From Finials To Vinyl: The World Of Chain-Link Fences
The primary purpose of a fence is to mark a boundary, but a fence can also complement the look of your home. For the purpose of marking a boundary, one of the most cost-effective options that you have is the chain-link fence. That being said, you can elevate a chain-link fence from utilitarian to aesthetically pleasing by adding the right materials:
A Cost Comparison
Three of the most popular materials for building a fence are cedar, vinyl, and chain-link. When you compare the costs of the three materials, a clear winner emerges.
Vinyl: To install 150 liner feet of vinyl fencing, you will pay between $3,500-$5,000. This is the cost for installation, but you also have to factor in the cost of maintenance. Because vinyl is made from one solid piece of PVC, the color or the fence continues clear through the material. This means you never have to worry about the color fading, and the only maintenance you have is to wash the fence whenever it starts looking dirty.
Cedar: To install 80 feet of cedar fencing, you will pay between $2,000-$2,500. The price of cedar will vary depending on your geographic location and availability of the material, but should cost about the same as a vinyl fence. The problem is that in order to keep a cedar fence looking good, you have stain the fence whenever the color starts to fade. Thus, your maintenance costs are high with a cedar fence.
Chain Link: To install 300 feet of chain-link fencing, you will pay between $1,000-$5,000. Thus, it is clear to see that chain-link is the least expensive option in terms of installation, but what about maintenance. With a chain-link fence, you way want to wash the fence if it gets dirty, but your maintenance will be little. You should keep children and plants from climbing on your fence because they could cause the fence to start to bow, but as long as you take that precaution, your fence should preserve its original beauty without you doing anything to help it.
Dressing up a Chain-Link Fence
Many people choose vinyl or cedar over chain link because they like the look of the material more. That being said, there is much you can do to dress up a chain-link fence.
1. Vinyl-coated chain-link fencing—Because vinyl comes in any color, you can choose a color that complements the color of your home.
2. Slats—By placing thin strips of wood between the wires of a chain-link fence, you can turn your boundary fence into a privacy fence. Slats also come in multiple colors, so you can use your slats to change the color of your fence.
3. Mixed Materials—If you like the look of a rail fence, but you want to make a boundary that animals and children can't climb through, you can add chain link to your rail fence to make a better boundary. You could also exchange the metal posts that most chain link fences use for wooden posts. Incorporating wood into the fence can help to enhance its beauty.
4. Finials—A chain link will typically use hollow metal posts to support the fence. You need to put some sort of a cap on these posts to keep water and debris from filling up inside. This cap is known as a finial. By using decorative finials, you can dress up the look of your fence.
As you can see, there is much more to chain-link fencing than just low costs. Whether your goal is to create a beautiful fence or an efficient boundary, chain link is worth considering. Contact a company like Albemarle Fence Co Inc. to learn more.
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