Yard Fence – Should You Get One?

Your backyard is looking beautiful, with new sod or bright green blades shooting up from carefully-tended grass seed. But how do you keep the local fauna from nibbling on that beautiful new grass, or the neighborhood kids from running through on their way home from the bus stop?

A yard fence is the answer. If you live in a covenanted community, the first step to deciding on a backyard fence is to check the architectural guidelines of your homeowners’ association.

Most associations have very strict guidelines about types, sizes and materials for fences, and you don’t want to put the time, effort, and money into a new fence only to find out that you’ll have to tear it out.

As for types of fences, there are so many available. A yard fence might be chain link, wood, wrought iron, or composite. Chain link fencing is the most affordable. It comes on rolls, which you unroll and fasten to posts you bury every few feet around the perimeter of your yard.

Wrought iron fencing is very expensive, but when it comes to aesthetics, you get what you pay for! A wrought iron fence provides an old-world feel that can’t be replicated in any other way. There are even plastic versions of these available.

Perhaps the most popular type of backyard fence in recent years is a wooden privacy fence. These are typically six or eight feet tall and may be out of one of several different types of wood. Some are even treated against the elements. If you choose a wood fence that isn’t pretreated, you’ll need to seal and weather-protect it on a regular basis, perhaps once a year.

A recent addition to fencing options is a composite fence. It looks and feels like wood but is made out of a synthetic material that stands up to the elements better than wood ever could.

Whichever type of materials you choose for your yard fence, you have the option of installing it yourself, or hiring someone to do it. If you decide to put your own fence in, make sure you research the best method first! And, of course, you can hire your favorite handyperson or someone from your home improvement store instead.