Decorative Garden Fences | Garden Fences

Decorative garden fences are meant to add elegance and a quiet beauty to a residence.  When planning to put a garden fence on the property, see it as an investment where proper installation is critical to making the work count.  Before beginning the construction, there are a few helpful tips to remember:

  • Property lines are important.  Check with neighbors to find out exactly where those lines are.
  • If there are any questions or disputes over the property of one neighbor to another, look to the deed for specifics.
  • If the disagreement with neighbors continues, there may be need for legal representation.
  • Get paperwork which shows where the property lines are and keep it in a safe place.

Decorative garden fences should be functional as well as attractive.  They are useful not only to divide one residence from the other, but it also aids in keeping out animals that may come onto the property and dig up plants or dig holes in the yard. The fence not only provides protection from pets or wild animals such as deer or raccoons, it also gives homeowners privacy when they work in their garden. Decorative garden fences come in cheaper options or in much more expensive ones.  It’s up to the owner and the owner’s budget as to which kind of fence they can afford.  There are attractive options no matter what the budget may be.  Garden fence designs are available on a wide range, from the costly to the economical ones. Below there are a few examples of what makes the best garden fence and tips on how to use each one.

Wood:
Wooden is a long-standing favorite because it has a traditional look and fits practically any home design. It has a great reputation for being sturdy while also presenting an aesthetically pleasing effect.  The materials can be purchased from home improvement outlets in pieces or bought as an entire kit. Split rail fences is one of these options that can be bought already put together and take a minimal amount of time to put around the property, or a garden alone.

Vinyl
Vinyl fences are easier to maintain than wood as it is much easier to maintain in garden fences.  Wood requires attention and often, from year to year, there is a need to replace slats or another coat of paint.  Vinyl does not require these steps and thus removes the extra stress.  These too come already assembled and look just as good as wood in most cases.

Dry Stone Walls
If a homeowner want a truly original look to their decorative garden fence, the dry stone wall option is a sure bet. This brand of fence needs a careful eye before construction to make sure there is enough space for the large stones that will be placed at the bottom.  Without inspection there could be the issue of bleeding over into a neighbor’s yard. This variety of decorative garden fence is often inexpensive and very reliable to keep out any unwanted visitors.

Bamboo Fence
The bamboo fence is a garden fence that’s extremely popular because it is elegant, fits the look of almost any home, and inexpensive.  It does require maintenance in the event of bad weather, but repairs are often easy and don’t require any outside help.

White Picket Fence
Since the 1950’s “the white picket fence” has been a staple phrase when talking about getting that dream home which provides safety for the whole family.  This alternative in decorative garden fence is attractive and can be made of wood or vinyl.  If wood is used it has the upkeep of eventual replacement of slats.  If made of vinyl there is the bonus of no such upkeep.  If built high enough, this, like the other options, can increase privacy to keep those passing by from seeing family activities and pets in the yard.

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Commercial Fence and Security Fence Styles

There are three main types of commercial fence and security fence options and each is useful in different situations. They are:

