How to Find Ideas for Fences
Be clear about what you need a fence for., Consider your budget., Think about the style that you need.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Be clear about what you need a fence for.
This will guide your decision and expenditure on fencing choices.
Common reasons for needing a fence include:
Making a property look "complete"
- this can be merely decorative, or semi-functional Keeping children safe Keeping pets or livestock in and intruders out Marking an area of a garden, such as a vegetable garden (and can also serve to keep out pests and weeds) Serving as security for a property in an area where break-ins are common, or for a high profile person worried about security Safety purposes
- for example, permanently or temporarily fencing off a pool, a sewer, or any other area where accidents might occur, such as construction sites. -
Step 2: Consider your budget.
High quality fencing is not cheap.
If you are prepared to build it yourself, you can save a lot of money, but be aware that it's also a lot of effort. , Where a fence is decorative, or decorative and functional, the style is an important consideration.
For a fence that is purely functional, the aesthetics might be less important.
Styles of fences include:
Picket fences
- wooden or plastic, these are suitable for residences, gardens, and smaller areas needing fencing off.
They're not very practical for security purposes but they can keep in children and small animals provided they encircle an area completely.
Brick fences
- these appear more like a wall but low-level brick fences can work well as decorative property delineation.
Many brick fences in residential properties have the mailbox built into the brickwork too.
For a more secure fence, a higher brick fence can be built, and to spare using too many bricks, arrangements can be made which add metallic grills, trellis, or other fillers in between brick posts forming the fence.
Metal fences
- metal fences can be made in many shapes, including rectangular, square, oval, rounded, etc.
A bar style is common, or a trellis design.
Metal fences have the advantage of coming in all shapes and sizes, so you can make them as high or low as needed.
They can deter break-ins because they are strong and allow viewing of movement from the street.
Metal fences can be constructed from either aluminum or wrought iron and both types should meet certain specifications for strength and durability.
Wrought iron is stronger than aluminum and ideal for high-security areas, but aluminum is more cost-effective and can more easily be placed on sloping terrain.
Wooden fences
- Simple boards can be used to make fences in differing ways.
There are many different wood fence designs that you can use to complement your home and garden.
Wood fences come in many styles, ranging from very common to unique and intricate.
Some common wood fence types include spaced board, gothic, colonial, dog-eared, lattice, board on board, and board and batten.
Wire fences
- More commonly used on farming properties, stringing wire (including barbed wire, and electric wire) can form good fences for keeping stock in and predators out.
For coops, use chicken wire to deter predators.
A horse fence
- this consists of well-made wooden fencing, often painted in white, that is sufficient to keep horses on a property (such as a ranch, stables, or a farm). -
Step 3: Think about the style that you need.
Detailed Guide
This will guide your decision and expenditure on fencing choices.
Common reasons for needing a fence include:
Making a property look "complete"
- this can be merely decorative, or semi-functional Keeping children safe Keeping pets or livestock in and intruders out Marking an area of a garden, such as a vegetable garden (and can also serve to keep out pests and weeds) Serving as security for a property in an area where break-ins are common, or for a high profile person worried about security Safety purposes
- for example, permanently or temporarily fencing off a pool, a sewer, or any other area where accidents might occur, such as construction sites.
High quality fencing is not cheap.
If you are prepared to build it yourself, you can save a lot of money, but be aware that it's also a lot of effort. , Where a fence is decorative, or decorative and functional, the style is an important consideration.
For a fence that is purely functional, the aesthetics might be less important.
Styles of fences include:
Picket fences
- wooden or plastic, these are suitable for residences, gardens, and smaller areas needing fencing off.
They're not very practical for security purposes but they can keep in children and small animals provided they encircle an area completely.
Brick fences
- these appear more like a wall but low-level brick fences can work well as decorative property delineation.
Many brick fences in residential properties have the mailbox built into the brickwork too.
For a more secure fence, a higher brick fence can be built, and to spare using too many bricks, arrangements can be made which add metallic grills, trellis, or other fillers in between brick posts forming the fence.
Metal fences
- metal fences can be made in many shapes, including rectangular, square, oval, rounded, etc.
A bar style is common, or a trellis design.
Metal fences have the advantage of coming in all shapes and sizes, so you can make them as high or low as needed.
They can deter break-ins because they are strong and allow viewing of movement from the street.
Metal fences can be constructed from either aluminum or wrought iron and both types should meet certain specifications for strength and durability.
Wrought iron is stronger than aluminum and ideal for high-security areas, but aluminum is more cost-effective and can more easily be placed on sloping terrain.
Wooden fences
- Simple boards can be used to make fences in differing ways.
There are many different wood fence designs that you can use to complement your home and garden.
Wood fences come in many styles, ranging from very common to unique and intricate.
Some common wood fence types include spaced board, gothic, colonial, dog-eared, lattice, board on board, and board and batten.
Wire fences
- More commonly used on farming properties, stringing wire (including barbed wire, and electric wire) can form good fences for keeping stock in and predators out.
For coops, use chicken wire to deter predators.
A horse fence
- this consists of well-made wooden fencing, often painted in white, that is sufficient to keep horses on a property (such as a ranch, stables, or a farm).
About the Author
Olivia Simmons
Specializes in breaking down complex creative arts topics into simple steps.
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