A Novice's Guide to Choosing Fencing Materials
Posted on: 29 August 2018
Fencing your property will give you the privacy you need, protect your home from intruders and even enhance the overall kerb appeal of your home. However, fencing installation can be a costly affair that you need to approach with a lot of care especially if it's your first time being involved in such a project. Fences come in different materials, and here is a guide to help you choose the right one for your needs.
Wood Fencing
Wood fencing comes with quite a number of benefits. First, wood has a beautiful, natural appearance that will enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of your home. Wood fencing is also generally less expensive than other fencing options, but this will depend on the type of wood you're using. Working with wood is also easy, which means you can even take on the installation yourself if you have the time, the right tools, and you follow the required procedure. When it comes to designs, wood allows you to achieve any style you want. There are many colour options from which you can choose. What's more, it's relatively easy to cut or carve wood to any creative designs you may want.
On the downside, however, wood requires a lot of maintenance. That's because it's susceptible to a range of elements including insects, rotting, moisture and extreme weather. However, to minimise damage from such conditions, choose pressure treated or naturally resistant wood such as tropical hardwoods, cypress and cedar.
Vinyl Fencing
If you're looking for an alternative for your wooden fencing, vinyl may be the best way to go. While you'll spend some extra money to buy it, vinyl fencing will pay off in many ways. The fencing won't rot or be affected by bugs. It doesn't call for a lot of maintenance, and occasional cleaning will keep it looking neat. You also don't have to worry about painting or staining because the fencing is usually uniform in colour. However, while being durable, it may still give in to extreme weather changes and moisture build-up over time. Drastic changes from low to high temperatures can cause loosen the material. The build-up of moisture can also result in problems such as the formation of mould, mildew and algae.
Metal Fencing
If you're looking for the most durable fencing solution, choose metal. Metal fencing requires little maintenance too, and most metal fences are even cheaper than other fencing materials. Some of the metal fencing options include aluminium, galvanised steel and wrought iron. Aluminium comes with versatility in design. It also tends to be cheaper than steel and wrought iron and requires the least maintenance because it doesn't corrode, fade or rust. However, it's not as strong as steel and wrought iron. Wrought iron, while being resilient and strong, is susceptible to rusting so you may want to consider galvanised steel instead. Remember, however, that steel will cost you the most.
Reach out to a fencing contractor for more help deciding what kind of fence to install.
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