Setting up a fenced-in area for your yard all comes down to one factor which is the most crucial in the matter: security. While aesthetic appeal is certainly a plus when it comes to attracting the admiration of the neighborhood, beauty isn’t enough to keep out intruders or other unwanted obstructions.
Before buying a home with a fence around the perimeter or setting up one on your own, consider whether such a fence would be effective in protecting your precious home without creating an eyesore for those passing by your home. Depending on where you live, doing this may not even require a hefty investment in the materials and tools need to get the job done.
Depending on where you live, your privacy needs can vary significantly. What might be beneficial for someone living in the twin cities might not be necessary for someone living in remote, lowly-populated areas of Minnesota.
For some, privacy may be a matter of protecting their home from intruders or potential acts of nature that can cause physical damage. For most people, personal privacy in this regard might simply be a matter of being able to do as you wish in your yard without being watched.
Regardless of which method you decide on for constructing a privacy fence, keeping cost-efficiency in mind is essential for this type investment. Depending on your needs, the time of the fence construction can also be a crucial factor as well.
Types of Fences
For those of you living in smaller Minnesota towns, a lack of privacy might not necessarily be an issue regarding high levels of crime or keeping people off of your lawn. In this case, the cost and time that it takes to construct a fence may not be as essential as they might be otherwise.
Fences fall into a variety of categories regarding possible building materials. Depending on your privacy needs, you might benefit from a simple chain-link fence, a living fence, or something made from wood, plastic, or metal.
A chain-link fence tends to be more cost-efficient and basic when it comes to the level of privacy it provides. However, these are easy to see through. If you prefer to keep your daily activities hidden from those passing by your property, you might be better off using a picket fence design from wooden posts.
A wooden fence provides very narrow gaps between the posts, making it more difficult for bystanders to see what is happening in your yard. These can be more easily uprooted, however.
If you live in an area that suffers from severe weather or potential liabilities to your fence, you may want to consider an aluminum or steel fence. These provide the same level of visibility blockage as a chain-link fence, but they are more difficult for intruders to climb or foreign objects to destroy.
Living Fences
A living fence consists of trees, shrubbery, or other natural matter planted in such a way that it creates a physical barrier around the perimeter of an area. If home protection is a crucial factor for you, it might be best to avoid this method if you live in areas where damage to your home might seem feasible.
All that you need for constructing a living fence are the right types of seeds, weather conditions, and patience for letting this fence grow. While a traditional wooden or metal fence might only take a few days to construct, it will cost much more is more vulnerable to damage.
If you wish to take your home protection to a higher level, you would likely benefit from more conventional methods like picket fences, brick walls or plastic materials from your local hardware store.
While these might cost more, you won’t need to wait as long for the fence to go up or worry about intruders stepping foot onto your property. If your security needs are minimal, a living fence might do just fine; if nothing else, it would certainly be more aesthetically pleasing.