There are as many different types of fencing as there are reasons for wanting to place one on your property.
Your reasons for wanting a fence will eliminate quite a few types, but there are other factors to keep in mind when making your choice.
What Do You Want It to Do?
If you’re looking for a way to provide security for an area of your property, a white picket fence isn’t the best option to choose. Likewise, if you want to add some charm to your front yard, a six-foot chain link fence will probably do the exact opposite.
No one wakes up one day and says, “Let’s put up a fence.” There is a reason you’re considering it. Do you want to keep things out? Do you want to keep things in? Are you wanting to enjoy a bit more privacy on your property? Do you want to increase the value of your land with the visual appeal of a more decorative fencing option?
Until you answer the question of why you want a fence, there’s no way to move forward with any guarantee of accomplishing anything other than spending money and time.
What Should It Be Made Of?
Once you know the “why,” you’ll be ready to choose the “what” for your fence.
If you’re trying to provide a way to keep small children or pets in an enclosed area, remember that these two purposes might not have the same needs. Children love to climb, and pets love to dig. A wire fence is a good, durable option to make an enclosed area in your yard, but you’ll need to keep in mind what the creatures you plan on keeping inside that area are likely to do.
Perhaps you have a small garden and would like it to be enclosed, but beautiful. Fences for small gardens can be an attractive feature. If you have an edible garden you may like to consider using the fence to grow your vines and so on up. Or, you may take advantage of the vertical space and attach a vertical garden onto your fence.
If you’re more interested in privacy, the best option is most likely going to be wood. While you can buy plastic privacy fencing for your property, these are usually not as durable as a well-built wooden fence, and sometimes they offer less privacy as well.
For a fence designed to increase the “curb appeal” of your home, and therefore its value, there are many different options to choose from. Wrought iron, aluminium, and even the traditional white picket fence will do wonders for the look of your property if you’re aware that the new, expensive look it will give your home will do little to offer either security or privacy.
How Much Do I Have in My Budget?
Depending on the options you choose, a simple fence can become expensive in a hurry. You can expect to pay anywhere from $7 per foot up to $50 per foot or more.
The most budget-friendly type of fencing is usually wire, such as a chain link fence. These types will usually only cost around $10 per square foot, and they come with the bonus of needing little to no maintenance.
Vinyl fences can cost in the $20 to $40 per square foot range, and while they also need no painting or other routine maintenance, these fences can be less durable for longer periods depending on the conditions the fence experiences.
Wooden fences are the type chosen by homeowners most often. These fences can cost roughly $20 to $50 per foot, but you’ll need to factor in maintenance costs over time; wooden fences will need periodic staining or painting, which comes with both a financial cost for the materials as well as the time it takes to maintain them.
Iron and aluminium fences can be found in just about any style you can imagine, and they come at a cost of around $25 to $30 per foot. The only drawback is that iron fences can rust if they’re not protected by paint or another coating, and aluminium fencing can become discolored with time.
The bottom line is this; no matter your reason for wanting a fence installed, there are several options available that can do whatever job you have in mind. Remember to weigh the positives and negatives before having a fence installed that answers your “why,” and you’ll enjoy years of service from your new fence.