Fences can be the difference between making or breaking your curb appeal. Often used to frame a garden or for a focal point in a landscape design, fence walls are now used for a lot more than just insuring space and delineating boundaries. A fence design and its material type is one of the most significant factors in choosing an ideal fence. The best fences complement and enhance the surroundings of the home and garden and must offer the right solution to your specific fencing needs.
When it comes to a fence for your home and garden, there are a surprising number of options to get your head around. Timber and metal has been the mainstay for many years but there are also eco-friendly alternatives to timber, such as bamboo or WPC fencing. There is also the PVC option to consider.
There have never been more choices to consider, both for price and features when it comes to building your home and garden fence.
PVC Fencing
Of course, you can go a whole different way and install pvc fence panels instead. It is a very different look to traditional wood fencing but has a lot of advantages. They come in a variety of colours as well as wood grained. There are two significant differences with the PVC panel approach:
- With a horizontal board style, you don’t need a separate gravel board as such as the whole fence is impervious to damage caused by moisture, so in one sense, the whole fence is one big gravel board.
- The integrated horizontal style board panels don’t typically require distinct rails as it is all incorporated into the PVC pane.
WPC Fencing
WPC fencing is a popular alternative to PVC. It provides the look of wood without all that heavy maintenance! Wpc fences are made from high density polyethylene planks which provide strength and durability at an affordable price point, usually around 25-35% less than traditional picket fence materials like cedar or pine boards in many cases.
WPC looks and feels like a real wood fence but it’s not. Sun, wind, rain, sleet, snow termites. No worries. Wood composite fence won’t buckle, warp, rot, or sag. In fact, there’s no paint to scrape, no once-a-year water seal, just install and go. It also comes in a variety of colors, styles and sizes. so there is a high chance you’ll find the look you’re after.
You should check with your local municipality for any permits or codes required before installing WPC fencing as it may not be accepted everywhere due to fire safety concerns around the plastic-based material used.
Strong and durable, this type of fencing is formulated to withstand 110 mph wind loads and 130 mph gusts without the need of wood or steel post supports. Recycled wood and plastic bags are typically used as raw materials to create eco-friendly fence. Warranties start at around 5 years.
With natural wood fiber as the main materials along with adding polyethylene and some necessary chemical agents, the WPC fence is produced by the extrusion equipment under high temperature and pressure. It is widely used in landscaping and municipal projects like water platforms, parks, green areas, sides of the cliff, river bank and lakesides, just to name a few.
So in summary, the advantages of WPC fence are: high strength, no pollution and long life. The disadvantages is that the cost price for this type fences can be higher than traditional wood or plastic-based materials due to some complicated production processes involved in it’s manufacture.
Most people are looking for a fence that lasts, looks good and is easy to maintain. WPC fencing ticks all the boxes!
Some Features of WPC Fencing
1.WPC fencing has the advantage over wood fencing in being consistent in size specifications and does not crack, bend, have weaknesses from knots and twill.
2. WPC fence products offers many different options in the specifications, sizes, shapes, thicknesses, colors, and wood texture.
3. WPC fence has high harness, longer life time, higher strength and it is energy-saving.
Wooden Fencing
Wood is a durable material that can be stained or painted to complement any setting while being very flexible in design options – from simple picket-style designs with just one typeof board on its face up through more decorative lattice.
Picket Fencing
Picket fences are a popular choice because they can be built to fit any size or shape, and in many different styles. A picket fence is also easy on the budget when you choose pressure treated lumber for framing with rough cedar boards as siding material – but there’s plenty of other options too! Typically these type panels are used to create a fence with gaps between the pickets – but if you prefer, they can be custom made for solid board fencing.
Building A Garden Fence With Wooden Garden Fence Panels
There is a wide range of wooden fence panel products that will suit most tastes and budgets. You can purchase them with the FSC certified tick of approval so you know they are from sustainable sources.
Wooden fence panels are also generally pressure treated and also treated against fungal decay and rot and will usually come with a guarantee of some type – often up to 15 years.
It is best to choose thick boards that are durable and will stand up to any high winds. If you choose wood that is dense and thick enough, you can be sure it will hold a nail you may need to put in it.
There is a huge range of sizes and styles to suit all situations. Popular fence panel styles include the traditional overlap panel (also known as larch lap) consisting of overlapping sawn slats, feather edge, picket fence just to name a few. There are other options such as the Omega lattice style fence panels and continental fence panels and decorative european panels.
Wooden fence panels are ideal for garden boundaries and they do provide economic solution to screening.
Along with the necessary additions of fence posts and gravel boards, they often come with additional optional features such as top capping.
The panels come in a wide selection of sizes from 3ft to 6ft wide or even more. Some examples include 6ftx6ft or 6ftx5.5ft or 8x6ft.
