“Good fences make good neighbors,” so says the wisdom of the ages. And given that it’s been around so long, the statement is probably true.

Yard fencing can fill a variety of needs for a home owner. Fences can be the line that marks property boundaries and keeps children and pets within the yard and other critters out. For home garden enthusiasts, fences can keep children and smaller pets out of the garden, thus protecting the growing plant edibles. Homeowners who may want to enhance the value and beauty of their property can do so by adding a new and well designed attractive fence.

Whatever the reason for putting in a yard fence, there are materials and designs to match anyone’s vision of the perfect fence. Traditionally wood fences are, and they continue to be, the favorite type for any home. From an aesthetic point of view it is difficult to beat the look of a natural wood fence and fortunately there are various kinds of wood from which to choose. Some of the more popular woods are pine, cedar, and redwood, any of which can be treated to help protect the fence from the elements and also to provide a defined finished look.

In addition there are a variety of other approaches to yard fencing, not the least of which is a fun way. The best definition of a fence is that it is any type of barrier marking two property pieces and there are untold original ways to design individualized fencing, limited only by one’s lack of imagination. Some people have used diverse materials like ordinary shipping skids or inner tubes for fencing their yards. Many times materials like these can be acquired for free or at minimum cost and homeowners can get very creative in decorating and using them in ways best suited for their individual purpose and property.

Vinyl, which can be manufactured to closely resemble the look of wood, is a practical option for yard fencing and has the added benefit of being durable thus requiring only minimum maintenance. Chain link fences, updated from the old gray metal fences which bordered schools and playgrounds, are also a possibility. These fences have recently become more popular because of their fairly low cost and the simplicity of installation. The open interlace of these yard fences is another advantage because it makes them transparent, allowing the sunlight to come through from either side. An original way to approach chain link fencing is to create a more natural look by combining appropriate and attractive plants with the chain link fence. This combination can also provide the privacy of a physical barrier of plants with the containment of a chain link fence

Yard fencing of polymer, which can recreate the wrought iron look of fences, has become very popular in urban areas. These systems have the visual advantages of a wrought iron fence without the concern of rusting.

A post and rail fence, which has a historic and very pastoral look, is another possibility for common wood fencing. In the past post and rail yard fences were regularly used on ranches and farms to contain larger animals. In more modern times, they are primarily used to designate property lines and to heighten the yard’s uniqueness. Post and rail fences are common in country homes in spite of the fact that they do not provide a very good pet barrier, nor do they offer much privacy.

An important responsibility for any home owner, before planning and beginning to build a yard fence, is to research the laws of the county, town, or city in which it will be built to find out if a permit is necessary before building the fence and if so, what does the application process involve. There have been occasions when, after installing a beautiful yard fence, owners have been fined by the town for failing to follow the relevant rules.