Rural Fences: Livestock, Vermin, Repairs, Expenses and More

How to Decide Between Wood and Metal Fencing For Your Home

4 December 2015 by Connor Peters

Fences and gates are an important consideration for any homeowner, both for security and aesthetic reasons. When you eventually approach a fencing contractor about having a fence put in, there may be plenty of styles on offer, but they are all basically made from either wood or metal.

So how do you decide which of the two materials you should go with? Here are a few questions you can ask to help you make the decision:

How long will it last?

Fences are expensive installations, so you should get your money's worth by having a fence that will last for long. Exposure to the elements like heavy rain, strong winds, sunlight and hail affects the longevity of your fence. As a result, you should choose a material that can withstand the effects of the elements.

Wood is quite susceptible to the elements. The varying temperatures of summer and winter can cause warping, which makes it easier for strong winds to knock over the fence. Further, with wood fencing you have to think about termites that can break down the planks and destroy the entire fence.

Metal fencing, on the other hand, is quite resistant to the elements. Aluminium, for instance, is naturally rust-proof and other metal can be treated to make them rust-proof as well.

What about maintenance?

Most homeowners want a fence that is relatively easy and affordable to maintain. As mentioned earlier, wooden fences are greatly affected by the weather. This then necessitates frequent repairs and maintenance procedures like oil-treatments and staining to keep the fence intact.

However, metal fences don't need as much attention since they are not as affected by the elements as wooden fences are. Once they are put up, treated for rusting and painted over, they are good to go for a long time until they need another coat of paint.

How secure is it?

The main point of installing a fence is guaranteeing the security of your household. Wooden fences can be easily broken when weakened by the elements giving easy access to your home. Even well-maintained wooden fences can eventually be broken with some effort.

Not so for the metal fences. To gain access, one would have to cut through the metal, which would make enough noise to alert people of an intruder. Further, you can have pointed tips topping the metal fencing tubes to make it hard to scale.

How much will installation cost?

Fences are generally expensive installation, but wooden fences tend to have cheaper installation and material costs than metal fences. This is because wood is a cheap and easily accessible raw material, and it can easily be cut and shaped to suit your design needs. However, metal fences are more expensive to make and install since they require the effort of expert metal workers to make the desired shapes and designs.

Share