handbook
B y D E B I B R YA N T
THE GOOD FENCE
GOOD FENCES NOT ONLY MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS— THEY MAKE AN AESTHETIC STATEMENT By definition, a fence is any structure that encloses a landscape providing security against intruders, marking a boundary or acting as confining barrier. In other words—fences are functional.
However, based on your design choices and material selections, they can also serve as a beautiful accompaniment to a home. DESIGN TALK
For Mark McKinnon, founder of McKinnon Associates, a well-designed fence is an acknowledgement by the homeowners that their home is not limited to the primary structure. “When you want a fence that is more than pure function, you are applying comprehensive design theory and attention all the way to your property line,” he says. “You’re saying that your living environment extends beyond your air-conditioned space, through the windows and out into the gardens.” As an example, he has built a fence for a client out of a specialty metal with a highly reflective A B O V E : A beautiful fence complements your home, extending its reach to the garden and out to the property line. L E F T : Houston landscape architect Mark McKinnon explores innovative materials for use in fences. Here, an opaque sheet of acrylic is backlit for dramatic effect. 28
house& home | A p r i l 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com
handbook |
THE GOOD FENCE
CertainTeed fences are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a material that is 99 percent recyclable and requires no wood treatments or chemical preservatives for maintenance.
living fences Fences don’t have to be made of hard materials—living plants work, too. These softscapes have several advantages: • Add form, texture and interest to your yard. • Provide seasonal color—spring blooms, autumn berries. • Attract wildlife such as butterflies and birds. On one property, Mark McKinnon imaginatively trained a line of magnolia trees as an 18-foot hedge. For a client whose house sits on a busy street with lots of pedestrian traffic, he built a chain-link fence and then planted the drought-resistant lantana along it. The tall lantana provides privacy, absorbs some of the street noise and looks pretty when in bloom.
30
quality that picks up on the many stainless steel objects in the home’s interior. “We match the materials of the house, inside and out,” he says. He lists three broad categories of fences. One—the basic perimeter fence that is the most cost-efficient. Two—the finely crafted fence that is constructed for durability and longevity. Three—screens that create a backdrop for garden vistas and vignettes by shaping and framing the gardens; they provide security but also detail and interest. PICK A PICKET
Because they’re outdoor structures, fences must be made of hardy materials. For wood fences, Wes Hackney, owner of Native Texas Landscape, lists cedar as his first choice. He suggests building cedar fences with three rails to make them last longer. “Putting a rot board, a plank of pressure-treated pine, length-wise along the bottom will also increase the life span,” he says. Metal that has been galvanized and powder coated is the number one pick for Emilio Lozano, president of Custom Security Fence & Iron Works. “The initial expense will be more than with plain metal, but, in the long run, it may turn out to be cheaper because it lasts longer and is easier to maintain,” he says. Ornamental aluminum fencing is low-maintenance and durable. Ronny Richker, owner of Great Fence Distributors, says, “Our product carries a lifetime warranty for material and structure. It is excellent in the salty airs of the Gulf Coast region.” Designed for the DIY market, its residential product comes in five grades.
house& home | A p r i l 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com
handbook |
THE GOOD FENCE
resources AG WELDING, 713.988.4200, www.agwelding.com AMERICAN FENCE & SUPPLY, 281.332.0511, League City; 6612 Harborside Drive, Galveston, www.afence.com ART FENCES, 281.610.6194 CUSTOM SECURITY FENCE & IRON WORKS, 281.219.1400, www.customsecurityfence.com GREAT FENCE DISTRIBUTORS, 866.869.8940, www.greatfence.com MADDOX CUSTOM POOLS (Jerith fences), 281.498.7929, Staf ford NATIVE TEXAS LANDSCAPE, 281.687.7512, www.nativetexaslandscape.com
Iron Fence by Custom Security Fence & Iron Works.
MCKINNON ASSOCIATES, 713.869.2797, www.mckinnonassociates.com WESTWOOD FENCE, 6101 E Houston Road, 713.674.3277
Texas Fence company combined masontry columns and cedar for this custom fence.
McKinnon has also used acrylics and polycarbonates to create artistic fences. These materials let light pass through, but are opaque and therefore provide privacy. “They can be backlit to bring out night time qualities,” he adds. Polycarbonate vinyl fencing requires little or no maintenance and resists termites, fungus and dry rot. Newer versions of vinyl fences are fade resistant and are difficult to tell apart from wood. Other materials include wrought iron, especially nice for gates and accents, and stucco, which, in fencing, is cinder blocks faced with stucco. As for combination fences—“the sky is the limit,” says Hackney. He has built wood fences with brick columns, wrought iron with stone columns and cedar fences with stucco columns, just to name a few mixed uses. SELECTIONS AND ELECTIONS
Once you select your main material, you have an array of options that can dress up your fence. A sampling of ideas includes a tall privacy fence with a grilled window such as McKinnon designed for a client. The high fence blocks an unsightly utility easement outside the property, the window lets the breeze through and the grill provides security. Lozano suggests customizing a wroughtiron gate or driveway arch. The Great Fence residential product comes in five different colors. Even a simple cedar fence can be punched up with a cap along the top, says Hackney. A painted aluminum fence with decorative gate that frames a view of the garden is by Great Fence Distributors.
32
house& home | A p r i l 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com