Choosing suitable products for any home’s garden as the privacy screens and fencing requires knowledge. Using decorative metal fences or wood fencing will help homeowners create a safe and private area while providing aesthetics. Architects and home designers opt for products that will fulfill the demanding project’s requirements. For most modern garden designs, decorative metal fence panels are the dominant choice. This article will help customers go for decorative metal fence panels or wood privacy screens for their next project by comparing their primary characteristics.
Cost of Decorative Metal Fence or Wood Fencing
Whether you choose a decorative metal fence or wood fencing, the price of a fencing application depends mainly on the labor and material amount cost. The amount depends on the overall width and length of the garden. It is better to take account of the gates and latches that exist in the area.
Decorative Metal Fence: Perforated decorative metal panels will cost homeowners less in the long term. Depending on the type of metal fence and its unique features, the labor cost will relatively be the same to install one system of post versus a different kind into the ground.
Wood Fencing: Depending on the dimension of the fencing project and the type of wood used in the fences, the cost can be high, particularly in the current era. Moreover, wood panels require regular maintenance and repairs over time. Thus, they will cost homeowners more than investing in maintenance-free metal fences. Additionally, it is essential to change wood fencing eventually.
Note: High-quality metal fence panels do not require being stained, nor do boards need to be repaired or replaced, often making them more cost-effective solutions for garden privacy screens.
Overall, the cost of decorative metal fence panels in Toronto versus wood fencing in the long term is almost equal. Meaning, metal fence’s total costs go down over the life span of the privacy screens. The maintenance cost of wood panels will increase expenditure by about 40%. On the other hand, metal products are maintenance-free, so that they will save time and money for homeowners. When comparing the longevity of wood products 10-20 years with a lifespan of aluminum metal fences of 30-50 years, there is no doubt that metal panels are the better investment.
Maintenance Requirements of Decorative Panels
Privacy screens and fences require maintenance for being protected from harsh weather conditions in Canada. The material homeowners or designers opt for will determine how much effort will go into annual maintenance.
Metal Fencing: Fence panels with materials such as aluminum plates are popular due to their lightweight and durable characteristics. They are resistant to mold and termites. Additionally, the coating applied to metal fence panels tends to hold the color finish in rainy and sunny weather better than wood materials.
Wood Fence: These fencing panels can warp and bend when exposed to rainwater and sunlight. Moreover, water can cause rotting, and the paint finish on these materials can fade over time. The other issue with these products is that they are vulnerable to termites and bugs
Installation Process
The installation process of fencings depends on the requiring fabrications. Some gardens will require metal cutting and bending to fit the designs.
Metal Fence Panels: Installing most decorative metal fence panels is straightforward as they come with premade panels. Each metal panel is uniform, and fastening the boards is easy for experienced installers.
Wood Material: Installing wood fencing consumes a considerable amount of time, primarily when the contractors develop the fence from scratch.
Privacy Characteristics of Metal Fence Panels and Wood Fencing
For most homeowners, having a private garden is essential. However, some others may prefer to preserve the exterior view.
Metal: This durable garden fencing generally comes in standard sizes and spaces between their vertical pickets on each metal panel. Meaning that it will create a slight view of the garden while providing privacy.
Wood: Most common wood fences are produced with pickets and planks while having gaps in between. This will create less privacy and will require extra production for a better private area.
Looks, Style, and Aesthetics
Garden fences and privacy panels are not just for providing a private area for a house. Another function of these practical products is that they can create aesthetic space for occupants.
Decorative Metal Fences: The look of modern aluminum fence panels will keep their wrought-iron appearance over time. There are various styles and patterns available in the market, from more complex to simple ones.
Decorative Wood Panels: These fences are beautiful and look classic in most gardens. However, as they can rot quickly, they can lose their beauty over time. The paint finish will eventually get pilled, and the stain will fade. However, due to the easy cutting process of woods, it is straightforward to generate different shapes and styles from these materials.