All about picket fences

When equipping a site, city or country house, one should not forget about its external protection. It is imperative to make the territory impenetrable for intruders - and at the same time decorate it. Picket fences work well for this.

You can often see a fence made of Euroshtaketnik. By its outward appearance, the euro shtaketnik resembles a corrugated board. But there is also a clear difference - there are separate sections that can be placed on metal pipes.

Of course, like any material, the euro shtaketnik has positive and negative sides.

It differs in:

• fire resistance;
• absolute fire safety;
• rational ratio of cost and quality;
• a long period of service (according to the assurances of the manufacturers, it can last 15 - 20 years);
• unobstructed air circulation;
• excellent permeability to the sun.

Using such a fence is quite simple and easy. It can be made in a wide variety of colors. Moreover, if necessary, you can easily change the color.

However, it should be borne in mind that the euro shtaketnik is more expensive than wood. It will not be possible to mount it quickly, and its resistance to vandals and kidnappers is low.

A wide variety of picket fences can be erected around private houses. The double-sided euro shtaketnik definitely deserves attention. It differs from one-sided in that the workpiece is painted on both sides. In this case, the paintwork is selected at your discretion. But be sure to make sure that the decorative and protective layer on both sides of the plank completely coincides, otherwise the fence will look ugly.

The horizontal picket fence is very popular among modern designers. This solution greatly simplifies installation. In addition, it is stylistically compatible with even the most sophisticated home decoration options. Horizontal fences are used in city houses, summer cottages, and around elite cottages. In any case, the strips or other blocks are attached vertically to 2, 3 or more transverse guide elements.

Some people combine a picket fence with polycarbonate. In this case, the metal parts usually act as a frame. Cellular polycarbonate is most often used on the curving parts of the fence. But you can also use its "castle" subspecies - the result will not be worse. If the strength and durability of the material are in the first place, you need to choose sheet blocks.

However, from an aesthetic point of view, a much more attractive solution is a picket fence decorated with wood. This does not affect the technical characteristics and the degree of reliability. It is also worth considering the difference between samples of different shapes. It is quite rare to find a T-shaped euro shtaketnik on the market. But products of the M-shaped format are much more common.

The bottom line is that a pair of curved structures with a grooved surface are used. These parts have a slight deflection. This design is characterized by increased rigidity in itself. Therefore, it will be possible to attach the picket fence to one self-tapping screw, saving fasteners. U-shaped trapezoids are also quite widespread.

Such a picket fence has flat sidewalls along the edges. It will have to be screwed on from both sides. Otherwise, sufficient overall rigidity will not be achieved.

The P-shaped picket fence is appreciated for its excellent aerodynamic properties. It is also worth noting that it will look non-standard and add some flavor to the look of the fenced area.

No matter how many varieties of the picket fence itself, there will be significantly more variations of fences from it. A very interesting type is a fence with brick posts. To make the appearance even more attractive, they can additionally apply:

• facade plaster;
• fake diamond;
• natural finishing stone.

The pillars are usually covered with metal or concrete caps. But these caps must be painted in the same color as the entire fence as a whole - then external discrepancy is excluded. Combined structures, where a metal picket fence is complemented by brick pillars, are valued for the optimal combination:

• attractive external properties;
• strength;
• service life;
• overall reliability even in the most adverse conditions.

But be sure to take into account that the fence can be made not only of metal parts. Fences made of plastic raw materials are quite in demand. Do not think that such a barrier is easily accessible to intruders. On the contrary, it is extremely difficult to break or pull out of the ground with high-quality plastic blocks. The service life of a plastic fence is 20-25 years: it is less than that of PVC windows, but the intensity of weather influences is also higher.

The polymer material is as frost-resistant as good-quality steel, and does not change its shape even in the most intense heat. Moreover, it is absolutely resistant to corrosion and much lighter than a steel picket fence. In addition, the plastic heats up less by itself and will not destroy the plants. It is safe to touch it on a cold or hot day. Of course, polymeric, metal, and wooden types of picket fences can be used for multi-tiered fencing.

Fences made of double metal picket fence are commonly called "checkerboard". This solution implies the shift of the plates in the rows in relation to each other. As a result, it will be almost impossible to see what is happening in the fenced area. But light and air will pass almost unhindered. In terms of permeability to sunlight and wind, the "checkerboard" is far ahead of solid corrugated board.

As for the arrangement, a good comfortable fence is most often done with a gate and a wicket. It is convenient to enter and exit through the gate. The gates are used when you need to let a car or a large group of people pass or carry (carry out) a heavy bulky cargo. All people choose the location of the wicket and gate, their height and width at their discretion.

Those who want to achieve increased decorative characteristics and make a more original fence can use individual elements with forging.

This addition looks elegant and luxurious. It should be borne in mind that the connection of individual parts by welding simplifies and reduces the cost of work, however, the aesthetic qualities of the fence also deteriorate.

