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If you own a home or a business in Florida and you want to have a fence installed, choosing the right fence and the right fence installation company is a very important decision.
This article explores everything you need to know when choosing a fence for your Florida property.
Chain Link Fencing for Florida
Chain link fencing has been around for a very long time. It is still a popular choice for homeowners and businesses alike. It is the clear favorite for municipalities and schools when protecting playgrounds, ball fields, etc.
Chain link fence is a proven solution to the harsh Florida weather. High winds are (or course) a major concern for any building trade in Florida. Chain link fencing excels at withstanding the stress of high winds. In fact, there is probably not a better choice of fencing for this particular issue.
Chain link fencing is made of galvanized steel. The galvanization process makes the chain link fencing rust resistant … but not rust-proof. Chain link fencing can (and does) rust over time. The Florida air is thick with humidity (moisture) and salt … especially around the coastlines and we are located in Panama City Florida – right by the coastline. For this reason, chain link may not be the best choice.
Chain link fencing can also come with a PVC or polymer coating which protects against rust and corrosion. These coatings have been popular around baseball fields and parks for years. We are seeing them used around homes and literally everywhere now. Many people find these PVC coated chain link fences much more attractive than their uncoated cousins.
Chain link fencing has zero issues with the intense Florida sun and heat. It certainly can be hot to the touch in the intense mid-day sun … however the fence will not bow or sag or warp in the heat.
Overall chain link fencing, especially when treated with protective PVC coating, is a great choice for just about any Florida property.
Vinyl Fencing for Florida
Vinyl fence used to be a problem in Florida … but that was a long time ago. The first vinyl fencing to hit the market was not nearly the quality that it is today. Many Florida homeowners simply won’t even consider vinyl fencing for their properties … but we think it all stems from problems that have been corrected long ago.
Vinyl fencing is typically a solid panel. There are certainly picket-style vinyl fence styles … but most styles of vinyl fencing are solid panels. Solid panels catch the wind. When the Florida winds are blowing at their hardest, there can be a tremendous load on these panels. No problem. Vinyl fence panels can withstand winds up to 100mph and we’ve seen many cases where it is even higher than that.
We sell and install only high-quality vinyl fencing that is rated for high wind speeds. Many of the big box stores sell lower quality grades of vinyl fencing that are not nearly as strong.
Another problem we see with vinyl fences and the Florida winds has nothing to do with the fencing material … but rather the poor installation techniques used by some of our less qualified local competitors. We guarantee our installation and workmanship!
No issue here. Salt air simply has no impact on vinyl fencing. It is worth noting that depending on the specific brand of vinyl fencing and the techniques of the fence company … screws or other methods of attachment are often made of metal – which can rust. Again, we are a professional fence company based in Panama City Florida. We totally understand the Florida climate and the issues related to salt air and rust. We use products and techniques that will not rust.
Vinyl fencing will warp in the extreme heat of Florida. We’ve seen it. Low-quality vinyl fencing (sometimes found in the big box stores, sometimes sold at a low cost by local fence companies) simply are not thick enough or manufactured well enough to withstand the extreme Florida heat.
That is NOT the case with our Vinyl Fencing. We sell and install only high quality stuff. Our vinyl fencing comes with a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer. End of the story. Our vinyl fence will not warp, bow, or sag. Period.
Aluminum Fencing for Florida
Aluminum fence is a perfect solution in Florida. Aluminum fencing was literally made to stand up to harsh conditions of every type – making it a great choice for Florida and just about anywhere.
Like chain link fencing, aluminum fencing is perfect for high winds found in Florida. The picket-style design allows wind to flow right through it. There is simply not a better option of fencing for high wind situations.
Aluminum doesn’t rust. So the salt air and moisture of Florida has no effect on aluminum fencing. Attachment points and screws can be an issue with lower-quality aluminum fencing found in big box stores and low-bid local fence companies. Our aluminum fencing (and all attachments) are rust-proof and high-quality. Our aluminum fences come with a lifetime manufacturers warranty … so, rest easy – aluminum fencing is a great choice for Florida residents.
Aluminum doesn’t conduct heat the way other metals do. Aluminum fencing typically stays very cool to the touch … even in the extreme heat of the day in Florida. Because it stays cool, aluminum fences don’t bow or warp.
