Lookin good. The fence picket is a great hack for cheap wood if you can make it work!
Discussion
Thank you! The pickets ended up being one of the more inexpensive options (but one of the best looking).
I will probably be staining and sealing them with linseed oil for protection.
Never thought of that for an exterior. A good option? Cool though. And natural.
They are sold under the name of Japanese cedar. If that is the same wood, they use them as siding in Japan with a burned finish.
I meant the linseed oil… but yes, cedar a great option. I made a cedar “sandbox” once. Burned before installation. 
Oh sorry, the boiled linseed oil is used for the burned siding as a protection coat. I am learning that the more traditional finishes like varnish and oil weather WAY better than the water based modern finishes they sell now and if they do weather, they look good.
Cool sandbox!