  • Chain link security fence – Chain link is the fence of choice for commercial locations that need a minimum level of security. It is by far the cheapest of the three options and it has commercial chain link fence black Commercial Fence and Security Fence Stylesbeen the industry standard for security fencing for years. It allows you to see through the fence which is a major asset for threat detection. The strength of the chain link material is based on the gauge of the wire. The higher the gauge the thinner the wire is going to be so for a chain link security gate you will want a 9 at least a nine gauge wire. It has the added asset of having a long life span and the ability to melt into the background since it is so common. To make chain link fences a little more aggressive you can also add fittings for poles on the top that lean outward and allow you to string razor wire or barbed wire across the fence. You can see this configuration in most of the penitentiaries through out the United States. It makes climbing the fence nearly impossible unless you bring specialized tools for the job.
  • Welded wire fence –This is an enhanced version of the chain link fence. Its weave goes vertical and horizontal instead of the diamond patter of the chain link. It is also much stronger because they use 6 gauge wires, which is then welded at every point that two wires cross each other. They also use steel panels that are called a v branch, where the wire is bent inward at an angle to cause a crimp in the panel design. These v branches give the fences much more stability than it would normally have. All of the wire and components are run through the same zinc treatment that allows the wire to “heal” from incidental cuts and scraps.
  • Ornamental steel security fence – The ornamental steel security fences are usually reserved for home offices and the estates of the rich and famous. It is not quite as secure as the chain link fences but it does have the added benefit of being pleasing to the eye.  Some people are more concerned with the illusion of security rather than true security so they would never contemplate having a chain link fence obstructing their property. Ornamental steel fences look identical to the old fashioned wrought iron Pickett fences you have probably seen. They are much stronger and resistant to deterioration though. Most are manufactured from coil steel with a 45,000 psi and tensile strength of 58,000 psi. The steel is pre-galvanized to meet the industry requirements. A non chromate conversion coating is used to give further corrosion protection and is finished off with polyester powder. Some models have taken a page from the chain link fences book and bent the upper edge of the heavy gauge galvanized steel rods so that they lean outward at an angle. That angle and the ornamental points on the top of the rods is often enough to warn away anyone but the most determined intruder.
  • Steel armor security fence – These fences are the most heavily reinforced and yet they are the least useful. They are built using vertical steel panels in between posts and depending on the thickness of the steel can withstand explosions. They completely block your view of the outside though. So, they may be able to take a pounding but you are blind to what is happening outside of your walls. They are good for bunkers and other hardened targets that are used as a defensive structure.
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Budgeting Considerations for a Privacy Fence

A fence can be a real budget buster if you do not plan ahead. There are many different considerations that will affect the project cost but labor and material cost are the most important.

privacy fence1 Budgeting Considerations for a Privacy FenceLabor is all about whether you will do the work yourself or you hire a professional. The upside of doing it yourself is that you will only have to pay for materials. It is labor intensive work and since you do not do it as often as a pro, it will be slow going. You will have to decide how much your time is worth. A professional will also have any special tools that they may need on hand, while you would have to go out and purchase or rent one. Also, a fence built by a professional will last much longer so you get a better bang for your buck.

Material is based on what you intend to build your fence out of. Chain link is probably the most cost effective choice but you may want a solid wood fence and that can get expensive. You will need to know exactly how large the fence will be, in order to see how much lumber you will need. Then if you need to save some money, you can use treated pine for an economical option. If you have the money to go higher end with your material, then you could have your fence built out of cedar wood. It is a strong wood and most people seal the wood against the elements in a way that keeps its natural beauty.

Filed Under: Atlanta Fence, Backyard Fence, Building an Entry Gate, Choosing Fence Materials, Commercial Security Fence Guide, DIY Fence Building Guide, Fence Company, Fence Materials and Tools, Installing Chain Link Fence, Installing Privacy Fence, Privacy Fence, Privacy Fence Guide, Setting a Fence Post, Wooden Fences Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Commercial Fence Applications

chainlink2 Commercial Fence ApplicationsThere are many locations that benefit from the protection of security fencing from the nearest electrical station or parking lot to a freight yard or shipping terminal controlling global commerce. Whenever you are worried about intrusion, it is time to start going beyond wood and nails for perimeter security.

A few of the most common facilities using security fencing are:

  • Electrical transformer stations
  • Prisons
  • Airports
  • Military installations
  • The estates of celebrities and heads of companies
  • Border crossing locations and checkpoints
  • Chemical plants
  • Bomb manufacturing facilities
  • Some schools
  • Banks and other financial institutions

Whatever the situation you find yourself in, there is a security fencing system out there to help you. If you want to ensure that you and your family are safe at home then add to the property value of your home by purchasing an ornamental security fence. If your company is in a bad part of town and you have had a lot of break-ins then aesthetics are probably not your top priority. A solid chain link fence with some barbed wire on top will deter your nightly visitors. Or if you are in serious danger and have more to worry about than break-ins then it is time to install a steel armor security fence. When it comes to protecting yourself, there is no such thing as overkill.

