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En Garde There’s a lot of think about when choosing a new fence, or reinvesting in your current one. Here’s what you need to know:  Image courtesy Sunbrella® Fabrics In just the last 10 years, the options for fencing in your property have dramatically increased with the introduction of materials like vinyl and composite decking, but so many choices can leave you … well, sitting on the fence. Lattice top, picket vinyl and Madison are the most popular fencing options for Lowe's consumers at one Chicago location, according to sales manager Marina Gibbs. The latter option may be for you if you're the do-it-yourself type. “A lot of people purchase that and put it up themselves because you can just snap it together,” Gibbs says. But if you're more of the let-someone-else-do-it type, the first step you need to take in purchasing a fence is obtaining a detail of your property by square footage. “Historically, wood has been the main material for fencing,” says Tom Lee, vice president of marketing at paint manufacturer Behr. Now, vinyl is more popular. It requires less maintenance than wood and comes in colors. “It's fairly flexible so you don't get damage resistance,” Lee warns. Vinyl also tends to fade, he says. A newer material being used as an alternative to wood is composite decking, which is made of recycled woodchips and recycled plastic. It's more durable than wood but more expensive. It is also more susceptible to mildew and staining. “With a little bit of preparation [composite decking and vinyl] fences can be painted,” Lee says. Painting or repainting an old fence can give your property line a dramatic facelift. Lee advises answering four questions before painting a fence: 1. What's the fence made out of? 2. What conditions exist today on that fence? 3. How long do you want it to last? 4. How much do you want to spend? The material that your fence is made out of determines whether you paint or stain the fence. Stains are more translucent and work well with wood, allowing the natural texture to come through. Paint is a better option for older fences that have lost texture because they coat the surface. Paints with nanotechnology, like Behr's Premium Plus Ultra, covers surfaces more completely. “It lasts longer and adheres better,” Lee says. It's also a more expensive paint purchase. It may save you time, however, as it has built-in primer. |
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