This invention relates to a system for an engineered fence picket comprising engineered wood components. More particularly, this invention related to an engineered fence picket with ship lapped edges.
In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention comprises an engineered wood fence picket and system for manufacturing fence pickets using engineered wood products, including, but not limited to, oriented-strand board (OSB), laminated veneer lumber (LVL), fiber strand, and/or laminated strand lumber (LSL). The opposing right and left edges of each picket comprise corresponding elements of a joint, such as, but not limited to, a shiplap joint or tongue-and-groove joint. A fence or fence segment may be constructed by aligning a plurality of said fence pickets vertically or horizontally so that the edges of adjacent pickets mate or meet to form a joint. Engineered wood products provide the authentic look and appeal of real wood, but with the durability and workability of treated engineered wood, free of knots, voids and other defects found in natural wood.
Currently, the fencing industry uses solid lumber pickets for most residential applications. Solid wood pickets expand and contract over time with weather changes, and warp and distort with age. To overcome these problems, prior art systems typically “stack” solid wood pickets by installing a first line of pickets on the fence rails, then nailing another set of fence pickets over the gaps left between adjacent pickets in the first line. With the present invention, an improved fence can be assembled more quickly and cheaply than with any prior art materials, and the fence will be higher quality, with longer life, thinner and lighter, and minimal maintenance.
In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention comprises an engineered wood fence picket and system for manufacturing fence pickets using engineered wood products, including, but not limited to, oriented-strand board (OSB), laminated veneer lumber (LVL), fiber strand, and/or laminated strand lumber (LSL). The opposing right and left edges of each picket comprise corresponding elements of a joint, such as, but not limited to, a shiplap joint or tongue-and-groove joint. A fence or fence segment may be constructed by aligning a plurality of said fence pickets vertically or horizontally so that the edges of adjacent pickets mate or meet to form a joint. Engineered wood products provide the authentic look and appeal of real wood, but with the durability and workability of treated engineered wood, free of knots, voids and other defects found in natural wood.
Currently, the fencing industry uses solid lumber pickets for most residential applications. Solid wood pickets expand and contract over time with weather changes, and warp and distort with age. To overcome these problems, prior art systems typically “stack” solid wood pickets by installing a first line of pickets on the fence rails, then nailing another set of fence pickets over the gaps left between adjacent pickets in the first line. With the present invention, an improved fence can be assembled more quickly and cheaply than with any prior art materials, and the fence will be higher quality, with longer life, thinner and lighter, and minimal maintenance.
The manufacturing process begins with an entire piece of exterior grade engineered wood panel or siding, which comes out of a line press with wood texture. The siding also may or may not have a paper overlay. In the embodiment shown, the siding is approximately 8 feet by 24 feet in dimension, although the siding may be other sizes as well. An example of such a manufacturing process is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/189,995, which is incorporated herein by specific reference for all purposes.
The piece of siding then is sawn into three equal sections or “blanks.” Where the siding is approximately 8 feet by 24 feet in dimension, the blanks are approximately 6 feet by 8 feet in dimension. The blank is then sent to a slitting machine or multiple sawline where the blank is cut into a number of raw pickets. In one embodiment, the pickets are 6 inches to 12 inches wide, and 6 feet in length. The raw pickets are then directed to a milling machine, where one end of each picket may be milled to create a top feature (e.g., a series of notches, indentations, grooves, dog-ears, curved ends, flat ends, and the like. Additional priming, finishing or texture may be added to the face(s) and edge(s) of the pickets (or to the fence blank, pre-cutting) as well. The resulting product is a number of finished fence pickets ready for installation.
During the manufacturing process described herein, the edges of each picket are milled in-line with corresponding parts of a desired joint, including, but not limited, a shiplap joint or tongue-and-groove joint.
The dimensions of the picket and joint elements may vary as needed for the particular fence installation. In one exemplary embodiment, the picket is 23/32″ thick, and the ship lap joint elements are ¾″ in width, with ⅜″ thickness of wood remaining in the joint.
During installation of a fence using the pickets of the present invention, the corresponding joint elements on the edges of adjacent pickets can be overlapped in sequence as pickets are installed (typically by fastening the picket vertically on rails or cross-supports extending between fence posts installed in the ground), thereby forming a shiplap joint therebetween, as seen in
In a further embodiment, as seen in
Accordingly, the present invention provides an exterior or outdoor fence with enhanced durability, weather-resistance, fade resistance, and aesthetics at a lower cost and faster installation as compared to prior art fences and materials.
Thus, it should be understood that the embodiments and examples described herein have been chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited for particular uses contemplated. Even though specific embodiments of this invention have been described, they are not to be taken as exhaustive. There are several variations that will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
This application claims benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional App. No. 62/711,496, filed Jul. 28, 2018, which is incorporated herein by specific reference for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62711496 | Jul 2018 | US |