If you are on the proverbial fence about installing an Ottawa fence, here are some more reasons, adding to some we listed last month.

No More Lookie-Lous
The most common reason for an Ottawa fence is simply privacy. If you are near a street or have a lot of other houses facing your backyard, you are probably going to want some sort of fence for your Ottawa property if you value privacy.

Secure Your Belongings
A wood Ottawa fence may not keep the criminals out (but it helps), but an Ottawa fence will definitely keep your neighbors from “borrowing” (either temporarily or permanently)  your stuff.

Shut the Noise Out
Whether it is noisy neighbors or a busy road, an Ottawa fence can help keep excess noise out of your yard as well as your house. Installing a do-it-yourself Ottawa fence will play a huge part in cutting down roadside noise.

Your Neighbor’s Lawn Issues are Becoming Your Lawn Issues
Guess what – if your neighbor(s) don’t take care of their lawn and you don’t have an Ottawa fence, these weeds will quickly invade your yard as well.

You’re Bugged
The right kind of Ottawa fence (cedar) can actually reduce insect activity.

Your Neighbor is Treading On Your Turf
Not the ideal way to deal with conflict, but an Ottawa fence certainly can establish a boundary between you and a troublesome neighbor.

Your garden is Feeding Animals More Than You
Ever try and start a vegetable garden and you find animals are eating more than you?  Flowers and shrubbery are also a favorite food source for animals.  Shut down the buffet line with an Ottawa fence.

Your Old Fence Is… Old
You know if your Ottawa fence has reached the end of its life…  if your fence is falling down or just an eyesore, stop by our showroom and we’ll show you an affordable path to a new Ottawa fence.

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Wood is classic, beautiful and versatile. Ideal for privacy fences, wood offers a wide variety of designs, The downside? Maintenance is required with regular staining or painting to keep your Ottawa fence looking great.

Steel is great for a fence where strength is the key.  Stronger than aluminum, steel will hold up to almost anything… including kids. There are not a ton of design options with steel and the price is a tad higher, but higher-end steel fencing typically has a no-maintenance 20-year warranty. The Ottawa steel fence can be sanded and repainted after twenty years if needed. , as you would with wrought iron.

Coated aluminum requires no maintenance and is available at a relatively low cost. Aluminum is not especially durable and should be seen as a case of form over function.

Wrought iron is strong and beautiful, typically seen in front of older homes or historical districts. these are not privacy fences and they aren’t cheap.

Vinyl Ottawa fencing is affordable and relatively easy to install. There are limited styles and vinyl is not the best material for brutal Ottawa winters. Most manufacturers provide a 20-year to lifetime warranty from peeling and cracking.

Chain link fencing is string and easy to assemble.  While it is affordable, galvanized steel chain link will show signs of rust within ten years. The vinyl covered chain link is your best option for an Ottawa fence.

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Safety and Security – Even a short fence will keep would-be burglars away. Additionally, boundary fences will keep strangers from cutting through your lawn and potentially hurting themselves on your property. Even a small boundary fence will discourage people from cutting across your yard.  And fences keep your kids and pets safe – constricting them to stay in your yard.

Privacy – You’ve heard fences make good neighbors?  This is one perspective and when deciding on whether you want an Ottawa fence, ask yourself – “How important is privacy to you?”

Defining Your Property – A fence establishes boundaries and prevents neighbors from encroaching on your property with fences, structures or landscaping.

Keep noise in or out – An Ottawa fence can buffer noise, either coming from your house or your neighbors.

Protection – Keep animals… rabbits, deer, etc. out of your garden with an Ottawa fence. And an Ottawa fence also keeps large drifting of snow and shields you from wind.

Landscaping – A fence adds value to your property by hiding unsightly trash cans, propane gas tanks, etc.  It keeps you from having to look at the neighbor’s trampoline. An Ottawa fence adds curb appeal and helps with resale.

The post So Why Build a Fence? Let us Count the Reasons appeared first on The Fence and Deck Store.

Combine that with the measurements you need for your fence and head into The Fence and Deck Store’s Ottawa showroom to establish a budget for your do-it-yourself Ottawa fence.

