Union County, NC – Which is worse spring fever or cabin fever? It seems I have a bad case of both! If you are like me – you are ready for warm weather and actually looking forward to all the outdoor projects that come along with it.
As you start to plan your to do list for the season here are a few seeds for thought regarding any new wood fence project.
Many people are tempted to use pre-built wood panel sections commonly found at your big home improvement stores instead of having a fence custom built. The benefits of pre-built panels are seemingly obvious; however, the downsides far outweigh the benefits.
First and foremost, let’s address the issue of quality. Custom built fences surpass pre-built panels in all areas including the type of wood, the thickness of the boards and bracing behind the panels. Typically, pre-built panels are only braced with two 2x4s (sometimes 2x3s or even 1x4s) to prevent warping. Two is simply not enough which is why the most common complaint with these panels is warping shortly after installation. 
In quality built custom fences, a company will typically use three 2x4s in each section along with thicker boards and specially treated nails which will not rust in the treated lumber.
Secondly, you want a fence that will contour to the grade your yard. When a fence is custom built you can set the posts to the appropriate height to adjust to the roll of the yard and drop the boards very close to the ground. With preassembled panels, you must use the “stair-step method” which does exactly as the name suggests.
The major drawback with stepping a fence is the large gap left at the bottom of each panel. Poor aesthetics aside, it’s a functional issue because your pets can escape while other uninvited animals can invade.
HOA Considerations
Neighborhood HOA guidelines should also be considered. For example, most preassembled picket panels have a 2-inch space between the boards. Some HOAs require a maximum board spacing of 1-inch for that style of fence. Custom built fences can adhere to the guidelines and prevent you from a costly takedown and rebuild.
Call Ginger and ask about a custom fence on your property
Options
Finally, who doesn’t love options? When custom building a fence you’re only limited only by your imagination versus being stuck with mass-produced styles. Call a custom fence builder and you’ll thank yourself for years to come.
- Ginger Walle
Suburban Fence
ginger@aaasuburbanfence.com
www.suburbanfences.com
2011 Union County, NC
Great article! I am a friend of Steve Sherron of the Monroe Scoop…