When guarding your home the durability of your windows, doors and locks can make a big difference in how successful burglars can be in your property. While all these factors are regularly considered when fortifying your home there is one aspect of your home that is often overlooked; fencing. Choosing the appropriate materials when building a fence can make a big difference in adding extra protection to your home and below we will discuss two factors to consider.

Weighing cost-effectiveness

Surrounding your entire home isn’t usually entirely necessary and doing so can exponentially increase the amount of time and money you’ll put into its construction. Instead, focus on your main living dwelling and any auxiliary entrances. Your fence should rise up to at least six feet and be of an unclimbable construction if you hope to repel invaders, though you may have to compromise depending on local zoning codes.

One feature that every fence should include is a gated entrance with a bump-proof locking mechanism. Ideally, this entrance should be monitored along with your home’s entrances if you have a smart home integration system. Although a pricier route, it can be far easier to respond to a trespasser if your system notifies you at this point rather than when the burglar is at your door.

Choosing your materials

If you’re using your own wood and material it’s crucial that these materials are properly treated with the right protection. If you’re using iron wire or a chain-link fencing, rusting can provide more of a headache than peace of mind. This is especially a problem in high-humidity areas with frequent inclement weather. Always make sure to apply a rust resistant primer or paint before calling your project done.

Wood needs to be termite resistant and PVC coated. While these concerns are inherently negated when using vinyl boarding which simulates wood, it doesn’t provide the value of using rawer materials. Wood also tends to provide greater physical resistance and is less prone to cracking through extreme weathering, since vinyl tends to grow brittle in these conditions.

Regardless of whether you opt for wood or vinyl always be sure to go for a close-board construction. While this can reduce your curb appeal in some circumstances its benefits in improving your privacy and repelling criminals from mounting your fence are too valuable to ignore, and at the end of the day this is a fence’s most important function.

Bio: Zachary Trupp is a blogger with security alarms provider SafeMart. In addition to writing material for the DIY community, Zach is passionate about survival, self-defense, and hunting. 

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