Wooden picket fence: advantages and disadvantages, types and properties

Often the owners of a country house are puzzled by how to make a picket fence, what kind of material it is, where else it is used. These are common questions from people who want to make a temporary or permanent site fencing practical and visually appealing.

This type of construction is extremely popular in Canada, the USA and Europe, but in Russia it is most often used only as a country option.

An M-shaped plastic euro picket for a fence, wood models and other types of metal fences and rails are on sale quite widely, and therefore it is worth considering them in more detail to make a choice of one of the most popular materials.

Wooden picket fence: advantages and disadvantages, types and properties

What is this

Europlank, picket fence, metal fence — all these names usually mean the same type of fences, which differ in non-solid construction. So, instead of a single canvas for spans, separate solid planks are used here, they can be one- or two-sided, which are fixed on the surface of the base — a frame of horizontal load-bearing elements and pillars.

Such a name as «picket fence» comes from the German stake — a pole or a pillar. As a rule, the slats are fixed in a single row, thereby forming a fence with different gaps between the slats. There are even two-row designs on sale, in which pickets are placed in a checkerboard pattern on both sides of the horizontal type guide. The main function of fences is to mark the boundaries of the site, and its role is mostly decorative than protective. In its standard version, such a fence maintains normal air circulation, and yet does not change the microclimate of the site. For a long time, the picket fence was only made of wood, but now it is made of metal and polymer materials, as well as various composites.

Advantages and disadvantages

Since the fence is a very popular type of fence, you can find certain advantages and disadvantages in it.

The obvious advantages include the following properties and facts:

• There is no solid shadow — both shade-loving and shade-tolerant plants can be planted along the fence in a suburban area, as well as forming a hedge.
• No maintenance problems — wood structures are regularly painted, and metal ones are easier to wash, removing dust from them.
• The service life of 5 years — the metal picket fence will last much longer, and with proper care, the replacement of the fence will be required only after 10-15 years.
• Suitability for repair — you can easily restore the structural integrity without dismantling the entire fence.
• A huge choice of materials — you can make a fence from plastic modules, wooden or metal planks, smooth or with different types of profiles.
• The appearance is harmonious — this type of fence will ideally fit into any style direction of landscape design, and is also suitable for suburban / urban real estate, summer cottages. The upper part can be made in almost any shape — from semicircles to rhombuses and even scallops.
• The ability to make independent installation — you can build a fence from a picket fence even without long and complex preparation, concreting the base and laying the foundation.
• Affordable price — the advantage can be called the cost of the picket fence, and you can equip the construction of the fence without spending a lot of money.

But it was not without its shortcomings. In terms of durability and strength, it is much inferior to capital types of fences. In addition, the picket fence, which has sharp edges, is quite traumatic; when placed on a site with blown winds, it is not able to protect against cataclysms. Another tangible disadvantage was the lack of privacy. So it will not be possible to fully hide from the neighbor’s eyes.

Manufacturing materials

Most often, a material such as a picket fence is classified according to the material of manufacture. Moreover, on the market at the moment there are forged and steel Euro pickets, miniature PVC sections to decorate flower beds, wooden varieties and combined options made of wood and polymer.

Individual slats are made from a variety of materials, but the frame is usually made of metal or wood. In combined types of fences, you can use a base made of concrete and brick with separate inserts in the form of fence sections.

Plastic

Standard picket fence options are not made of plastic, but on sale you can find small PVC sections that are designed to frame flower beds, flower beds and flower beds. They are not the most durable, they serve only a couple of seasons, quickly lose the brightness of colors when in contact with moisture and the sun’s rays. Among the advantages of these types of fences, one can single out the minimum cost, the possibility of cleaning with a damp cloth, and also the presence of chemical neutrality. PVC and wood-polymer products are immediately produced in a painted form. Often they are decorated with natural wood, and the material itself is made of plastic, which is resistant to temperature extremes.

Visually, a polymer picket fence is no different from a classic wooden counterpart. Its planks range in size from 0.15 to 0.23 meters, they are fixed on metal brackets in grooves or by means of specialized brackets. To increase the degree of strength, stiffeners are used, the upper part, and if it needs to be cut off, it can be covered with plugs. WPC (wood-polymer composite) is also quite popular in the manufacturing process of the picket fence. In composition, it is similar to terrace boards, has a high degree of strength and resistance to the atmosphere. The material is made using a similar technology, it is no worse than wood in terms of rigidity, and it is always outwardly attractive. Inside the slats there are cavities that allow you to maintain the rigidity and lightness of the structure.

Metal

The fence, which is made of metal, can be divided into 2 main categories — profiled (i.e. from sheet metal), and also welded (made of pipes with a triangular / square / round section). They differ in the assembly method in the section, strength characteristics. Fences made of metal, which are made of tubular picket fence, are the most durable, can look very attractive, and are ideally combined with concrete / brick / stone. The profiled options are quite light, and such a fence can also be made without a foundation, on ordinary supports, and the assembly is done using bolts and self-tapping screws. The euro picket fence has a beautiful appearance, it can be installed in 2 rows, in a checkerboard pattern to block the view for outsiders, and it is also produced in different shades and design options.

Wood

The wooden picket fence has become a classic, which allows the use of improvised materials for fences, as well as special strips made by the industrial method. This type of picket fence is short, from 0.3 to 0.6 meters, which is used for zoning, and also happens to be of normal height. The fence made of natural wood can be painted, stained and varnished. The restoration of the decorative and protective coating is carried out every couple of years.

It is made smooth or carved, the tops are made in the form of trapezoids, peaks or even triangles. A wooden picket fence differs from other types in the variety of installation. It can be easily stacked horizontally and vertically, attached in a checkerboard pattern, in the form of a fan, and also create other unusual compositions. In the role of material for manufacturing, inexpensive coniferous wood is usually used. It is important that it is perfectly dried, does not have chips / knots / resin traces. The standard plank thickness is 2 cm, and the length varies from 1.1 to 2 meters.

Picket fence use