Choosing a garden fence: when do metal pickets suit the site?

First of all, it is worth determining whether the fence is mainly to mark the boundary, screen the garden or restrict access. A different layout will work from the street, and a different one at the side boundary of the plot. Full screening can provide privacy, but it closes off the view and reacts more strongly to wind.

It is also necessary to plan the gate, the pedestrian gate and a place for parcel delivery and service access. The entrance should correspond to the actual way of manoeuvring. It is a good idea to draw the entire fence before purchasing the pickets. Simply dividing the plot length by the bay width may leave an inconvenient, narrow section at the gate.

A picket is a separate profiled element fixed to the rails. The gaps can be matched to the desired appearance and the available mounting solutions. Coated steel does not require the regular impregnation typical of wood, but it still needs inspection of the coating and fixings.

Profiling increases the rigidity of thin sheet metal. The shape of the edge and the top finish matter. The two-sided appearance must be assessed on the actual product, because the rear side may differ from the front. It should not be assumed that every picket gives the same effect from the garden side and the street side. It is worth viewing a sample also at an angle, when the light shows the embossing.

Larger gaps give a lighter appearance and let through more light. Smaller ones improve screening but increase the surface area exposed to wind. A two-sided layout can restrict visibility through the fence, but it requires more material and appropriate spacing of the elements.

When choosing, it is not worth relying solely on a photograph from the front. The gaps are also viewed at an angle. It is worth checking the effect from the road and from the windows of the house. If animals are present on the property, the bottom clearance and the possibility of passing between the pickets must be taken into account. The aesthetic rhythm should result from equal spacing, not from random distribution of the last elements.

The pickets form the infill, and they transfer loads through the rails to the posts and foundations. The fence height, the bay length and the degree of screening influence the choice of structure. A dense, high fence should not be mounted on a support chosen for a low mesh fence.

The type of fixing must match the thickness and material of the rail. The corrosion resistance of the connectors and the method of protecting cut edges are important. The screws should not be tightened so much that they crush the picket profile. Foundations and posts must be selected to suit the ground and local conditions. A universal spacing from an example photo will not replace this assessment.

A good point of reference is the joinery, roof and larger flashings. The fence does not have to be exactly the same shade as all the elements of the building. It is important that the colours and textures form a coherent set. Graphite may look different in matt and gloss, even with a similar colour designation.

Wood-effect coatings should be viewed on several pickets side by side. A repeating pattern may be more visible over a long section than on a single sample. With a light-coloured house, dark panels create a strong contrast. Before purchase, it is worth checking it in daylight, not only on a screen, which changes saturation and colour temperature.

The cost includes the pickets, posts, rails, foundations, connectors as well as the gate and side gate. Transport and installation are additional. In a double-sided arrangement, the quantity of material will be different from a single row. End pieces and any differences in ground levels must also be taken into account.

A finished fence should be cleaned periodically and the fixing points checked. Damage to the coating should be repaired in accordance with the documentation. Heavy objects should not be leaned against the pickets, nor should they be treated as a structure for additional screens. Hanging a full mat can significantly increase the wind load.

Before placing an order, it is good to approve a drawing of one panel together with the spacings. This allows the appearance, the number of pickets and the position of the fixings to be checked. Later changing the gap along the entire length of the fence usually means more work than preparing an accurate plan at the start.