Got Green On Your Mind?

No, we are not talking about money! When we speak 'Green', we are talking about being environmentally friendly!

Ever wonder about the environmental impact building a fence could have? Sure it could vary from companies manufacturing them and from material they are made out of. However, lets have a general overlook based on how the materials used are manufactured and maintained.

Wooden Fence may have the perception of environmentally friendly material, but if you take a closer look, you will see why this is not the case. From the harvest of trees, to the production of cut up wood pieces, and finally, the manufacturing of wooden fences, chemicals are treated on almost every chain of the process to shape and preserve the product. It does not stop there. Once the wooden fences are set up in your backyard, the process of maintaining the fence through repainting, sealing and termite repellents to keep the fencing looking new requires ever more chemical products. Not all chemical products harm the environment. It is important to take some time doing your research to find out whether the chemicals applied to your fence will do any residual damage to the environment.

Concrete Fence is generally considered to be environmentally friendly. Although few chemicals are added into the production of precast fences to help cement, water, and aggregate mix well, concrete fence productions generally have minimal chemical usage. As for maintenance, no chemicals are needed to treat rust, pest, and splinter or warp problems that other types of fences may have.

Vinyl Fence uses PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) plastic. Depending on where you stand, you could argue whether it is good or bad for the environment. PVC is the by products of oil and chlorine, which gives vinyl fence their attribute of environmental durability. Vinyl fence requires minimal maintenance, as it does not rot, rust, split or warp, hence little chemical required. However, according to Green Living Tips (linked below), PVC is difficult to recycle, and is considered a contaminant in other recycling streams. Currently, less than 1% of all PVC in the world is recycled.

http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/pvc-and-the-environment.html

Steel Fence, like concrete fence, is generally considered to be environmentally friendly. Typically no chemicals are not added during production or used for maintenance. Steel fence are manufactured through bending and welding of steels. As a result, chemicals are not required in most practices. Most steel fences are temporary set ups and they are easily recyclable.

There you have it, next time when you are building that fence of yours, think about its environmental impact!

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Cost of Your Fence Over Its Life

In the economy of today, money is tight. Every penny saved is a penny earned.

The last thing any household wants is unexpected expenditure. This article will attempt to show the real cost of owning a fence over its lifetime. It will compare the cost of owning a wooden fence VS the cost of owning a concrete fence.

Wood Fence

Wood fence is initially cheaper than the more permanent fencing solutions such as concrete fencing. This is the main reason most people choose wooden fencing. People either do not have the necessary funds for a permanent fencing solution or they simply tell themselves "I'll worry about replacing the fence 10 years down the road". The latter can be a costly mistake.

On average in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia, you will be able to have a wooden fence installed starting at $22 a foot for a 6 feet high privacy fence. This includes material and labour. $22/ft usually gets you a somewhat relatively low quality wood (Pine, Fir, or Spruce) compared to a higher quality wood (Redwood) at  $30+ a foot. Be wary of contractors willing to install a wooden fence for really cheap. These contractors tend to cut corners to make up for the lost profits. This can decrease the life of your wooden fence and increase cost for you down the road.

Wood is taken from living trees and is subject to rot and deterioration. To slow down the inevitable death of wooden fence, maintenance is required. In a climate like BC, wooden fence typically require more maintenance than other types of fences. You will need to rinse or pressure wash a wooden fence a couple times a year. You will also need to repaint and/or stain the fence every 3 or 4 years. Doing so can ensure your wooden fence to last up to 15-20 years. Without such maintenance, a wood fence will need to be replaced every 10 years or so.

Recapping: 100 feet worth of 6 feet high privacy wooden fence

Cost of material and installation: $2200 - 3000
Painting (5 times over a 20 year life): $500 each time = $2000
Pressure washing (twice a year for 20 years = 40 times):  $50 each time = $2000
Negate misc cost of owning a fence

Total cost for owning a fence EVERY 20 years = $6200+

Concrete Fence

 
When a concrete fence is done right, it can be a permanent fencing solution. Like all fences, concrete fence is also subject to external factors such as earthquakes or storms or etc, but they are proven to have more resistance against external factors. The main problem for concrete fence is simply the cost. However once installed, a concrete fence becomes virtually maintenance free! The only maintenance is washing the wall once every few years to keep the wall looking like brand new. Even if left unwashed, the quality of the concrete fence does not change nor degrade like wood fence being prone to rot.