Wood Fencing for Florida
Wood fence is probably the most popular choice of fencing materials in the Panama City Florida area (and throughout most of Florida). However, it may not be the best choice!
Like vinyl fencing, wood fence panels tend to be solid. A solid fence panel will catch the wind like a sail which can put tremendous pressure on the fence. Fortunately wood is super strong and can resist these sorts of wind loads as long as the fence is installed properly. It is important to use a reputable local fence company (like Mr Fence of Florida!) … who will install your wood fence properly and who will then stand behind their work with a workmanship warranty.
The moist, humid air of Florida is a real challenge for wood fences. Wood rots. We all know it. Pressure treating helps but it doesn’t solve the problem. Higher-quality harder woods also help, bet they also do not solve the problem. The fact is that wood fence need a lot of maintenance to protect the wood with paints or stains annually. Even this care and maintenance isn’t always enough. A typical wood fence in Florida just doesn’t last as long as it does in many other parts of the country. We see it all the time. Folks move down here to Panama City from the north and they have a wood fence installed only to be disappointed in a few short years that the fence doesn’t seem to hold up here as well as it did “back home”.
The extreme heat of Florida can dry out wood pickets and panels in ways that are surprising. A well-made and well-installed wood fence tends not to warp or bow very much even in the extreme heat of Florida. However, if nails or screws come loose (due to the heat), an exceptional amount of bowing or warping can happen. Sometimes we see wood pickets that look more like a fruit roll-up they warped so much. Again, it is important to choose a local fence company that stands behind their work. Most professional fence companies in Florida should provide a 1 year warranty on the workmanship and installation of their wood fences. Fence companies will definitely not provide a warranty on the product itself beyond 1 year because wood is just not a durable choice for Florida properties.
Did this help? Contact us for an estimate on your next fence. We serve Panama City Florida and the surrounding area. You can also design your fence online and get an instant fence estimate.
Your home should be the place where you feel the most relaxed, but you might be in need of some privacy fence ideas if your exposed backyard is making it hard to truly unwind. “Privacy fencing, either along a property line or around a specific area in your garden, creates a sense of sanctuary, seclusion, and peacefulness,” says Janice Parker, a landscape architect based in Greenwich, Connecticut. “A garden should, at its best, connect us to nature, and this is simpler to do when you can relax in a peaceful setting. Hidden areas, made with privacy screening, create a sense of mystery, as you do not see all of the garden at once. Mystery makes a great garden!”
Luckily, clever retaining wall ideas and privacy fence ideas (some are even DIY landscaping designs) can ensure your backyard is the secluded oasis you want it to be. “A privacy fence does all the work of a typical fence—indicating boundaries and keeping people and animals in or out—while also blocking views into the yard,” says Kevin Lenhart, a landscape designer and design director at Yardzen, one of the nation’s largest online landscape platforms.
Here, a guide to building backyard landscaping and a privacy fence—whether you use a pergola or a trellis—to keep onlookers out and a peace of mind in.
“From an ecological and natural point of view, privacy fences are the least desirable element in the landscape,” says Jonathan Fargion, a landscape designer based in New York City. This doesn’t mean privacy fences are necessarily a bad idea, just that there are a few considerations to take into account before getting started.
Privacy fences cut the land into lots, which can be problematic for the bugs, insects, and other wildlife that live there. “As a rule of thumb, fences should be at least two inches off the ground to let critters the freedom to move between properties,” Fargion explains. In general, he says privacy fences make the most sense on small properties, like town house gardens. For larger yards, he suggests making use of natural greenery, like trees, to keep unwanted eyes from infiltrating your space.
Fences that are six feet tall should block most views from the ground level. “I’d advise not going any taller than you have to, both to save on expenses and to limit the shrinking, enclosing effect fences can have on a space,” Lenhart says. If you do need extra height, he suggests adding 12 to 18 inches of lattice on the top of a fence, which will add privacy while minimizing the visual impact of a taller fence. If you opt for a natural privacy hedge, these can be much taller and often go up to 12 feet.
The best privacy fence will depend on each homeowner’s goals for the fence and their yard. “By necessity, privacy fences must obscure sight lines,” Lenhart says. For this reason, many privacy fences are made from solid wood and designed to be completely opaque. If the goal is to have complete seclusion, something solid without any gaps would likely be the best choice.
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