Some people prefer picket fence type fences. Their peculiarity is that there are gaps between the structural elements. Yet a well-thought-out design prevents the reduction in strength that many customers fear.

There are even options in which the blinds can be rotated. This will allow you to change the illumination in the covered area. Experts point out that such a solution will perfectly protect against noise, and even a “blind” -type fence can be installed with your own hands in a relatively short period of time.

Recommendation: the use of non-standard doors in the form of an arch will help to further improve the aesthetic qualities of the fence. But if you decide to stop at a wooden picket fence, not a metal one, then you should think about such an original version as a wattle fence.

Interestingly, a "braid" or "Austrian braid" can also be assembled from ready-made polymer blocks, which are now produced by many companies. But in most cases, a typical edged board turns out to be the main structural material.

Longer-lasting steel fences create more stress and require a thoughtful, sturdy foundation. Two-row fences and structures with brick pillars deserve special attention.

One of the best support options is a foundation on screw piles. It is suitable even for rather difficult soil, which does not allow the use of other types of bases. Important: to skimp when buying piles is more expensive for yourself, and if the budget allows, it is better to immediately order the highest quality reinforced structures.

Quite often, however, fences are placed on a strip foundation. It is reliable and will be able to withstand even support posts made of concrete or natural stone.

One-piece design is more popular than precast tape because the technology turns out to be simpler. A shallow foundation for a picket fence will not work, it will only allow you to put a mesh netting. A "deep" support is needed for the euro shtaketnik, which will be at least 30 cm below the freezing line.

But the possible variations don't end there. You can also "play" with the color scheme of the picket fence, not being limited to simple fences made of white or gray material. Moss green is a very attractive choice in many cases.

The fences in brown, white, black and gray are true classics. They will look attractive almost anywhere. With the help of such colors, it will also be possible to form an excellent contrasting composition. But the use of bright colors is far from always justified. Practice shows that they usually quickly get bored, and then completely irritate. It is more reasonable to achieve an original look by making a two-color or multi-colored fence with a combination of basic colors, their shades and halftones.

Be sure to take into account the architecture of the house itself, the surrounding buildings, the features of the area. So, against the background of green plants, the attractive green fence itself will be visually “lost”. If, however, there are not enough standard colors, then you can try other discreet colors:

• cream;
• chestnut;
• citric;
• beige;
• light blue color.

When preparing to put up a fence for a summer residence, you must first select the appropriate type of material. Of course, you need to order it only from trusted suppliers or from large companies with a solid reputation.

• Euroshtaketnik Barrera should be used where corrosion resistance is critical. It will retain its attractive appearance for a long time even in the most difficult situation. Nova planks are valued for their higher level.
• Econova does not have as many stiffeners. But this performance is suitable for those who are very limited in finances.
• Unix is in demand primarily because of its attractive appearance. 16 stiffeners guarantee sufficient stability for this type of planks. For an additional increase in service life, all parts are coated with a zinc layer.

The picket fence can be used for picking even on uneven ground. It all depends on the steepness of the relief. If it is small, a fence that repeats the natural geometry of the terrain will look attractive.

With a more serious slope, you will have to additionally make a leveling or stepped base. But building a fence on the steps, which gradually rises as needed, leaves too many passages for animals and even for potential intruders.

You can create a simple, solid fence row. But this option often looks too simple and boring. The "convex arc" looks much more impressive. Such a fence is placed in several spans. It got its name for the characteristic appearance of the upper part. It is even better if the parts are not connected in the usual order, but on both sides.

We are talking about the "chess" demanded by many people. In addition to reliable protection from prying eyes, it provides a more aesthetic performance of the fence as a whole. It is also worth noting that extraneous four-legged creatures will definitely not penetrate the territory where such a fence is installed. To begin with, the entire working space is cleared of debris, all plants that may interfere with it are removed. Then they make up an exact diagram on which all the subtleties of the upcoming work are noted.

When drawing up the scheme, the following are determined:

• with a slope that the fence should have;
• with a gap between the slats;
• with the width of gates and wickets;
• with the method of connecting the main elements.

To dock them, use:

• welding works;
• mounting clips;
• anchoring;
• corners.

The picket plates are often shortened to the correct size after the support posts have been installed. The cuts on the metal parts will have to be covered with special anti-corrosion protection.

In addition to purely technical subtleties, it is useful to take into account the design of a picket fence. This is how, for example, the combination of a euro-board and brick pillars looks like. The interweaving of black and red colors looks boring and interesting. It is almost impossible to see something through such a fence. And it itself is harmoniously perceived against the background of a light gray border and green grass.

It is not necessary, however, to use the traditional red pillars. In this version, they are painted in dark green, which goes well with the discreet white picket fence of the vertical type.

A multicolored fence may also turn out to be quite an elegant solution. For example, the combination of a white and blue wavy fence and an impressive dark red gate, framed by brown pillars, looks original.

How to make a beautiful fence from a metal picket fence, see the video.