January 2023 Fencing

What PROs Need to Know About the Latest Trends in Fencing

Fences are a popular outdoor renovation project in neighbourhoods across Canada and that’s not going to change. Fences provide privacy, a sense of security and they make backyards safer for pets and kids. When you’re planning fence projects with clients, prepare yourself to talk about the technical details behind better, longer lasting fencing options and it will help you close more sales and get more referral business. Also, be sure to come to client meetings with current fence material prices in hand. Costs are always a big part of homeowner decisions when it comes to fences.

Fence Materials

Pressure-Treated (PT) lumber:  This is one traditional option for fences and PT offers great value and long life. Point out to homeowners that PT lumber is the most economical choice and comes in various shades of brown that look much nicer than the old green-coloured PT lumber. Many people mistakenly believe that all PT lumber still has that green shade. It’s a great choice for people on a budget who are also looking for a wood option that continues to age well without staining.

Cedar: Traditional western red cedar is a high-end option with a reputation for quality. Staining can protect cedar wood from turning grey because of UV rays, moisture, and mildew. Cedar accepts strain very well, which also improves its natural beauty. Don’t forget to explain that wood comes in different grades that refers to the quality of lumber and the prevalence of knots in the wood. As you offer a price quote, specify the grade of lumber you’d be using. Explain how other contractors who quote a lower price for the same species of wood may be quoting on with a different grade of cedar.

Sugi cedar is a relatively new option that most homeowners don’t yet know about.  Also known as Japanese Cedar, Sugi lumber is typically harvested from plantations in Asia. One popular approach is to use Sugi for fence boards while using pressure treated lumber for the posts.

Chain link: This is a secure, economical, and maintenance free option that can be used for many applications such as backyards, swimming pools, and playgrounds. Chain link fencing is a great option for those who want a fence for security but do not want the closed-in feeling of a wood or other full-privacy fence. Chain link fences are fairly easy to install and can work wonderfully for your next project.

Ornamental iron: This is a popular and trending choice now because ornamental iron delivers classic good looks, it lasts forever, requires no maintenance, and it goes up quickly. Century-old ornamental iron fences look as good now as the day they were installed. These fences come as panels and are best suited to situations where you want to keep people and pets in or out of an area, while adding a classic look to your area. Ornamental iron fences are often used around swimming pools, pet enclosures, estate gates and for security fences. To ensure you are quoting correctly or to save time, supplier quoting is available for both the seasoned vet, or the newbie.  

Mixed materials: A modern take on classic privacy styles, mixed material fencing combines materials for a bold design that makes a striking statement. This fencing option provides the ability to interchange metal and wood posts while adding the ability to use either vinyl or wood slat options. Mixed materials fencing can have fence boards running horizontally or vertically. Typical inground applications can also be converted to above ground applications for clients that want a fence built on an area that’s currently paved with stone, brick or patio slabs.

Finishing Wooden Fences

Applying a finish to a wooden fence is optional, but there’s a danger you should think about when it comes to choosing and applying a finish. If the finish you use doesn’t last as long as the homeowner wants, you’ll be faced with a call back and what could involve a lot of profit-sapping time refinishing. Set timelines for expected finish life in your quote. Stains and exterior oils are the least risky to you.

Fence Design

Ideally you want suggestions from your clients about the kind of fence design they favour. Suggest they snap photos of fences they like, then look at the images together while planning. Never build a fence without getting the go-ahead based on approval of an actual photo or sketch. Fence design mostly comes down to the direction fence boards run in, and the way these boards are arranged. Common designs include vertical board-and-batten and horizontal board patterns. Also, suggest that your clients consider a “good neighbour” fence – one that looks good both from their side and the neighbour’s side.

Fence design also affects the function of a fence, not just appearance. A board-and-batten design, for instance, creates a solid surface for maximum privacy and is especially suitable for areas immediately around a deck. Fences covering large areas often have boards with space to reduce cost and prevent deep snow drifts in winter.

Installation Tips

Reliable posts set below the frost line are key to every long-lasting fence, so don’t skimp. Setting corner posts and posts flanking gates in concrete or foam is essential for strength.

Speaking of strength, the trend with wood the trend with wood is to use 6x6 fence posts instead of 4x4s. The advantages are two-fold. Explain that heavier posts look better and more proportional to the overall fence than 4x4s, and 6x6s last much longer before rotting at ground level simply because there’s more wood present.

In the same way that fence posts are getting thicker, so are wooden fence boards. Traditional 1x6 fence boards are typically only 5/8 inches thick, which is about as thin as you can use for a fence. Five-quarter decking, by contrast, is a full one inch thick and gaining in popularity with homeowners as fence boards because of extra strength and resilience, especially when kids might be bouncing balls against the fence.

Ornamental iron fences require that all posts are set in concrete and cutting end panels to final length will requires metalworking tools. An angle grinder or cutoff saw makes quick work of metal cuts.

Fences are costly to build, so you owe it to your clients to build the right fence in the right way and at the right budget. Make this happen and you’ll have no shortage of great fencing projects to profit from.