When choosing a new fence for your home, you might find yourself “on the fence,” unable to know which decision to make. Here is some helpful advice to hopefully get you on one side of a fence or another.
It all starts before the step of choosing a style. It begins with: Why do you want a fence? Privacy, protection from the wind, safety, keeping animals in or out, and security. Now that you have chosen that important directive let’s look at some options.
Privacy Of Your Outdoor Entertainment Area
The only way you will obtain absolute privacy is a fence with minimum spacing or none at all. Even a 0.2-inch space will create too much visibility. It doesn’t need to be solely horizontal or vertical planks, as a tight lattice will work well with good growth from a climbing plant.
The height will be subject to several factors, such as garden topography, the slope of your neighbour’s yard, the location of your entertainment area, future expansion plans and local building code restrictions. Your fence installer can also guide you on this. Additionally, your installer could put up a rough version of one or two panels at critical points to test the theory, seated and standing up at various points.
Softening The ‘Barrier Look’
A single-height, very tall fence can be overwhelming and fort-like. Therefore, a stepped design could be the solution. Step it up in critical areas and lower it in other areas. Combine areas of climbing plants on it and an exposed fence to break it up and make it less monolithic.
Barrier To Wind Nuisance
With a lot of beautiful views comes the wind. Block the wind and the debris it brings often create a challenge with view preservation. Glass barriers with tensioned cables can work very well. This can require highly technical installations if the wind load has severe gusts.
In the areas where no view needs preserving, any material can be used; however, gaps might be required to diminish the live load of the wind gusts.
Security
A security fence needs strong foundations, a much taller height (check your local legislation as there are often restrictions on height vs design), a lack of foot or handholds/ledges/protrusions and no mesh, as that can be cut. Hinges, welds and rivets must be top quality, and there should not be nuts or bolts which can be accessed. A foot or two of trellis across the top of the fence can soften the monolith characteristic created by its 7-foot height.
Animals In, Animals Out
Do you have deer coming in or the risk of dogs getting out? How high can the dog or deer jump? A fence in Toronto will help. For little dogs, a 3- to 4-foot fence should suffice. Diggers will need about 6 inches of wall below the surface. A Daschund might dig below it, so know your dog’s behaviour.
Some deer jump up to 8 feet high. A solid fence would obscure the view of tasty plants and increase the risk factor for the deer. If an 8-foot tall divider obscures your view of a forest or other enjoyable spot, put a fence with spacings for view and add netting as the upper section above it. The mesh will be almost invisible. You can also plant very, very deep (broad) hedging along the relevant portions, as this complicates the jump for the deer.
Safety
Safety fences around pools, paddocks, and drop-offs are vital for your children or visitors. Most municipalities have strict requirements regarding safety fencing for pools. An example of sizing would be 48 inches with max vertical spacing of 1¾, but it would be best to have mesh panels. A self-closing, childproof gate must open away from the pool.
Final Decisions
- Ensure your installer is 100% au fait with your area’s local building codes.
- Ensure all necessary permits are obtained.
- Know where your property line is. If unsure, have a land surveyor mark it out for you as a change after the event will be expensive.
- Check existing property plans and share them with contractors to ensure no underground utility lines are damaged.
Getting work done on your fence at your Richmond Hill house or business property is a big decision.
Contact us today, as our many years of industry experience means we can provide answers. Getting all your questions answered is an integral part of this process so that you can confidently move forward with your project. Our catalogue of fence styles can assist with the finer details.