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Commercial Security Fence Materials

iron security fence 200x300 Commercial Security Fence MaterialsThe different types of Commercial Fence and Security Fence available have different materials that comprise their construction. It will be easiest to talk about each commercial fence separately starting with the commercial chain link variety. Commercial chain link has 3 main parts:

  1. The chain link material – This is made of steel wire of varying thickness or gauge. For a commercial fence you would not want to use a wire thinner than 9 gauges. The wires are run through a process that galvanizes the steel and leaves a zinc coating of varying thickness depending on if it was galvanized after weaving or galvanized before weaving. The zinc acts as a protective barrier because it is a self sacrificing mineral. When the wire is gauged or scraped the zinc will “heal” the scratch by forming a white crust through oxidation. That keeps the gate in better shape for longer and adds an aesthetic value over time.
  2. The framework – The framework is made of tubular steel of varying degrees of thickness. It is made up of Terminal posts which are attached to the ends of the weave and around gates and other important elements. They are the thickest poles and are set in concrete. The Line posts are the posts that go in between the terminal posts at set intervals to provide rigidity to the material. They are also set into concrete for stability. The last element is the Top rail which is run through the Terminal posts and fittings on the top of the Line posts to let the material hang off it. All in all, this kind of commercial fence is very easy to assemble.
  3. The fittings – These are the smaller pieces that hold the Top rail onto the Line posts and attach the gates to its posts and hinges. It is very important to make sure that all of the fittings are strong and correctly made. If they do not fit tightly and hold the other parts securely then the fence will begin to sag and lack any stability.

I will skip the welded wire fence because it shares the same components as the commercial chain link fence. The only difference is that the wires are welded at junction points and some sections of the weave are bent into V branches for added strength. The ornamental steel security fence has 3 parts also, they are:

  1. The Picketts – These Picketts are used in the same way as the ones in a wooden picket fence except they are made from metal. A typical pickett is square tubular steel ¾ inches square and made from 18 gauge steel. These Picketts are then welded vertically to the horizontal rails.
  2. The Rails – These are the horizontal pieces that run at the top and bottom of the posts to hold the Picketts in place. They are usually made from u channel steel 1 1/1 x 1 1/3 thick. They are 11 gauge steel and weigh almost 2 and a half pounds per rail.
  3. The Posts – These are the strongest of the lot since they are the Terminal posts. The ends of the Rails and the gates will attach to these Posts so they have to be able to take the weight and not buckle. To do that they are made from 2 ½ inch thick tubular steel. The tubular steel is 14 gauge and weighs close to three pounds per foot of material.

galvanized spike security fence 300x199 Commercial Security Fence MaterialsThe steel armor commercial security fence is the hardest to get a standard list of materials because they are generally custom made for the job. A commercial fence that is supposed to protect a bank in Washington will be a lot different from one that is supposed to protect an embassy in Baghdad. It still breaks down into 3 basic parts:

  1. The armor plates – These vertical plates are made from various thicknesses. The thinnest can stop small arms fire while the thickest can stop bombs. They are placed so that the sides overlap with the plate next to it and then they are welded to the top and bottom rails to form an impenetrable barrier. That is a problem for security personnel however since they can no longer see threats coming through the fencing. That is what this type of commercial fencing is only used on certain sides of a property allowing the use of ornamental fence or chain link on the other sides to enhance visibility.
  2. The Rails – These are essentially the same as in the ornamental security fence, only much thicker. The thickness depends on the armor sheets since the thicker the sheets are the thicker the rails need to be in order to support them.
  3. The Posts- Even the thinnest of these fences weigh an incredible amount so a standard steel tubular post would not be up to the job. Most of the time masonry pillars of brick or concrete reinforced with steel are used to form the posts along the fence line. Solid steel posts are used on the gate housing to give it the most strength possible.
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Commercial Fence Design

iron fence barbs 300x199 Commercial Fence Design Before you go out and buy an expensive commercial fence system with all the bells and whistles, you need to know how to answer the following questions:

  • Have you checked to see if you need any special permits for building a security fence in your area?
  • Are there any restrictions on fences such as height, placement or types of fences? If there are restrictions, it is not always a lost cause. You can sometimes get a variance from the city that will allow you to build the fence you want regardless of restrictions.
  • If you are using the fence as a boundary marker then you will want to hire a surveyor and verify the accuracy of the boundary.
  • What is your budget? The best fence is not always the most expensive and if you are trying to cover a lot of acreage then even the cheapest option can be a wallet buster.