But before you even come into our showroom to discus options, you need to check on your limitations. Many homeowners associations or neighborhoods have limits on how high a fence can be or the materials you use. Your city planning department may also have rules you need to adhere to for your Ottawa fence. Restrictions on setbacks and height vary. Often a privacy fence between properties can’t be taller than 6 feet.  Fences in the front may be limited to restrictions even stricter.  The point is, find out what you can do so you know what you need in the way of materials.

And while you are checking with the city and neighborhood regulations, take a moment to tell your neighbors with lots that connect to yours about your plans for a new Ottawa fence.  It is not required, but it is the polite thing to do.

Another key in budgeting how much you will need in materials. You have your preferences as to where the fence should go – but hire a surveyor if you are building on your property’s boundaries. It’s less expensive than tearing it down and moving it after the fact.

Materials
Once you have checked all those preliminary steps, the fun part starts – choosing what your Ottawa fence will look like and the materials to be used. There will be a big variance of cost between materials, so know what you want to spend and let it guide you in your decision.

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Wood Fences…
Most homeowners prefer wood as it is easy to work with. Have a hammer and nails? You have what you need. There are a ton of options with a wood fence – one visit to The Fence and Deck Store will show you that. Wood is easy to repair as you can match the wood at any lumberyard.

Lots of Ottawa homeowners prefer wood as it looks better and is more “green” than metal fencing.

So what’s the downside to wood? It is more susceptible to damage from water rot, insects, etc. It’s less durable during harsh winds and weather. Even with protectants and sealers, wood will eventually fall pray to damage.

Metal Fences… 
More than just the classic chain link, there are a variety of types of Ottawa metal fences to choose from.  Aluminum and wrought iron are also popular. Metal fences will hold up more than wood fences as most will not rust (the exception being wrought iron, which needs to be painted to protect it from rust).

While wrought iron and aluminum can give you a beautiful look, you may be prone to avoid chain link. Keep in mind that there are chain links that are coated with colored vinyl (i.e. green).

Avoid aluminum for a fence with kids in the yard – its durability will probably not hold up to the beating kids can give it.

The post Selecting Materials For Your Ottawa Fence: Wood or Metal? appeared first on The Fence and Deck Store.

Before you undertake a privacy fence, you will want to make sure there are no neighborhood bylaws that prevent such a fence, as many communities won’t allow privacy fences.

You’re obviously not going to start building your Ottawa privacy fence until the Spring thaw… but you can begin with the design considerations – and if you stop into The Fence and Deck Store we can help choose materials and validate your plans.

Here are few quick things to consider as you design your Ottawa privacy fence:

Test your privacy.   You may decide that a fence with the height just shy of two meters will give you the privacy you are looking for – only to discover that because of how your deck sits or the slope of your yard, you really aren’t creating privacy at all.  Likewise, perhaps the slope of your yard (or your neighbor’s) requires a privacy fence only slightly taller than a meter.  Stop by The Fence and Deck Store and pick up a few pieces of fence material/lumber to test this. Take the board to different vantage points along the proposed fence line and have someone else positioned in your social area(s) to see how much privacy you will actually receive from varying heights.

A few logistics. You won’t want to tear down your fence after you’ve built it, so make sure not only that you are in line with the neighborhood covenants, but that you know where the property line is and you have a building permit.

Plan for your materials.  With a privacy fence and the materials used, fence posts are typically 2.5 meters apart.  Brave the cold, stake out your yard and measure for what you’ll need in terms of fencing and posts.  If you try and space out your posts farther, wind and gravity will make you pay for it in the long run… the closer posts are together the stronger your fence will be.

Include flexibility in your design. Think about how you will access your yard, where the gate should go – and then design another.  Two access points – you’ll thanks us for that. You should also make one panel removable in case you ever need to provide access for you or a contractor to build a deck or conduct more than simple landscaping.

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Can fence posts shift in winter? : The soil beneath your fence can shift with the constant freezing and thawing. At an extreme, the entire structure of your fence can be compromised. Professional installations require posts 3 feet past the potential frost line. That should eliminate any concerns about posts shifting or getting loose during the spring thaw.

