Privacy Fencing"Privacy" fences are designed to block the view and either shield people inside from viewing something unpleasant outside or to keep your yard private from neighbors. Traditionally, white picket fences were popular in the mid 20th century, but that has given way to more private type fence styles. Some of the materials used can be vinyl, custom cedar, cedar split rail, and aluminum. A privacy fence includes three basic components:
Posts These are vertical elements firmly anchored in the ground, often made of 4 x 4 or 6 x 6 wood. Properly installed, fence posts will hold all the other components in place. They are the basis of your wooden fence, and needs a lot of care to go into their selection and installation. In cold climates, the posts should be buried deep enough to be protected from the effects of loosening caused by the winter freeze / thaw. Because the posts are the components in direct contact with the ground, they are the most sensitive parts to decay and rot. For this reason, they are often made from pressure treated wood, or a wood species with a natural resistance to decay, like redwood or cedar. As the fence ages, the disintegration of positions is quite common, and repair of one or more of the posts is necessary. Decay in multiple posts is sometimes the signal that an entire fence should be replaced. Posts sometimes only extends as high as the tops of the fence panels. In other styles of wooden fence, posts are allowed to extend above the infill panels. In the latter case, the addition of finials (decorative caps) is an option to improve the appearance, especially for fences that serve a decorative as well as a practical function. Rails The rails are horizontal structural elements of the barrier parallel to the ground that connect from one post to another. Upper and lower rails are almost always needed in styles of wooden fences and many also have intermediate rails. The horizontal rails provide attachment points for vertical infill panels or boards and their strength is critical to the overall strength and durability of the entire fence. In some fence styles, there is also a "cap rail" that covers the top of the posts and filler panels over the entire length of the wooden fence. Regular maintenance of the fence often involves the inspection and repair of these connection points where the rails meet the posts. In-Fill Panels or Boards The vertical panels or boards are the chief screening component in any wooden privacy fence. This in-fill can be built by hand from individual boards attached to the rails, but more often in modern fences, the in-fill consists of prefabricated panels that are purchased intact and attached to a post-and-rail framework already installed. Sometimes the panels integrate their own horizontal rails, in which case the entire panel is simply attached between the posts or to the front face of the posts, simplifying construction. In other construction methods, the panels or individual boards are attached to one side of the horizontal rails already erected between the posts. The in-fill panels or boards can form a more-or-less solid screen that completely obstructs the view, or they can form a semi-transparent screen such as that offered by traditional picket fences, lattice fence panels, or staggered board fences, such as in shadow-box styles. Because the in-fill panels or boards are the most visible part of a privacy fence, this is the component that gets most of the maintenance and repair attention. Wooden fences need annual inspection and regular repainting or re-staining in order to maintain their appearance. New styles of vinyl fencing have been introduced largely to eliminate the frequent maintenance required by wooden fences. Many of the same styles found in wooden fences are now achievable with vinyl fencing materials. |
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Contacting the experts in Amarillo when it comes to fencing solutions should be one of the easiest steps, so Armadillo Fencing Contractors demonstrates our commitment to this idea by providing you with the means to getting results quickly and efficiently when you call into our offices. We shoot you straight and with a no nonsense quote and a timeline that it can be completed. Whether you’re in Amarillo, Canyon, Bushland, Lake Tanglewood, Wilderado, or any of the surrounding areas, we will work hard to make your outdoor dreams a reality. If you want to enhance the use, function and beauty of your outdoor spaces, contact us for a free estimate.