When we are not cutting coppice or weaving hazel, we can often be found cleaving oak for fencing and gate commissions. Cleaving or riving, is the art of splitting suitable timber along its length for an exceptionally strong end product that works with natural variations in the wood rather than trying to hide them. Oak is particularly well suited to cleaving being durable and long-lasting outdoor and full of character. When we were asked to make and install a cleft oak fence in a beautiful garden near Ambleside this summer we were only too happy to oblige.
It all begins with a section of oak trunk, as straight and knot free as we can find, which gets split along its length with wedges and a maul, first into halves, then quarters, eights and perhaps even sixteenths depending on what we’re making. For a cleft oak fence such as this one, we need a good supply of rails and then posts are often ripped out freehand with a chainsaw. All components are made roughly to size and mortices cut at our yard before transporting to site where final shaping and fitting take place.
This particular install had a few extra challenges posed by a beck running through the garden, but it was a lovely project to work on and we’re very happy with the end product.
For cleft oak gates, fencing, benches and other garden structures in Cumbria and Lancashire be sure to give us a shout!