Choosing the right fence for your home can be a pivotal decision—whether you’re aiming to blend seamlessly with your neighbourhood or make a distinctive statement, understanding the popular fencing styles in your area is crucial. This blog post will explore the most sought-after fence styles in Ottawa, helping you make an informed choice that complements your home and meets your needs. Whether you prioritize privacy, affordability, or design, there’s a fence style suited to every homeowner’s taste and budget.
Popular Fence Styles in Ottawa
When you’re choosing the right type of fence for your home, there are plenty of factors to consider. These can get overwhelming quickly, so it can be helpful to know what the most popular fencing styles in your area are to guide your decision.
Picket Fence
A picket fence is one of the most iconic designs there is. They’re characterized by short posts with evenly spaced pickets. Within this design, there are several unique style options to choose from.
- There are the more decorative, straight picket fences, where the pickets are a few inches apart, and the fence only comes up to about waist height. The tops of the pickets will often come to a point or have a decorative element to them.
- There are also staggered picket fences, where each picket is on the other side of the base rather than all in a line.
- Capped picket fences use a single beam of wood placed over the tops of the posts, creating a flat line on top.
Picket fences are a classic, popular choice for a reason—their iconic design can fit into any neighbourhood, and their versatility can be matched to any housing style. They’re also a very affordable option, as the design is simple, and they can be made using any material you choose, allowing you flexibility in your budget. Their standard, spaced-out pickets also allow sunlight into your yard, which can help with gardens or just add to a relaxing summer afternoon atmosphere.
Privacy Fence
If you want your backyard to be your oasis, you might want to opt for a privacy fence. These can be made of any fencing material, with wood and vinyl, or PVC, all being popular choices. These materials provide increased privacy and security over other fencing options as the slats are close together, and they tend to be taller.
With privacy fencing comes some restrictions, though. In Ottawa, a residential fence in the backyard can’t be taller than 2.13 meters. Luckily, that is more than tall enough to block the sightlines of most of your neighbours, keeping your backyard perfectly private.
Shadowbox Fence
Shadowbox fences are characterized by slats that are placed alternately on a base. While the sides of the slats line up, giving you privacy, there are a few inches between them to create shadows on the slats that are further back. This adds an element of visual interest to your fence, as the shadow effect will change over the course of the day and season.
Depending on the material you choose for your shadowbox fence, the design can be very modern, contemporary, or anything in between. This makes it a versatile option for adding some easy aesthetic appeal to your property.
Chain Link Fence
The biggest draws of a chain link fence are its durability and low maintenance. They’re also very affordable, making them a great choice for pool enclosures and other sectioning needs within a larger yard. While the large gaps in the fence decrease their privacy, the safety and security they can provide are invaluable if you’ve got a pet or otherwise want to protect certain areas of your outdoor space.
While a chain link fence will look more industrial than other types of fencing, you can opt for a vinyl or aluminum coating and choose different colours and finishes, personalizing it to match the rest of your house.
Wrought Iron Fence
Wrought iron fences are durable and long-lasting—there’s a reason why you still see them in front of older homes! With a wide range of design options, wrought iron fences can add a lot of style to your home and will last for generations. They can be a higher-cost fencing option, both because of the materials and the cost of design and installation, but they may be worth it in the long run.
Wrought iron is more commonly used in front yards to add curb appeal, as iron bars don’t provide much privacy in a backyard.
Matching Fence Style to Your Home’s Architecture
Selecting the right fence for your home is not just about security and privacy; it’s about complementing your home’s architecture and enhancing its overall appeal. Whether your home is colonial, ranch, or contemporary, there is a fence style that perfectly matches its architectural character. A picket fence might be the quintessential choice for a charming colonial house, while a sleek shadowbox or privacy fence could suit the clean lines of a modern contemporary home. Meanwhile, a ranch house could be beautifully framed by a sturdy wrought iron or a simple chain link fence, depending on your personal taste and the specific needs of your property.
If you’re ready to start choosing a new fence for your house, contact us at Ideal Fence today to schedule your free consultation.