Wooden pickets are often used for picket fences; the characteristic low height fence for domestic properties. Wooden pickets are vertical boards with a rounded or pointed top that are evenly spaced and attached together with horizontal rails.
There is generally no limitation as to what type of wood can be used for wooden pickets and can be untreated, treated or naturally insect or rot resistant. The dimensions of common wooden pickets are between 91 and 122 cm tall and 10 to 20 cm wide.
Wooden posts (generally timber) are used for many different types of building and structural materials. They can be used in walls, primary supports, corner posts, chimneys, intermediates, interiors, arcades, aisles, corners, stories, ridges, samsons, puncheons, gunstocks, jetties, doors, blades, piles and staves.
Wooden posts are normally placed on a sill or directly into the earth with concrete support. The dimensions of wooden posts vary greatly depending on the type of construction being undertaken.
Timber poles are generally used in structural construction to provide support for load bearing walls and ceilings. Wooden poles are also used for aesthetic reasons, as they give a rustic and natural feel to the space it is occupied in. As these wooden poles are very sturdy, they can be spaced further apart than other structural support materials. Typically, wooden poles are placed in a grid like pattern to maintain stability of the structure.
The types of wood commonly used for wooden poles include timber, mixed hardwood, slash pine and radiata pine. To be accepted for use in structures, the wood selected needs to be of a high grade with little or no defects (e.g. knots or cracks). It is important to consider the location of the wooden pole (exterior or interior) and the possible presence of moisture. If moisture is a likely factor, then metal capping of the poles will be required to maintain the stability of the pole.