Fence Etiquette Tips Revealed

If you’re considering installing a fence, you’ve probably got a lot on your mind. There are plenty of factors to consider, from privacy to security to safety and the type of fence you need. Here’s another thing you might want to think about: etiquette. Knowing proper fence etiquette goes a long way toward keeping the peace with your neighbors and your homeowner’s association.

• Respect boundaries. Perhaps the most important thing to establish when you’re installing a fence is where your property ends and your neighbors’ yards begin. If you’re unsure, have a survey company come out and determine the property lines. It’s crucial to place the fence on the right side of the line, because if it ends up in the wrong spot, your neighbors have a legal right to compel you to move it.
• Communicate openly. Beyond the property lines, there are some other aspects of your fence that will affect your neighbors. Before you install the fence, talk with them about what you plan to do, and take their input seriously. If it’s going to negatively impact your relationship with your neighbors to install a fence that isn’t in line with the overall look of the neighborhood or blocks out the sun from their gardens, you should consider those concerns before your decide on your fence.
• Follow the rules. If your neighborhood has a homeowner’s association, they probably have some regulations regarding the kind of fences you can install. They might have rules about how high the fence can be, or what style of fence is allowed, and some HOAs don’t allow fences at all! It’s better to make sure you’re in compliance with the rules before you invest in a fence, only to have to amend or remove it later. If you don’t live in a neighborhood with an HOA, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re off the hook. Check with your county, city, or other local governing body, to make sure you’re complying with any ordinances they may have in place.

When you’re ready for a new fence, you can trust A-1 Fence to install it and stand behind our work. We’re a locally owned and operated company with more than 40 years of experience, committed to providing fast and efficient work with a personalized feel. We’re fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and are proud of our reputation for quality work. For more information or a free estimate, contact us through our website or call 408-824-1693.

““

Best Fence Types for Family & Kids & Pets

Why do you need a fence? Some people install a fence for security or privacy. For many families, though, the need for a fence has more to do with containing and protecting kids and pets. Which are the best fence types to handle that responsibility? You have a variety of options.

• Wooden fences are versatile. There are many different sizes and styles of wood fencing, so it’s easy to find a fence that complements your house and landscaping. Wooden fences work well for kids and pets because they block the view in and out of the yard. This keeps your children and fur babies safe from prying eyes, but it also prevents them from being distracted by things outside your own yard. The downside of wooden fencing is that it does require maintenance. Because wood is an organic material, it’s susceptible to rot, and it will probably require some repairs over the course of its lifespan. If not well-maintained, it can also pose the danger of splinters.
• Vinyl fencing is affordable and low–maintenance. It’s durable and lightweight and can be found in a variety of designs. In fact, it can even be made to mimic wooden fencing. Although vinyl fences are durable, they can become brittle over time, and can easily be damaged by lawn mowers or string trimmers. However, because vinyl fencing Is modular and prefabricated, it’s easy to replace parts and make repairs.
• Chain link is inexpensive and durable. There’s a reason chain link fences have been a popular option for so long: they’re very practical. They’re great for keeping kids and pets contained, and they’re practically indestructible. The drawbacks? They’re not hard to climb, many people don’t find them aesthetically pleasing, and they don’t offer much privacy. There are plastic inserts and other coverings designed to make up for this deficit, but they still won’t offer the privacy of wood or vinyl fences.
• Aluminum and steel fences can be made to look like wrought iron. They’re less expensive than wrought iron, and are durable and long-lasting. Decorative metal fences come in many different styles and are easy to repair because they’re typically modular. If you’re using this type of fence to contain children and animals, it’s important to make sure it meets safety standards for minimum distance between pickets, height, and the length between the bottom and top rails.

No matter what kind of fence you choose to protect your kids and pets, you can trust A-1 Fence to install it and stand behind our work. We’re a locally owned and operated company with more than 40 years of experience, committed to providing fast and efficient work with a personalized feel. We’re fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and are proud of our reputation for quality work. For more information or a free estimate, contact us through our website or call 408-824-1693.

““

5 Popular Fence Styles

If you’re trying to decide on a fence, you’re probably aware that there is a wide range of styles available. In fact, you may even find it a little bit overwhelming! A fence is something you’ll have for a long time, so how can you make sure you’re getting the right one before you go to the trouble of installing it? It helps to think about why you need the fence and how you need it to function. Then consider the attributes of these five popular fence styles to determine which one is right for you.