Recapping: 100 feet worth of 6 feet high privacy concrete fence

Cost of material and installation: $3900 - 6000
Repaint: N/A
Pressure washing: N/A
Negate misc cost of owning a fence

Total cost for owning a concrete fence INDEFINITELY = $3900 - 6000


The long term savings of concrete fencing coupled with virtually no maintenance clearly makes concrete fencing the smart way to go. Most concrete fencing manufacturer even provide financing to help people get past the hurdle of the initial cost of concrete fencing. Through short-sight, most people make the mistake of believing that wood fence is the cheapest solution when it comes to fencing. However, now that the math have been crunched, you can see for yourself the true cost of owning a fence!



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Out With the Old, and in With the New Old

When it comes to concrete fence, people still often synonymize concrete with ‘boring’, ‘dull’, ‘clunky’, ‘ugly’, and the like. If anything else that comes into mind, it would be that concrete is ‘old school’ and ‘outdated’. Well, time has changed, and like everything around us, concrete has also modernized and kept up with the time. It’s time to rethink concrete.

What can concrete not do? Concrete can be used with just about any other materials: wood, metal, vinyl, etc.  Not only is concrete versatile with other materials, it can also come in different shapes, forms, and sizes. Colors of concrete fence can be dyed, stained, and painted and can even be decorated to your specific need. Manufacturing through precast can have virtually limitless possibility on designs. Even artificial stone designs can be precast on concrete fences (see attached photos).

Natural Art Concrete Fence

With infinite possibilities of design options, concrete fences can be created to cater to your specific needs!

Despite all the misconception, concrete fence are showing up in our yards. No longer is concrete fence used as a barricade somewhere in an industrial area. It is showing up in the yards of proud homeowners. People are noticing concrete fence as it resonates an admirable home fencing solution. It is signifying permanent residency and it is reflecting on people that are taking pride living in their location.

Natural Art Concrete Fence

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Don't Forget To Paint!

Setting up your fence is only half the job. After your fence is set up, you should also paint it. Painting your fence can make your home and surrounding more aesthetically pleasing; also, the paint adds an additional layer of protection to your fence against environmental erosion and insects. Painting your fence will improve durability and also add value to the fence, and is definitely a worthwhile long-term investment.

First off, prior to selecting a color for your fence, you should understand the policies and regulations of your neighborhood. Check to see if you are restricted to having certain colors in your neighborhood. In addition, speaking to your neighbors about the paint job and coming to an agreement could minimize any unwanted dispute after the paint job.

You may also need to decide on the type of paint you want to use on your fence. Depending on the material your fence is built out of, you will need to consider the type of paint to use. For example, there are 3 types of paint we recommend for concrete fences: Acrylic, Epoxy, and Latex. For more information on concrete fence paint types visit: www.ehow.com/info_12039316_kind-paint-use-concrete-fence.html. If the natural color of concrete is good enough for you, consider using an Acrysheen coating sealant. Acrysheen can bring out the concrete definition and shading, as well as adding a protective layer to your fence.

Natural Art Concrete Fence - Natural Concrete Color With Acrysheen Applied

Lastly, choose a color that complements your surroundings, which includes your home, yard, and even your neighborhood. Your yard could be a reference to determine which colors your fence should be. You could also go for a color that matches your home or one that complements your home style. For example, “A traditional cottage or Colonial might look best surrounded by a fence painted a crisp, clean white, while a rustic ranch- or farm-style home might be complemented by an oak stain on the surrounding fence” (homeguides.sfgate.com, 2014). 

If you are still unsure of which colors to choose, we recommend talking to a home-store expert to find the type of paint you need for your fence.

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What's In Your Backyard?

Does this sight look familiar? Is this something you would see in your backyard or front yard? Is this your fence?

Old Wooden Fence

We all know the housing market in Vancouver is ridiculously expensive and has been on a constant rise. And those of us who are able to own or live in a single detached house realize the immense value of our homes. This is because nowadays, single detached housing starts around 1 million dollars in Vancouver. I guess being a millionaire in Vancouver does not get you very far.

Why is it that if we can spend such a big amount of money buying ridiculously expensive houses, we cannot spend some money dressing our homes up with a beautiful fence? Not only does a old rickety fence decrease the overall physical atheistic of the property, it also creates potential liabilities if it were ever to fall down on someone or endanger the livelihood of the inhabitants on that property.

Natural Art Concrete Fence

Benefits of having a well maintained/ new fence:

• Piece of mind
• Increase in property value - (http://naturalartfence.blogspot.ca/2014/08/property-value-creation-fence.html)
• Security
• Privacy

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