Wood Fences: Stylish, Personal and Affordable
There’s no question that fences add beauty, value, and security to your home. Did you know that an attractive fence consistently makes the Top 10 list of what homebuyers look for when checking out the marketplace?
What stymies many homeowners, quite possible you too, is deciding what material to use. You have a wide range of choices, like composite, vinyl, ornamental metal, aluminum, chain link and more.
Surprisingly, with all the choices on the market, the one that people most often pick has been the choice of homeowners for decades. Owners choose wood fences in Longmont, CO, more than any other building material.
Wood Fences Have Style
Actually, what they have is style after style after style. The design choices for wood fences are literally endless. You are limited only by your imagination.
You can personalize wood fences in Longmont, CO, in so many ways, like:
- The type of wood
- The style of the fence
- Its height
- Accessories you add
- The color you paint or stain it
There are any number of standard designs when it comes to wood fences in Longmont, CO. Many of your neighbors probably have picket fences. This is the American classic. This is the fence that Tom Sawyer convinced his buddies to paint for him. It definitely has a long, glorious history in this country.
Have you seen some of the modern variations on the conventional picket fence? Your basic picket fence is white, about four feet high and surrounds a patch of garden in the front yard. No doubt it is a very welcoming, even reassuring sight in front of your house.
But the newest variations also pack a lot of charm. Look around your area, and you’ll see a picket fence made from red cedar instead of pressure-treated pine. You might see a higher fence, up to five feet or more. And it just might be painted bright green or blue. Mark Twain would be jealous.
One of the most popular types of wood fences in Longmont, CO, is called privacy fences. Owners want to ensure that their kids and dogs stay in the yard. A privacy fence fits the bill. It is also the perfect way for you to keep out strangers and prying eyes. These fences can be built six to ten feet high—that’s enough to give you plenty of privacy when you grill in the summer, garden, kick back on the lounge chair, have fun with your kids, and entertain your friends.
Standard privacy fences consist of vertical boards placed closely together and attached to rails and posts. They do an excellent job of providing you with seclusion. And now you have more choices, without giving up privacy. The conventional privacy fence is getting updated by changing the direction of the boards. The latest fences, which you see especially around new construction in your neighborhood, are placed horizontally. They look streamlined and modern, even airy, though they provide as much security as the older type fence.
Then there is the lattice fence, a big favorite in the 1940s and 1950s, but still going strong in the current decade. These wooden fences in Longmont, CO, provide slightly less privacy than a standard privacy fence because people can see through the small diamond spaces in the fence. But you get to choose how close the boards go together, and you can make these spaces quite small. The big advantage for you is letting light into your yard along the fence. It gives a less constricted feel to your backyard. Air also passes easily through these fences.
If privacy isn’t a problem for you, how about a post and rail wood fences in Longmont, CO? These fit in seamlessly with the rural, Wild West feel of the local area. The fence makes clear the boundaries of your property and is an economical, attractive way to keep livestock where they belong. They are often made of southern yellow pine, but red cedar is also a good choice. When you paint them white, you give your property the look of an estate.
For a modern, slightly Eastern look, check out a louver fence. This style has staggered boards or louvers placed vertically between horizontal rails. Their biggest advantage is letting air flow in and out freely, while at the same time giving the people within the yard a good deal of privacy. If you want to surround your pool or patio with a fence for privacy, but not sacrifice beauty, this is an excellent choice.
Those are just a few of the styles available. You can further customize them with your choice of wood species. This list just keeps growing and growing. Traditionally, pine and red cedar were the most popular choices. Nowadays, you can choose from:
- Red cedar
- Red cypress
- Pressure-treated pine
- Southern yellow pine
- Douglas fir
- Redwood
- Eastern white cedar
- Brazilian cherry
- Ipe
- Tigerwood
- Mandris
- Mahogany
- Teak
Wood Fences Are Affordable
You’re probably wondering how much this will cost. Wood fences in Longmont, CO, are considered one of the most cost-effective choices. First off, if financing your fence is a big issue, wood is a good choice. Upfront costs are almost always lower than ornamental, metal and composite fences.
Wood fences in Longmont, CO, require little upkeep, and it costs very little as long as you’re willing to use some elbow grease. Once a year you need to scrub the surface to get rid of mold and mildew and dirt. Every two or three years you should apply a sealant or stain. This keeps out moisture and adds substantially to its usable lifespan.
To get the most out of your fence, choose a wood that is dense and durable, like red cedar. This wood has natural properties that resist insects, mold and moisture damage.
Experts recommend that you determine your budget before you start looking at woods and styles. Then buy the best fence you can afford. If possible, get a custom design, or at least personalize a standard design. Experienced fence builders, like the team here at Snowy Peak Fencing, can give you recommendations that will help you make a conventional fence look one-of-a-kind.
Buy the best wood you can afford. Many of the exotic woods are also very dense and last for years and years. But they come with a much higher upfront price tag. If you have the money, a fence made of Brazilian cherry, Tigerwood or another exotic—from a sustainable forest—will last for decades and add even more value to your home.
Wood Fences Are Personal
There are so many ways to personalize wood fences in Longmont, CO. For example, add a lattice to the top of your privacy fence. It softens the look and it’s practical. You can train vegetables and other plants to grow in and out of the lattice.
Do you like bright colors? Consider your new fence one long empty canvas just waiting for your palette. Go hippy with a rainbow of colors along your fence. You will still have privacy, but no one will ever have trouble finding your home.
Paint your picket fence to match your home. You don’t have to make it white. Instead of standard arrow endpoints, choose a decorative round ends. Or make the top boundary of the fence dip and rise for a bridge-like effect.
In one part of the yard, like around your patio, use a louver fence style. But around the wider perimeter, choose a post and rail design. You don’t have to limit your styles in your yard. Give the front yard a friendly look with a picket fence, or put one around your herb garden in the back. Let this become your private space. Use a lattice design around your vegetable garden. The important thing is to feel free to experiment. Mixing and matching gives your yard a custom touch that truly makes the property yours.
Adding funky post caps to wood fences in Longmont, CO, is a practical way to give it a personal look. Install flower boxes around the outside of your privacy fence and fill them with colorful flowers. Find a one-of-a-kind gate that gives your fence a highly individual appearance.
For a free, no-obligation quote for wood fences in Longmont, CO, call the experts at Snowy Peak Fencing today.