• Picket fences are distinctive and charming. Traditionally made of wood, this the classic American fence style. Some types of fences are made of vinyl, which makes them more durable than wooden fences. A picket fence has pointed, vertical boards running the length of the fence, typically attached together by horizontal rails on the top and bottom. There is usually a space between each picket, allowing you to see what’s on the other side of the fence.
• An estate style fence can lend your property a grand look. This is the type of fence you’d see around a grand estate, which is how it got the name. Estate fences are typically made of aluminum, with a flat, even top, or a decorative feature like a pressed spear or staggered pickets. With an estate style fence, you can add decorative adornment caps in varied styles and colors.
• A split rail fence provides a rustic touch. Made of several rough-hewn beams that stretch horizontally between two posts, split rail was initially created to keep livestock from wandering away from a farm. They’re easy to climb, though, because they’re short and there is space between the horizontal beams.
• Privacy fences can be wood or vinyl. These fences have slats or boards placed right against each other with no space between them. This prevents people from seeing through to the other side of the fence. They’re also taller than most other types of fences, typically 6 to 8 feet tall.
• Lattice fences are elegant yet warm. Where other fences have pickets or rails, lattice fences have a lattice panel. Sometimes lattice fences are combined with privacy fences, with close-together boards on the bottom and a lattice panel running along the top.

Once you’ve decided which fence style is right for your property, you can trust A-1 Fence to install it and stand behind our work. We’re a locally owned and operated company with more than 40 years of experience, committed to providing fast and efficient work with a personalized feel. We’re fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and are proud of our reputation for quality work. For more information or a free estimate, contact us through our website or call 408-824-1693.

““

Inspecting Your Fence

In the summer, most homeowners take time to inspect their property. You might be checking your grass, landscaping, and garden to make sure you’ve done any necessary maintenance. But are you remembering your fence? Don’t neglect the fence, but look at the following elements.

• Examine the gates. Because they’re the only moveable parts of your fence, gates tend to get the most wear and tear. Open and close gates to see whether they latch correctly. If not, the gate may not be squarely attached to the post. You may be able to fix this by tightening the screws or nails or by re-adjusting the tension on a self-closing gate. If that’s not the problem, the hinges may be damaged. If they’re bent, try to unbend them by hitting them with a hammer. Cracked hinges should be replaced. Check to see if the post is out of alignment or if a misaligned latch needs to be tightened.
• Inspect the posts. Look to see that the posts are securely attached to the ground and give them a light push to check for movement. Make sure there’s no rotten wood at the bottom of the posts and check for damage from lawnmowers or other yard equipment. If your posts are in concrete, inspect the concrete for cracks, and if they have aluminum caps check them for chips or scratches. Check any vinyl caps to make sure they’re securely attached.
• Check the panels and boards. Check the vertical boards for warping, insects, rotting, and landscaping damage, being aware that wood sometimes has naturally occurring knots, cracks, and warping that don’t affect its structural integrity. Clean the fence, pound any loose nails back into place, and replace individual damaged boards.
• If you have an aluminum fence, there’s not as much to check. Push on the sections to see if you hear any rattling of loose screws. Tighten loose screws, replacing them if they are stripped. Look for landscaping damage to the bottom of the pickets, repairing minor damage if possible. Look for signs of rust, so that you can catch it early enough to repair it easily.
• Vinyl fences require very little maintenance. If there’s landscaping damage, you may want to replace that section. Clean your fence with soap and water at least every 24 months.
• Inspect individual links on a chain link fence. If any are bent or snagged, you may be able to reweave the links or straighten them with pliers. If a top rail is bowed, you can probably fix it by rolling the top rail and retying.

When it’s time for a new fence, you can trust A-1 Fence to install it and stand behind our work. We’re a locally owned and operated company with more than 40 years of experience, committed to providing fast and efficient work with a personalized feel. We’re fully licensed, bonded, insured, and proud of our reputation for quality work. For a free estimate, contact us or call 408-824-1693.

How a Fence Could Help Protect Your Home

There are plenty of great reasons to add a fence to your property. Maybe you’re trying to establish clear property boundaries, or maybe you just like the way a certain type of fence looks. You might enjoy the privacy that a wooden fence affords. But have you thought about the ways a fence can make your home safer and more secure?

• Fences provide pool safety. Residential pools are required to have a barrier separating the pool from the house, and in most cases, there are very specific regulations about the minimum height, the gaps in coverage, and the latch on the gate.
• Fences keep burglars out. Most burglaries take place on residential properties, but when you install a fence around the perimeter, you’ll be better able to keep burglars out. The taller the fence, the better the deterrent, and if you’re extremely concerned about thieves, you might consider a fence with sharp or pointed details along the top. Aluminum fences are typically harder to climb than wood or vinyl fences, as well as being harder for burglars to take apart or break. A fence needs to be properly installed, because a professionally installed fence will be stronger and more resistant to intruders.
• Fences protect your kids and pets. As good as they are at keeping burglars out of your property, fences are just as good at keeping children and pets contained. What’s more, if the fence affords privacy, it will prevent people from being able to see who is in your yard, and it will block the sightlines to anything that might distract your kids or pets and entice them to wander away. Just make sure your fence has a child-proof latch so that little ones can’t open it by themselves.
• Fences can block off parts of your property. If there’s an area you want to make off-limits to certain people, you can easily do that with a fence. You may want to keep kids out of your garden or create a separate space for your dogs. Of course, this also applies to pool fencing, which blocks off the pool from unsupervised children.

