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.

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Fences for Dogs

One of the first things that a good pet owner will do is fence in their yard for them to play in. You have to be careful in your choice of fences because pets spend all their spare time trying to stage a jail break.

Chain Link Fence1 Fences for DogsIf aesthetics are not your main concern then a chain link fence is a great option. It is easy to keep an eye on your pet through the mesh but the weave is too small for anything but a newborn puppy to squeeze through. When using a chain link, you will want to ensure that the bottom barbs are embedded in the ground or concrete if you can afford it. That will stop them from trying to burrow under the fence.

Wooden fences like a Pickett or Privacy fence are also good options. Privacy fences will definitely keep them in the yard but it doesn’t give them very much to look at and it is hard for you to keep an eye on them. Pickett fences also work great for pets but you have to make sure that the slats are close together. Make the spacing between the slats a little larger than their head but smaller than their body. They will eventually try to shove their heads through it and you don’t want them to get stuck.

There are many more types of fences to look at but keep away from any of the open constructions like a split rail design. You need something that will be too small for them to fit between.

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Upgrading the Standard Privacy Fence

When you think of a privacy fences you are probably thinking of the tall wooden affairs that surround hot tubs and country clubs. Those are the most common form of the privacy fence but many other fence types can be upgraded to a privacy fence. Take chain link fences as an example.

051410 1633 TheBestLook11 Upgrading the Standard Privacy FenceChain link fencing is one of the most popular types of fences for residential and commercial purposes. It is durable, can be seen through and provides a fair amount of security. However, since they provide high visibility of things on the other side, they are not optimum for use as a privacy fence unless you make some modifications. Many people use a thick material to hang on the inside of the fence to provide privacy. This material is usually used in the short term while plants are grown to help obstruct the fence further but they can be used in a permanent fashion as well. The next time you are on a tennis court you will probably see fabric like this separating the courts from one another.

Slats and rods are also used to convert chain link into a privacy fence. They are usually made from a wood or vinyl material and can come in any color. They are woven through the links in the fence to obstruct people’s view of the inside. When done right, it can be a very eye catching and aesthetically pleasing fence type. Also, given the low cost of the chain link and upgrade materials, you can usually have one built for a fraction of the cost of an all wood privacy fence.

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Chain Link Fence Materials

The biggest advantage to using a chain link fence is the material cost. It is much lower than other forms of fencing and is very long lasting. The price usually depends on the height of the fence, whether it is commercial or residential and if you want a color system. A general estimate of pricing would be:

  • A 4 foot high galvanized residential fence system would cost around 5 to 10 dollars per lineal foot
  • A 4 foot high residential color system fence  would cost between 8 and 17 dollars per lineal foot
  • A 6 foot high galvanized commercial fence system would run 13 to 23 dollars per lineal foot
  • A 6 foot high commercial color system fence would cost between 18 and 32 dollars per lineal foot

If you compare the prices with the lumber cost for an equivalent sized wooden fence you will see why a chain link fence is the more economical choice. The steel wire also adds a great deal of extra security into the equation.

Installation of a chain link fence is much easier than a wooden fence. There are only a few materials that you have to keep track off:

  • aboutus2 Chain Link Fence MaterialsThe chain link fabric – You can essentially count this as one parts since all the assembly of the weave will have been done prior to your purchase. It comes in a large roll and you just cut it off to length and attach it to the framework.
  • Framework – The tubular framework is easy to assemble and only come in 3 parts. As we discussed, it consists of the terminal post, line post and top rail. The only difficult part of the framework is the fittings. These are the galvanized metal parts that actually attach the material to the framework. If they do not fit correctly or are loose then the fence can begin to sag over time. That is especially true of the gate.
  • Gates – Although technically part of the framework, there are a few things to know about gates. The two gates most commonly used for residential purposes are the single walk and the double drive. The single walk gate is for people to enter and exit the property. It is a single panel joined to a terminal post with hinges and can be up to 12 feet wide.  The double drive uses two of those panels and latch in the middle. Usually used for larger vehicles to go through. Automatic closing mechanisms are available for both that will shut and latch the gates for you.
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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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