Good fences make good neighbours; this familiar adage is not merely satirical. The quality and style of fence you choose will strongly affect your social situation at home. No matter what application or the size of your property, the quality of your fence will affect your peace and your neighbour’s peace too. Fences have been around forever, but the materials to make them have advanced quite a lot. Deciding what kind of fence to build is not an easy decision to make. One needs to consider the neighbourhood’s style, your budget, your activity level, your need for privacy, and pets, among other things. Here is a summary of some of the more popular materials.

Vinyl

Vinyl fencing materials are becoming more popular, they are weather-resistant, uniform, and they are easily installed. The downside is that they are not as durable as other materials, and they have a synthetic look and feel.

Masonry

It is hard to go wrong with a well-made brick or concrete slab fence. In the right conditions, they will last for decades, and they usually suit most landscaping plans. For a complete look, you can purchase garden paving slabs in Essex, for example, to complete the timeless appeal. To find suppliers of this material in your area, all you have to do is do a quick search using Google.

Metal

There are different kinds of metal used for fencing, the most common would be wrought Iron, which can be quite decorative, as well as aluminium, which is more utilitarian but has the advantage of uniformity and excellent oxidation resistance. Proper aluminium fencing need not be replaced and might require very little maintenance beyond cleaning. Wrought iron needs to be coated, and it can be a time-consuming process.

Wood

One of the benefits of wood is that the skills to make a fence from wood are not that rare. Wood is also attractive, natural, and renewable.  You can even purchase premade panels and other top fencing supplies in Essex as well as anywhere else in the world. To make wood as long-lasting as the others, use something like Cedar.

Chain Link

If your main goal is to keep people and animals out, chain link is a well-proven material that can be made very tall, and it is very long-lasting. You will not win any awards for originality or beauty, and there is no privacy gained. But it is a favourite of municipalities because of its durability and effectiveness.

Stone

Stone is the oldest material on the list. Done well, the stone is also the most beautiful, though you are welcome to disagree. It is weatherproof, and it is naturally sourced unless you buy the synthetic stone now available.  There are various techniques to constructing a stone wall, from stacking to using mortar. Stone walls might be the least effective at keeping people out though, and they may need to be repaired from time to time. But they are sure to match any garden design with unsurpassed natural appeal.

Fortunately, there are many options, whatever your specifications happen to be. If you are more interested in creating a beautiful space, natural materials will be more likely to please. But there will be trade-offs in maintenance and perhaps security too. If your main intention is to keep everything out and you are not so keen on maintenance, engineered products will better suit your needs.