When you’re ready to get a fence to protect your home, you can trust A-1 Fence to install it and stand behind our work. We’re a locally owned and operated company with more than 40 years of experience, committed to providing fast and efficient work with a personalized feel. We’re fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and are proud of our reputation for quality work. For more information or a free estimate, contact us through our website or call 408-824-1693.10

““

Choosing the Right Fence to Keep your Kids Safe

Why do you need a fence around your property? If you’re like most people, it’s to keep your family, especially your children, safe and protected. When that’s the goal, take these factors into consideration.

• A child-friendly fence shouldn’t have splinters. Often, as wooden fences age, the wood starts to break down. When that happens, it’s very easy for a child at play to get splinters from the fence. If you choose an aluminum or iron fence, it won’t require as much maintenance as a wood fence and won’t leave splinters in little fingers.
• It’s preferable for kids not to climb the fence. However, because most children love to climb, they’re likely to give it a try. Remove the temptation by installing a fence with no handholds or footholds, and moving anything near the fence that might enable them to climb onto it. If you’ve got a chain link fence, you can privacy shields, weaving strips through the links for a more solid surface.
• Durability is important when you’re putting up a fence to protect kids. Again, some fences require more maintenance than others and can fall into dangerous disrepair pretty easily. Going for a sturdy, dependable fence that doesn’t need maintenance will give you peace of mind about the kid playing in the yard.
• It’s important that children be protected, yet visible. You’ll want clear sightlines with any fence in which kids are playing, in case you ever find yourself on the other side of it. An iron fence, for example, is a great option that ticks a lot of these boxes: it’s sturdy and dependable, hard to climb, yet can be seen through easily.
• A fence needs to be too tall for someone to reach over and grab a child. That may sound dramatic, but it’s every parent’s worst nightmare, for someone to snatch a playing child right out of the yard. Installing a fence that’s at least five feet tall will help prevent this from ever happening, and pointed finials on top are an additional, optional security measure.
• The gate to a child-safe fence should latch easily and securely. You should also be able to see at a glance that it’s locked, so you can be sure no children will escape the bounds of the yard.
• Fence pickets must be close together to contain kids. Remember, small children can easily slip through a gap too small to accommodate an adult.

If you’re ready to install a fence that will keep your kids safe, you can trust A-1 Fence to get the job done right and stand behind our work. We’re a locally owned and operated company with more than 40 years of experience, committed to providing fast and efficient work with a personalized feel. We’re fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and are proud of our reputation for quality work. For more information or a free estimate, contact us through our website or call 408-824-1693.

Most Popular Fence Styles

A fence is one of the most important investments you’ll make in your home’s exterior. It’s the first thing people see when they approach your house, and the right fence can greatly add to your curb appeal. Fencing offers privacy, security, and safety for your children and pets. There are many different types of fencing available, but two of the most popular are chain link and wrought iron.

• Chain link fence is economical and practical. It’s highly functional, and a great way to keep people and animals safely contained. Made of pieces of galvanized metal twisted together and attached to upright poles, chain link fences are also very useful for keeping animals out of vegetable gardens. Chain link fencing comes in a variety of finishes, including powder-coated and painted, and can be coated in vinyl for greater longevity and durability.
• Wrought iron fences are custom-made from iron. They’re made by master craftsmen, and are likely to have hammer marks and other distinguishing features. It’s durable, strong, pest-resistant, and attractive, but it’s hard to find true wrought iron today. Most manufacturers add iron silicate to the iron in their wrought iron fences, and most of the time, fences that are considered “wrought iron” are actually made of other types of metal that have been hammered, and twisted or bent into shape. Sometimes, fences are made primarily from steel, with portions that have been made from wrought iron.
• Ornamental iron fences are more affordable than wrought iron, and are made from steel. Because they’re mass-produced, they have a more uniform look than handcrafted wrought iron. Ornamental iron fencing is lightweight and can be modified or customized. It’s easy to repair, math, or extend, and is a great choice if you need a lot of fencing, for a large area. Ornamental iron fences can be easily built on uneven or sloped land because they’re easy to adjust. They’re suitable for any style of property, because they’re both strong and attractive, and require very little maintenance.

If you’re looking for a new fence in San Jose, trust A-1 Fence to get the job done right. We’re a locally owned and operated company with more than 40 years of experience, committed to providing fast and efficient work with a personalized feel. We’re fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and are proud of our reputation for quality work. For more information or a free estimate, contact us through our website or call 408-824-1693.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Perfect Fence

““

How to Pick the Perfect Fence for Your Needs

““

What You Should Know Before Installing a New Fence