Can fences and their posts rot in winter? Prolonged exposure to moisture weakens the fibers of a wood fence and opens the door for mold, mildew and rot. It’s also important to keep leaves and other organic matter from becoming wedged between fence boards, as this inhibits air flow and creates a trap for moisture.

Should I paint, reseal or stain now, or wait for spring?: Technically you should wait until temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. You might be able to go a bit cooler. The most important thing to remember is to not apply any stain or sealant on wood that may have a fine layer of frost or ice which will cause interference when adhering to the wood.

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The most important ruse for fence posts to ensure they will stand up against the rigors of Ottawa weather is that you dig a hole for the post that is half as deep as the fence is high.  That’s a minimum for your Ottawa fence – as our cold winters suggest you should go down an additional 10 centimeters or so. The hole should be four inches wider than the widest dimension of the post.

1. Dig Your Post Holes.  If you find your soil to be rough or too hard to dig, you can always call our sister company, Platinum Construction, to get assistance with this. Otherwise you can rent a power auger to dig holes. get a friend to help and raise the auger after every few inches of digging to clear out soil. When you have the hole complete, lay a 10 centimeter gravel base.
2. Pour The Footings  for your Ottawa fence at the end, corner, and gateposts – these HAVE to employ concrete while other posts can just use dirt.
3. Install the Ends, Corner, and Gateposts.  Use layout lines as guides to set the end, corner, and gateposts. While the concrete is still wet, place the posts in their holes. Hold them in place with stakes.
4. Fill the Post Holes.  Fill the holes with concrete up to about 5centimeters above ground level. Smooth the surface of the concrete sloping it away from the post so the moisture runs off.  Back fill with soil, sloping away from the posts.
5. Mark the Level on Posts.  Mark an end post at the height you want and mark.  Hold a string from each post to the next, using a level to ensure the posts are in line.

The post Get a Jumpstart on the Spring by Installing Your Ottawa Fence Posts appeared first on The Fence and Deck Store.

Prevent Falling Limbs
Snow can overload limbs, causing them to snap, break, and hit your fence causing structural damage. Trim your branches back now before it gets too cold and your motivation to do so is the same as watching a Maple Leafs game.

Prevent Moisture Build Up
Snow exposes your wooden fence prolonged moisture, leading to the potential for mold, mildew, and rot. Take the time to stain your fence with a good oil based stain before the winter months come. And when the winter and snow comes, try to keep the spaces between your fences clean. Fallen leaves, debris, and snow can trap additional moisture where the wood is weaker.

Prevent Warping by Using the Right Materials
Temperatures rise and fall – even in Ottawa we get plenty of warmer days. The drastic changes in temperature can play havoc with wood fences as they expand and contract at a rapid rate, creating knotholes in your fence. While unattractive, the bigger problem with knotholes is they are places where pests like to hide. Furthermore, knotholes exacerbate pests.  We’re pretty sure you don’t have a time machine, so there is not a lot you can do about the materials of your current Ottawa fence, but we’d love to help you choose wood fencing materials for the Spring that are knothole resistant.

Prevent Shifting Soil
Again – time machine is most effective means for prevention here, as posts need to be about a meter deep. One of the biggest reasons is the soil beneath your fence can shift when the frost thaws causing your posts to shift. Your fence posts can also loosen when the soil shifts, compromising the entire structure of your fence.  Keeping the cement footings of your fence free of debris, dust, and dirt can help, keeping additional moisture from getting trapped next to the concrete, eroding it.

When Spring comes, check your posts and make sure they’re staying stable and straight. And run a string along the top of the fence to make sure it’s still level. If it’s not you’ll have to get your fence posts repaired.

Make repairs in early spring, but only when the weather is warmer than freezing as it’s nearly impossible to work with cement when temperatures are extremely cold. Put posts a meter underground to ensure to get past the potential frost line. By going this deep, you eliminate any worries of your posts shifting or getting loose during the spring thaw.

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