When you’re putting up a fence you need to ensure that it’s strong enough to withstand any extreme winter weather and that it’s high and deep enough to keep any unwanted critters out of your carefully cultivated garden!
Done right, a fence can also be an extra way for you to be creative and add a gorgeous extra touch to your garden.
The Essentials
Before we talk about making your fence beautiful, let’s talk about making it sturdy. After all, it doesn’t matter how beautiful it is if it won’t stand up!
- Choose a rot and corrosion resistant material. If you are using wood, cedar is an excellent choice.
- Sink your fence posts into concrete to ensure that they remain standing in the wind. The concrete should be three times the diameter of the post. In general, a third of the total length of the post should be sunk to below ground level.
- Build your fence in such a way that it doesn’t allow any water to pool, and that rain runs off it as quickly as possible.
- Use suitable screws for building a fence that are heavy duty and the right length.
- Be sure to make strong joints. A pegged mortise and tenon joint will keep your fence from sagging, or alternatively a dovetail joint will do the trick. Be sure that once it is built the structure is rigid.
- Treat any wood to protect it from the rain. Whitewash and transparent stain are good choices because they can be easily touched up and they don’t peel.
Making It Look Good
Now onto the fun part! When you are thinking about what you want your fence to look like, it’s important that you consider what kind of feeling you are aiming to create when you are in your garden, as well as what you can reasonably do with the space and with any existing walls or fences.
For example, if you would like your garden to look rustic and inviting, then using a dark coloured wood with vertical slats will create a great rustic look.
If you are concerned about privacy but still want to create a natural look in your garden, then constructing a privacy fence out of bamboo is the way to go. Bamboo is at home in any kind of garden, and construction is relatively easy.
Concrete and brick fences are arguably the most sturdy type of fence, but they aren’t typically thought of as the most attractive. However, if you have been left with a concrete fence or you have a real need for security, concrete and brick can look incredibly chic and modern. Simply tear down sections of the solid concrete or brick and replace them with vertical metal slats, and you’ll create a stylish look that allows a little light to come through as well. Another way to make a concrete fence look the way you want it to is to add in etched metal screen panels, to add a delicate touch to your fence without compromising on security.
