A fence becomes an important element of your landscape both for practical and aesthetic reasons. The right materials will impact the function and look. If you’re wondering which material is best for your project, here’s how to decide on the right fencing materials for your home in Somerset County and Essex County, NJ.
Before you start choosing materials, know that our aluminum, wood, and vinyl fencing from ActiveYards is designed to be installed by a handy DIY homeowner or contractor thanks to snap-together sections that eliminate the hassle and allow for fast installation. Our chain link fencing, too, is a great budget-friendly DIY project that can enhance your home’s security.
Function tends to be a top priority. What do you need your fence to do?
1. Privacy
A backyard retreat doesn’t feel like much of a retreat if everyone can see what you’re up to. For privacy fencing—which is solid fences without gaps between pickets—choose from wood or aluminum.
If you’re a fan of natural materials, you want a completely unique look, and you don’t mind periodic maintenance, you could choose wood. ActiveYards wood fencing is made using durable and high-quality wood products for a long-lasting and durable fence.
If you prefer less maintenance, you could opt for vinyl privacy fencing. Vinyl fencing from ActiveYards comes in a wide range of colors and styles, including wood-look finishes. Both wood and vinyl can pair beautifully with most architectural styles.
Both wood and vinyl privacy fencing is available in a variety of styles including decorative lattice-top accents that lighten the look while still maintaining the privacy you want.
Privacy fencing is often used to contain pets and to provide a safe haven for kids to play in the backyard.
2. Security
Keeping your home, pool, family, and pets safe is another priority. For security, you could choose wood or vinyl privacy fencing; or, choose aluminum security fencing if you prefer a more open feel that will preserve the views and add an elegant feel. Chain link fencing is a cost-effective, reliable solution for this purpose as well.
The sturdiest options tend to be aluminum and chain link, although wood and vinyl privacy fences do add a sense of seclusion that can be harder to achieve with aluminum. You can add privacy slats to a chain-link fence, which is a great hybrid solution for both security and privacy.
Security fencing is also ideal for pet containment. Chain link fencing is the more economical version, and it can be dressed up using privacy strips that weave in and out of the links. However, for a front-yard dog enclosure, the added elegance of aluminum fencing is often preferred.
3. Decorative Fencing
Decorative fencing can give the finishing touch to a front entry, define a backyard patio, add charm to a garden, or enhance the road-facing part of your landscape. Typically, decorative applications utilize just a few sections of fencing. The most popular types of decorative fencing tend to be wood and vinyl: for example, the classic white picket fence (wood or vinyl) or a post-and-rail ranch style fence, which can likewise be wood or aluminum.
4. Slopes and Other Challenges
A sloped, rocky, or undulating property makes for a challenging fence installation. While typically outsourced to professional fence installers, a handy (and patient) homeowner could take on the challenge. Any type of fencing will work; one issue to consider is addressing how the fence changes elevation, either sloped or stepping down. Another option is to build a retaining wall to take up the unevenness of the ground, and then install fencing on top of the wall.