Once you have answered all of the preliminary questions you are almost ready to pick out a fence. To be sure that you will get what you are looking for you have to realize what a security fence is built to do. They will:

  • Mark the boundary of a restricted area
  • Provide a physical as well as a psychological barrier to admittance while serving notice to intruders that entry is restricted
  • Block people from entering by accident
  • Channel and control the flow of visitors through specific gates that you can control
  • Make it easier to detect and then apprehend any intruders
  • Support the use of surveillance cameras, different movement or intrusion detectors and other tools used in threat assessment.
  • Provide a clear indication of intent when the intruder tries to breach or circumvent the security fence
  • Enhance the operations of your security forces

chainlink21 300x199 Commercial Fence Design Commercial fences and specifically commercial security fences are a step in a process but it is not effective alone. If you have reason to believe that you need security fencing then you are probably expecting more than door to door salesman and a determined intruder will eventually make it through any hardened perimeter fence. So, it is best to have the fence backed up by onsite security personnel thus adding another layer of security and making the fencing even more effective. The fencing will slow down any intruders and make it easier for any cameras or security personnel to see what is going on and prevent entry. This is why most security fencing is not opaque. You want to be able to see anything that is going on outside the property and not to give intruders a safe place to hide.

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Chain Link Fence Applications

The application of chain link fencing is nearly limitless. They can be used in a residential, commercial or high security setting for a myriad of purposes. It is used regularly in residential settings but it s best know for is security applications. Many times a chain link fence is the first layer of protection for:

  • Parks and recreation areas
  • Pastures that contain dangerous or expensive animals like stallions or bulls
  • Public swimming pools
  • Railway lines
  • Machines with dangerous moving parts

With the small addition of razor wire or barbed wire chain link fences are also used to protect:

  • Prisons
  • Military installations
  • Explosive manufacturers
  • Quarries
  • Industrial plants
  • High voltage transformer stations

The only thing that a chain link fence is not known for is its privacy. Many people like the open weave as it lets the cool breeze and sunlight through while keeping anything undesirable out but what if you need some privacy? There are ways to alter a chain link fence in order to get the privacy that you need.

The easiest and cheapest way to make your chain link fencing more opaque is to let ivy or some other vine like plant use it as a platform. After a while you will not be able to see through it at all and you will add to the natural ambience of your yard. If, for some reason, you can not wait for plants to grow then you can use a product called Max Slats. These are plastic inserts of various colors and lengths that can be woven vertically into your chain link fence. They do a fantastic job of adding privacy but are expensive. To cover up 10 linear feet of an 8 foot tall fence would cost you close to 100 dollars. Many people find that it is worth the money to have your choice of colors for the slats. Fence Weave is another slat type product but it is no where near as reliable as the Max Slats. It is far more economical though. It costs about 20 dollars for 40 square feet but since it is not as durable it may cost you more in the long run. If you want a natural look for your chain link privacy fence you could go with the bamboo reed fencing. It is the least durable of the choices but it is also the least expensive. You can buy enough reeds to cover a 6 foot tall fence that is 25 feet wide for about 70 dollars.

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Types of Chain Link Fences

Since all chain link fences ares built from the same steel mesh, there are not different types, as much as different treatments. For example, 6 gauge wires would be much stronger than the 12 gauge wire but excluding the thickness, it is still just steel wire.  There are different coatings that you can add to the wire that will change its properties and life span. They fall into 4 main categories:
chainlink sunset2 200x300 Types of Chain Link Fences

