Picket fence ideas

Like any fence, a picket fence is used primarily as a boundary around your home. This style of fence has been around for hundreds of years, and is quite popular today. Traditional picket fences are manufactured from wood and painted white. However, many variations exist. For instance, many people choose picket fences made of plastic rather than wood because of its durability to the elements over a long period of time.

Picket Fence Design

Most picket fence designs are comparatively short. The pickets are vertical boards spaced out evenly from one another along rails and posts and generally have tapered or pointed tips. Today, instead of installing your picket fence picket by picket, you can purchase prefabricated sections of fences that make it much easier to install. The only real groundwork left for you to do is setting the posts.

Materials

As far as materials go, vinyl is an increasingly popular alternative to wood when building or putting in place a picket fence. As a plastic-based substance, vinyl is quite resilient. As we all know, wood tends to rot with age, not to mention all the painting and staining that is required every few years. Vinyl is pretty much maintenance-free. When it needs cleaning, simply break out the water hose and spray it down. Below are some more features of vinyl that make it an attractive alternative to wood.

• As opposed to wood, vinyl fencing requires no chemical treatments that can prove hazardous. It is completely nontoxic and fully recyclable.

• Most vinyl producers offer lifetime guarantees on their product.

• Because of its UV protection, vinyl will not discolor in the sun.

• Vinyl fencing can be a bit more expensive than wood at the initial purchase, but when compared to the long term upkeep required by wood, it will cost you about a third of what wood will in the long run.

• Though many might argue that wood is stronger and more resilient, vinyl is not subject to the same problems as wood, such as rotting, discoloration, peeling, warping, flaking, cracking, corroding, and termite damage.

Making it Yours

Picket fences come in many different styles to fit your home's needs. For instance, if you live in a clapboard house with hard, sharp lines, then choose a fence design with a curvier look to offset it. Though the traditional picket fence style is very rectangular and uniform across the top, there are many variations that include undulating designs. When we think of picket fences, we generally tend to think of country cottages or ranch style homes. But picket fences can work great inside the city as well, even in urban areas. They often provide a nice counterbalance to urban architecture.

Style over Function

Who's to say your picket fence must serve a particular function? Picket fences can make wonderful ornamental lawn fixtures. For instance, you can position a small picket fence gate in your front yard solely for aesthetic purposes. The gate need not lead to an entranceway. But it does serve the purpose of giving your home a welcoming feeling.

Picket Fence Obstacles

Before building your fence, check your local zoning laws. Many areas have laws about how deep your posts must be buried in order to prevent your fence from being blown over. Remember that strong winds can blow over your fence. There are also many zoning laws about the height of your fence, the materials that you can use, and where on your property the fence can be placed. So be informed before you start installing.