Brella Frequently Asked Questions

Board fencing may be one of the most expensive investments you make to your property.  Like your home, proactive measures in protecting your board fencing investment is money well spent to achieve maximum return-on-investment.  End grain wood rot is the leading natural cause of fence post failures and costly replacement.  Please continue reading the following FAQ’s to better understand the benefits and ROI using Brella..

Lumber prices are projected to continue rising through 2025 due to high demand and potential tariffs. Based on current market research, board fencing companies charge a minimum of $100 or more to replace a single 4x6 wood post.  Assuming a replacement cost of $100 per 4x6 post, Brella can protect a minimum of 25 4x6 posts.  Quantity pricing can protect even more posts for this same replacement cost.

Brella is proudly manufactured in the USA. They are made out of 0.040” thick pre-anodized aluminum and are available in black or white.  The benefits of using aluminum is long life, rust and corrosion free, paintable, and are recyclable.

Brella is the only post cap available on the market today specifically designed for post tops cut at an angle.  Furthermore, the design features a “tail” that inherently self-adjusts to accommodate the post-to-post angle variances in which the post tops were cut.

Designing Brella as a flat is another patent-pending innovation as it’s more economically and environmentally friendly in terms of packaging and shipping. A box approximately 10"Wx8"Lx8”H can accommodate a quantity of 200 4x6 Brella Post Caps.  Commercially available fence post caps designed for flat top posts are typically manufactured using a process referred to as stamping (metal) or injection molded (plastic).  They typically have an ornamental appearance and as such, requires larger packaging containing significantly less product than Brella.

Pressure treatment slows down the growth of fungi and bacteria that cause wood rot, but it doesn't eliminate it completely. The end grain of pressure-treated wood is susceptible to wood rot, even though it has been treated.  The top end grain surface of fence posts are constantly exposed to the elements (sun/UV, rain, humidity, and freezing temperatures) and if not properly protected, will in most cases likely exhibit premature wood rot years before the expected life of the pressure-treated wood post.  SCF Solutions encourages readers to do their own research regarding this matter.

Post end grain surfaces are like sponges when exposed to rain. Additionally, cracks naturally occur in the top surface end grain allowing water to penetrate deep into the interior of the post where pressure-treatment may not be sufficient.  During the summer, water in these cracks promotes fungi and bacteria growth resulting in wood rot.  During the winter, water in these cracks freezes and expands the cracks even more.  This cyclic behavior can result in an exponential rate of premature wood rot on the top surface of the post and eventually compromise the structural integrity of the post resulting in costly repairs.

Depending on several variables, early signs of end grain wood rot may begin to occur as early as two years after installation. If the top surface of your post feels soft like a sponge after it has rained, this indicates early signs of wood rot.

The innovative patent-pending Brella Post Caps are new on the market so their presence in the fencing industry is still in its infancy. Secondly, fencing companies typically bid on contracts months in advance so it makes it difficult for them to re-bid jobs utilizing Brella.  However, it is SCF Solutions goal, with your help, to have fencing companies provide a superior fence solution so that fence owners “GET THE MOST FROM YOUR POST^TM”.  If you are considering investing in a new fence or performing a fence tune-up/repair, this would be an excellent opportunity to consider installing Brella.

Not entirely. Painting your fence on a regular basis is highly recommended as it does provide a barrier to moisture.  However, water is a force of nature and can still penetrate the cracks in the top end grain surface leading to premature wood rot.

With Brella, a 2X life expectancy is realistic. The most prevalent failure associated with pressure-treated wood posts is premature wood rot on the top end grain surface.  Therefore, protecting this surface should be a priority.

SCF Solutions encourages you to do your own research on-line regarding end grain surface rot for pressure-treated wood. In addition, as you are driving around, start looking closely at fence posts.  You will be surprised how many posts are exhibiting wood rot on the top end grain surface of the posts.

Brella is available for 4x4, 4x6, and 6x6 wood posts.

Brella has you covered. Standard off-the-shelf fence post caps will not work if the top rail board is coplanar/flush relative to the top of the post.  Brella has a solution for this type of fencing.

The choice is yours.  Brella uses pre-anodized aluminum which creates an oxide layer on the aluminum surface, offering improved corrosion resistance, durability, and adhesion for subsequent coatings.  Although the black or white Brella Post Caps may not exactly match the recently painted fence, the pre-anodized aluminum will be sufficient until the fence is painted again.  Although not required, SCF Solutions does recommend cleaning the Brella top surface with isopropyl alcohol before painting to remove any surface oils or bird droppings.

If installed properly, Brella will provide an excellent barrier against the elements.  For a superior barrier, a bead of paintable silicone along the top edge of the post and the Brella cap is recommended.

SCF Solutions strongly recommends using paintable caulk so that any exposed silicone can accept paint.

If fence companies install Brella, they will most likely use galvanized nails. For DIY’ers, SCF Solutions recommends using 1 ¼"or 1 ½" exterior deck wood screws, galvanized roofing nails, or 6d galvanized nails.  Exterior deck wood screws, although more expensive than nails, work the best as it leads to less fatigue and faster installation.

NOTE: Only use galvanized, hot dipped galvanized, or exterior wood deck screws to install Brella. Standard construction common nails or interior screws will rust due to the acidic nature of pressure-treated wood.

No.  However, if you are installing Brella on a large quantity of wood posts, the folding jig greatly reduces finger fatigue.  Furthermore, using a folding jig allows younger adults to participate in the installation process and ensures a clean bend line.

This can sometimes be a little tricky.  If the nails securing the top board to the post are spaced down on the post, you should be able to insert the wing between the post and the top rail.  If the nails are too high up on the post and you can’t insert the wing, simply rock the wing back and forth several time to snap it off.  Even with the side wing missing, the top surface of the post will still be covered.  I recommend applying a construction adhesive (Liquid Nail) in a lazy “S” pattern on the top surface of the post.  Place Brella on the post and apply pressure for several minutes.  Give the adhesive a few hours or a day to cure.  Once the adhesive has cured, secure the side wing and form the tail.  In rare circumstances whereby the angle cut of the post is severely sloped, it may be necessary to install a galvanized nail or screw through the top of the Brella closest to the edge without the wing.  Simply apply a bead of paintable silicone over the top of these fasteners.

A rubber mallet has a much larger surface area than a standard construction hammer and it’s lighter.  When bending the tail over the back face of the post, the larger surface area makes it easier for the tail to conform cleanly to the backside of the post.