  • Zinc Coated – This is by far the most popular coating method. Zinc is a sacrificial element, in that it will dissipate in order to protect the steel wire. It can also do superficial healing of cuts and scraps. If the wire is scraped the zinc starts to oxidize and form a white crust that protects the steel wire beneath from corrosion and rust. The longevity of a fence treated with zinc is often measured by the thickness of its zinc coating. 1.2 ounce per square foot is common but can go as high as 2 ounce per square foot when the fence needs to be in place for a really long time.
  • Aluminum coated – This coating forms a barrier that is stronger than zinc but does not have the healing effect. So, when a fence needs to be in place for a long time but it doesn’t need any aesthetic value, aluminum is best. When the fence is nicked and scratched it will start to form red rust and become unsightly in a short time span.
  • Hybrid – the hybrid has gone by a few trade names like Galvinal and Galfan but it is essential the aluminum coating combined with the zinc coating. This gives the fence the stronger barrier of the aluminum but if the barrier is breached the zinc will begin healing it.
  • Colored – You can achieve color by adding polyvinyl chloride to the zinc coating. You can do that by extruding a vinyl jacket over the core which is enough for most light commercial and retail needs. You can extrude a bonded jacked which will adhere to the steel core or thermally fuse the jacked to the steel core which is suitable for all uses. The new trend is toward a polyester coating that is a powder that is electro-statically applied to the wire.
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Chain Link Fence Design and Materials

Everyone has heard of chain link fence materials as it is the most common types of fencing in use today outside of wood.  It is also called hurricane fencing; cyclone fencing and wire netting. This is due to the design of the interwoven steel wires connected to the interspersed metal posts.  The quality of chain link is based on the gauge of the wire and the zinc content. The chain link material that forms the fabric comes in different wire thickness or “gauge”. The higher the gauge is, the smaller the wire will be. The most common gauges in use for chain link fabric are:

  • 6 gauge
  • 9 gauge
  • 11 gauge
  • 11.5 gauge
  • 12 gauge
  • 12.5 gauge

chain link ball field 208x300 Chain Link Fence Design and MaterialsThe chain link material fabric is formed by interweaving wire spirals together into a zig zag pattern. The distance between two parallel strands of wire is referred to as the “mesh size”. The most common mesh sizes are 2 and 2 ¼. Although, smaller mesh sizes are available when fencing with more security is needed.  The way that either end of the pattern is finished is referred to as the “Selvage” By industry standards that means that a fence smaller than 72 inches has one end in finished in closed loops and the other end of the fence is finished in barbs, similar to barbed wire. The barbed side is sometimes used as the side closest to the ground to give the fence more traction and stability.

Chain link fabric is coated with zinc using one of two processes. The first is GAW or galvanized after weaving. This means the wire is woven into fabric and the fabric is drawn through a molten pot of zinc. This process leaves the heaviest concentrations of zinc on the fabric. The alternative method is GBW or galvanized before weaving, where the wire is pulled through the molten zinc before it is woven into the chain link fabric. This method leaves a little over half the zinc on the fabric as the other method.

The tubular metal framework that holds the chain link fabric in place consists of 3 components:

  • Terminal post – These are the thickest posts and are sunk into concrete. They are used for the gate, corner and end posts.
  • Line post – These posts are smaller in diameter than the terminal posts and are interposed between the terminal posts to give the fence rigidity. They are also sunk into concrete
  • Top rail – These posts are passed through the terminal posts and through fittings on the line posts to form a framework for the chain link fabric to hang from

The quality of that framework is based off of the thickness of the steel and the zinc coating. There are two ways to coat the tubular metal framework in zinc:

    1. The hot dip process – Coils of steal are cut to proper width and then they are bent into tubes and the seams are welded. The pipe is then submersed in a pot of molten zinc which coats the pipe inside and out to help prevent corrosion.
    2. Flow coat galvanizing – Coils of steal are cut to proper width and then they are bent into tubes and the seams are welded. Then the pipes are passed through a line vat of molten zinc which coats the outside of the pipe. A clear coating is applied over the zinc for additional protection and the interior of the pipe is coated in a zinc rich paint.

Both processes meet the quality standard of the industry.

The last component of the chain link fencing is the fittings. They are made for the terminal posts, line posts and gates. The fittings are manufactured from aluminum or galvanized steel for residential purposes and are especially important for the gates. Since the gate sees regular use, the fittings must be secure or the gate can start to sag over time

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