

Pine fence pickets are southern yellow pine, pressure-treated with preservative so they resist rot. They are the cheapest picket at the lumber yard and the one most builder-grade fences use. Cedar pickets are western red cedar, sold untreated because the wood carries its own oils that resist rot and insects.

On the day the fence goes up, both look fine. The difference shows up over the first couple of West Texas summers.

How each one handles Lubbock weather

Sun is the enemy here, not rain. Treated pine arrives wet from the treating plant and dries out fast in our low humidity. As it dries it twists, cups and checks, pickets pull away from the rails, and the gaps between boards open up. Cedar is lighter and more stable. It moves less as it dries, so it stays straighter on the fence for longer and the gaps stay even.

Both greys in the sun if left bare. Cedar takes an oil-based stain well and keeps its color once sealed; pine takes stain unevenly while it is still drying out, which is one reason so many pine fences are never sealed at all.

Cost and the trade-off

Cedar pickets cost more than pine up front. What you get for it is a fence that stays straight, holds stain and does not split the way pine does after a couple of summers. We do not quote lifespans, because a fence lives or dies by its posts and its stain as much as by its pickets. We do know which repair calls we get more of, and it is the pine fence on wood posts that went in with the house.

If the budget is the deciding factor, the better place to save is the style, not the wood: a dog ear fence uses less material than board on board and is the most common back-yard fence in Lubbock.

The part that matters more than the picket

Whichever picket you choose, the post is where a Lubbock fence fails. Wood posts rot at the soil line and snap when a front hits a privacy fence broadside. Every cedar fence we build goes on steel posts set in concrete, so the line stays where we set it through the spring winds and the pickets wear out long before the posts do. A cedar fence on wood posts is still a fence waiting for a storm.

What we build

Wood fencing from A+ means cedar pickets, never pine pickets, on steel posts, 6 ft or 7 ft, in board on board, dog ear or gothic point. Blake bids every fence himself and the same crew has built them for over 10 years. The details are on the cedar fencing page.

Written by the A+ Fence Repair & Installation team from the way our crew builds and repairs fences around Lubbock. It is general guidance; Blake looks at every fence in person before a bid.

Next step

This guide supports our Cedar fencing page. Blake bids every job himself; estimates inside Lubbock are free.

Questions people ask

Will you build a fence with pine pickets if I ask?

No. Our pickets are cedar, never pine pickets. If the budget is tight, we would rather talk about a simpler style or a shorter run than put pine pickets on steel posts.

Does cedar need to be stained?

Yes, if you want it to keep its color. Bare cedar greys within a season in the sun. Once the wood is dry we seal it with an oil-based stain so it sheds water and holds its color.

Is cedar stronger than pine?

Pine is slightly harder, but strength is not what fails on a picket. Stability is. Cedar moves less as it dries, so it stays flat on the rails instead of cupping and pulling its fasteners.