Of course you can purchase matching fence gates of various sizes as needed based on your fence design.
If you intend to DIY, you will need concrete for the posts as well. For example, if you want a 10m section of fence you will need 4 posts and 4 fence panels along with brackets and bags of cement for putting the posts in place.
Wooden Feather Edge Fence Boards
Feather edge fence boards are designed to be overlapping in a vertical position and secured to a framed frame to construct any custom fencing.
The boards are typically made from pressure treated timber. You can get the feathered edge boards individually (usually in bundles of 10) and use it as the final cladding when constructing your fence from basic materials that will also include posts, rails and brackets, or you can purchase pre-made panels constructed with a cladding of feather edge boards.
Individual Boards Or Pre-Made Panels
If you’re in the UK, Jewsons carry a range of pressure treated boards suitable for constructing your fence from scratch, while Pennine Fencing manufacturer pre-made fencing panels from feathered edge boards, but also a range of other board types such as Picket Fence, Waney Lap, Square Trellis, and Solid Board.
Going the way of purchasing pre-made panels has a lot of advantages compared to building your fence one board at a time. If you construct the fence yourself, it is important to note that the fence boards are just the cladding part of the process and there is a basic fencing infrastructure of posts, rails and gravel boards (to protect the wooden fence from damaging moisture) that needs to be put in place before the final cladding step.
Not To Be Confused With Skirting Products
One thing to note is that due to the ‘feathered edge’ description of the board product, you may find that searching online for information will end in search results related to various vinyl feather edge skirting products, commonly seen in commercial settings. The only bit that is the same is the feathered edge – the application is vastly different to fencing options.
What Type Of Nails Do You Use When Building A Fence?
Expands and contracting is what wood does when it gets wet and then dries out. Expanding and contracting wood is the main cause of nails working their way out of the pickets and pickets falling off of the rails. Rails posts and pickets or infill boards are the common factors in wood fences regardless of the design and all require the use of nails that are capable of holding them together.
Metal Fence Options
Along with wooden fencing for the home and garden, metal fences are also a popular choice. Metal fencing offers great durability and strength, often lasting for decades with little to no maintenance over that time period – but it’s not just the longevity of these fence panels which make them an attractive option!
Metal is versatile as well: there are many different styles such metal options available today from plain galvanized steel to decorative metal panels.
The different metals used for fencing offer both durability and style: aluminum is light weight with a long lifespan, but requires more care in installation; galvanized iron offers the strength of wrought or cast-iron at about half its cost – perfect if you’re on an extreme budget! And bronze fences are popular for their attractive patina and long lifespan.
Metal fences are an excellent choice for any home or garden in need of a durable, blended style personality to it’s design.
Chain Link Options
Chain Link Fences are strong fences with an effective design that can withstand harsh weather conditions such for your home or garden! They come in many different sizes and colors from plain black coated wire mesh (which comes standard) all the way up high-security fences.
The security of a chain-link fence is dependent on the height and strength, as well as how it’s installed properly by professionals who are knowledgeable about what they’re doing! It can be used to enclose an entire property or run along side other fencing types for added protection with barbed wire topping.
The type of wire to use for a chain link fence needs to be galvanized or bronze – the higher quality it is, and if you’ll need more than one layer. The mesh openings should measure no larger that twelve inches by sixteen so your dogs won’t escape through them!
Chain-link fences are not typically sound or privacy blockers.
FAQ
Q: What are some good courtyard fencing options?
A: Here are some good courtyard fencing options:
Wood Fencing
- Cedar or redwood picket fencing – Provides privacy while allowing some visibility and airflow. Classic look.
- Lattice panels – Let in light and air while obscuring views. Can be topped with planters or vines.
- Horizontal plank fencing – Simple and modern. Varying heights add visual interest.
Metal Fencing
- Wrought iron or aluminum – Ornate designs complement traditional and Spanish style homes.
- Black metal panels – Sleek, modern look. Can incorporate planter boxes or greenery.
- Wire mesh – Very transparent and great for climbing vines and plants. Inexpensive option.
Masonry
- Brick or stone walls – Match home architecture and provide privacy. Can incorporate arches or columns.
- Stucco over CMU blocks – Textured look complements Southwest and Mediterranean styles.
- Concrete panels – Modern, geometric patterns available. Can be painted or stained.
Mixed Materials
- Wood posts with wire mesh infill – Combines solid structure with transparency.
- Metal frame with wood slat infill – Mix of traditional and industrial elements.
- Top a short wall with wood panels – Provides privacy while allowing in light and air.
The best option depends on the home style, privacy needs, and desired aesthetic. Combining materials can create unique courtyard fences that are decorative and functional.
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