Don’t Sit On The Fence When It Comes to Backyard Privacy

Summer provides the ideal opportunity to complete DIY projects that can add value to your home.

If you’ve just built your home, you may not have decided yet what shape your backyard will take – will you be adding a pool, do you need lush landscaping, will a simple patio be all you need? Certainly you want your backyard to be somewhat private.

Enhancing the fencing is one great way to add privacy. You could create a wonderful retreat if you also plant a couple of shade trees on the boundary.

Just as there’s an almost endless list of trees you might select, so are there fencing styles. 

Head For Heights

Think about how tall you want your fence. It impacts the cost, and you might need to check with your HOA about any restrictions. In our experience, 6 feet will protect your privacy at ground level. 

Wood Is Good

You can select several materials for a fence. Wood is the safest choice if you’re preparing to sell. It’s often the most economical, too. Select a hardwood or a wood that’s been treated for weather resilience. If budget is a concern, bamboo is a good approach. Alternatively, pallet wood gets the job done, but make sure it suits the style of your property.

Other Types Of Materials

Of course wood is merely the simplest of the fence materials. There are plenty of other options including wrought iron, stone, brick, and other masonry styles and combinations. Your HOA may have specific requirements, so it’s always best to check your CCRs (Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions) to see what rules you may have to follow.

Chevron Cool 

A chevron pattern has a dramatic visual impact. You’ll need to know your angles and may use a little more wood than if you installed vertical palings. But a chevron pattern looks great stained or painted.

Creative Painting

Painting or staining a fence will help protect it from the elements. Many people stick with the natural wood look or match it to the color scheme of their home. Wrought iron usually is kept black, although we have seen some more creative choices. Masonry fences usually are designed to blend into the natural scenery, so they tend to be colored with brown hues or sometimes for an old, classic look, whitewashed.

A Mural, Maybe?

If you’re creative, you may want to brighten your yard with a mural. That may polarize future buyers, of course, but if you want to make an impact, that’s one way to go!

Subtle Strategy

Occasionally, fencing that leaves paling-width gaps in a distinctive pattern, or has palings cut at different lengths, can be effective when combined with judicious planting. It’s not a privacy-proof approach on a common border, but it’s a fashionable statement many buyers love.