If you have ever had a deck, you know all of the benefits, including:

Expanding Your Footprint
An Ottawa deck actually increases the liveable space of your house. If you have a smaller home, a deck off the back can really expand how big the house feels for you and an eventual buyer.

Enjoy the Weather and Beauty
With your Ottawa deck you can enjoy the great outdoors from the comfort of your own home. You can enjoy a dinner al fresco, watch the birds, or simply relax and meditate on your Ottawa deck. Decks give you an easy escape to some much-needed peace and quiet.

Add to Your Home Value
Ottawa decks really improve resale value and up your asking price. Don’t wait until you sell to build a deck, build an Ottawa deck now so you can enjoy it in the meantime.

Entertain
Every neighborhood has a family or a few who have an Ottawa deck that tend to be a gathering place for friends and family, An Ottawa deck is a great place for entertaining during the summer. You can create a great atmosphere late into the night with things like tiki torches and strings of lights to keep the fun going when the stars come out.

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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.

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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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There are five basic components of a typical deck:

1. Vertical posts set in concrete footings.
2. Horizontal beams to carry the weight of the deck.
3. Joists that run between the beams to distribute the weight of the deck.
4. The actual deck materials or floor, laid over the joists.
5. Railings

You need to choose materials for your Ottawa deck that will be resistant to decay and insect damage as well as be able to handle harsh Ottawa winters… not to mention the summer sun. So what to choose?  Standard construction lumber like fir, pine or spruce may be treated to protect it from rot, but it most likely will not hold up over time in Ottawa winters and summers.

For durability, we recommend using pressure-treated pine, redwood, or cedar. Each of these can be stained to nearly any color you want. Redwood and cedar offer an added advantage in that they are soft, fine-grained woods that will resist splintering.

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• Shape – Your Ottawa deck doesn’t have to be boring, but of course with creativity in shape will come extra craftsmanship and work. You’ll probably find some modifications worth it as even something as simple as an angle can jazz up a house with a long, plain wall. And if you decide to wrap your deck around a corner, adding built-in benches, or integrate a fence or screen on one side – all will add to your enjoyment of the deck and your home’s future resale value.

• Height–Usually, the decking should come to within a little more than a half meter (.6 meter) of the bottom of the access door from the house, with steps leading from the deck to the ground. Often Ottawa homeowners with a sloped yard will build a deck in multiple levels that follows the slope.

• Reinforcements – If you plan on having a spa or hot tub on your deck you will need to reinforce the deck to support the weight of the water, or you can cut a whole (we like this idea less) and set directly on a concrete slab underneath your deck. If you use cutouts for trees, make sure you leave space for growth.

• Railings – Think about it – when you look into someone’s backyard at someone’s deck, what’s the thing you notice most?  The railings. Use your imagination and creativity when picking your railings – but make sure they match the motif of your home.  Your railing design may be be limited by building code regulations so be sure to look into those.

• Steps and Stairs–Steps and stairs should typically be at least a meter wide so two people to be able to pass each other comfortably. The vertical distance between shouldn’t exceed 19 centimeters.

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• A deck is a one of the most significant things you can to do add value to your home, so while you are designing a deck for you and your family’s lifestyle – take a step back and make sure what you are designing is not a deck that is too big, too small… or just flat out ugly. Make sure the deck design complements the design of your house.

• The most important consideration when designing your Ottawa deck is “How will you use it?”  Entertaining?  How large will the groups on your deck typically be? What kind of seating will you need and would you want to consider benches as part of your deck? Do you want the space arranged to accommodate socializing by small groups or large gatherings?  Try to picture all the ways you’d like to use your Ottawa deck because most design elements will be based on this.

• Your options are probably limited as to where you can build your deck off your Ottawa home, but you may have more choices than you think. You could add a door off an alternative site in your home that may work better than the “obvious” choice. Why does this matter?  Views and climate – they actually vary in your own Ottawa yard.  Do you have heavy winds coming in from the west? Did you know a north-side deck will probably be the coolest location.  Careful placement can minimize traffic noise, eliminate unwanted views, or provide additional privacy.

• Remember there are always the dreaded regulations… check to make sure you are not violating any local zoning ordinances. This is the most dreaded task, but don’t put it off as it could inform many of your decisions for your Ottawa deck  Also look into your neighborhood or subdivision covenants as the may restrict the appearance of the structure.  An finally, you may need a building permit – check with your town.

• There are a lot of considerations for how big your deck will be, including the cost as well as your planned uses.  But as you build your Ottawa deck remember that a huge deck can look ridiculous next to a small house the same way a tiny deck on a big house looks out of place. If you think your deck could be too large for your house, try mitigating that with smaller sections on multiple levels.

• test your ideas for your Ottawa deck by measuring and staking off the proposed area in your yard. You can even set furniture in the area to get an idea of how much will fit on your new do-it-yourself Ottawa deck.

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