Should You Install a Privacy Fence Around Your Front Garden?
When weighing up different front fences, you can analyse them in terms of the privacy they provide. A metal panel fence or a solid brick, stone, or cement structure will block the view. Tubular metal and low picket fences, on the other hand, let you see past them. A slat fence offers a middle ground as it can be opaque or open, depending on the design. If you're not sure whether a privacy fence will suit you, here are some factors to help you decide.
Outdoor Living Space
One benefit of a high, opaque fence is that you can use your front yard as an outdoor living space. You can relax in the private garden and play with your children or pets. This can be a good solution if your backyard is overlooked by a tall block of units.
Another reason you might want a private front garden is that you live on a busy road, forcing you to close the curtains for privacy inside your home. With an opaque front fence, you can open the window coverings and let the daylight stream in. If you want to avoid feeling too confined, you can install wide driveway gates that you can leave open at times.
Kerb View
While a privacy fence secludes your property, it also blocks the view from the street, which can lower your home's kerb appeal. After all, standing on the footpath in front of a solid barrier is often not as pleasing as looking at a garden and a house facade. This may be something to consider if you're selling in the near future.
Additionally, you may want to install a fence style that is consistent with other fences in the neighbourhood, that aren't privacy structures. Some councils have regulations about the style and height of fencing, particularly for heritage buildings. Many heritage fence styles, such as woven wire and picket designs, don't offer privacy.
Security
One of the disadvantages of an opaque fence is that it provides privacy for whoever is on your property, including trespassers who can hide behind it. This can make a house less secure because passersby can't see and report criminals they see prowling around the garden.
A non-private style high enough to deter people from climbing is a tall tubular metal fence. These can be built with spearheads at the top for extra deterrent value. With these fences, everyone can see through them in both directions, which can make a property safer.
Noise
The fencing you choose will also affect the noise that enters your home, and a privacy barrier can do this more effectively than an open structure. If you live on a busy road, noise may be an important consideration. In general, thicker, bulkier materials such as solid brick and cement will screen out noise better than a slim, metal-panelled barrier. Some high-timber private fences are also effective at blocking noise. Ask your fencing contractor for their recommendations.
