Is a Chain Link Fence Right for Your Home?
Posted on: 24 April 2017
A chain link fence is a very basic type of fence that is popular for homeowners, and it offers many advantages over other materials and styles. When you're ready to choose a fence for your yard, and if you're wondering if chain link is the right choice, note a few of those advantages it offers as well as some suggestions for how to make it fit your space.
Cost
When considering the expense of a fence, you need to think beyond its installation alone and consider long-term maintenance costs. A wood fence will need consistent repainting and other repairs over the years, and a wrought iron fence may start to rust and corrode so that it needs sanding down and refinishing. A chain link fence is virtually maintenance free so that you don't need to repaint it or refinish it over the years. It's not only one of the most affordable options for purchase, but it can also be the most affordable choice over the lifetime of owning the fence.
Installation
A chain link fence may be one of the only fencing options that a homeowner can install on their own. The fence itself comes in long rolls. You install the posts into the ground at regular intervals, along with the horizontal top post that slides through the vertical posts, and then simply unroll the fence and tie sections of it to the posts with metal ties.
It might take two or more persons to manage the bulky material of the fence, and obviously you need the right tools for installing the posts and cutting the metal ties. However, this job is typically much easier than trying to install individual slats for a wood fence or panels of vinyl fencing on your own. Materials like wrought iron and glass also need specialty tools and skills to install, so to save money and manage the fence installation on your own, opt for chain link.
Appearance
You may think that the basic appearance of a chain link fence is not necessarily an advantage, but this type of fencing is more unobtrusive than a large wood, vinyl or PVC fence and doesn't look as imposing as a wrought iron fence. In many residential neighbourhoods or for smaller properties, these larger fence options can seem imposing and out of place, and make a yard feel a bit closed-in, whereas a chain link fence can blend into the property and not block your view. If you're worried about its plain appearance, plant shrubbery along one side or use landscaping trees to break up the look and obscure the fence while still keeping your space open and airy.
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