Selecting the right fence for your home is a relatively simple balancing act between five priorities: security, privacy, style, durability, and cost.
There’s no fence that excels in all five areas at once, but you can usually find one that fulfills at least two of your biggest priorities.
Security
If safety is your number one concern and you want a fence that will add a solid layer of protection, there are two key characteristics needed. First, the fence should be strong enough to withstand impacts, so metal fencing is usually your best bet. Second, it should be tall enough to prevent people from easily climbing over it, at least 6 feet high.
Residential Fencing in DE
Chain link fences are usually the best security fences for people on tight budgets, relatively affordable and pretty strong since they’re usually made from galvanized steel. If you can afford something more stylish, a tall palisade, shadow box, or panel fence in steel, wrought iron, or composite is a good option, and certain woods like redwood and cypress can also make strong fences. You should only put gates that lock into your fence, and if you really want to go big on security, install a few cameras and motion-detecting lights around the perimeter.
Privacy
Even if you’re on good terms with the people around you, it’s still best to keep your business your business. This can be easily accomplished with a tall privacy fence, shadow box, dog ear, lattice, and panel fences that have little or no distance between their slats. If safety against intruders isn’t a huge concern, you can save some money by getting a privacy fence made from affordable, low-strength materials like vinyl, aluminum, or pine wood.
Even a chain link fence can provide decent privacy, sliding PVC slats down into the chains to obstruct the view of passersby, though this increases the cost of your chain link fencing a bit.
Style
Style is the hardest priority to balance with affordability. Almost all of the most stylish fence types are fairly pricey, and the inexpensive chain link fence is right out if you want to make your home look good. If you don’t have tons of room in your budget but want a fence that increases curb appeal, you can shop for stylishly shaped fences made from low-strength materials like pine or PVC.
Cost
If budget is your number one concern, a chain link fence might very well be your best option. If you simply hate how chain link looks, you can still save a good chunk of cash by installing a more stylish fence in an affordable material like PVC, aluminum, or spruce wood. The main downside of these less expensive materials is that they don’t last very long.
Durability
If you just want a reliable fence you never have to worry about, get a fence in a durable, low-maintenance material like composite or aluminum. Both of these materials are rust-resistant, don’t rot, and aren’t vulnerable to insects, allowing them to last decades with little to no upkeep. Alternatives like steel, redwood, and vinyl can also last a long time, but require much more active care to prevent damage from water, sunlight, and pests.
Common Fencing Materials
Wood fencing is a classic choice offering a natural, timeless look, is relatively affordable, and can be painted or stained to match your home’s exterior.
Vinyl fencing is a low-maintenance alternative, versatile and resistant to rot and insects, not requiring painting or staining. Vinyl fencing can be more expensive up front than wood, and extreme temperatures can cause it to expand, contract, or crack over time.
Aluminum fencing is a low-maintenance option that provides the look of iron without the rust, resistant to corrosion, though it may not provide as much privacy as other materials and isn’t as robust as steel or wrought iron.
Chain link fencing is a practical, cost-effective solution, durable, low maintenance, and provides secure boundaries for pets and children, though it isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing option and doesn’t offer much privacy unless slats or hedges are added.
Masonry fences are also resistant to weather, insects, and fire, though they are the most expensive option and require a strong foundation to prevent settling or cracking over time.
Other Things to Consider
Before you can start looking into building a fence, pay attention to your current landscape design, since you may need to remove certain elements like trees and shrubs to make the fence possible. Different areas have different laws and regulations regarding the types of fences you can build, how tall they can be, and the materials you can use, so contact your local government to check for restrictions.
Think about how you’ll pay for the installation before you start looking at options, since installing a fence can cost as little as a few hundred dollars to well over several thousand. All fence types need ongoing maintenance to last for as long as possible, so make sure you’re comfortable with the amount of maintenance your fence will need before you install it.
