I Hate a Backyard Fence, But I Needed One

Being from the country, I was never inclined to like nor need a backyard fence. I thought they were ugly and made me feel locked in and shut other people out. After I moved into an urban area, I started to feel differently about them and saw more of a need for a backyard fence.

While I still didn’t like them, I was forced to come up with a backyard fence plan of some sort, if for no other reason than to keep my pets in my yard and my neighbor’s critters in theirs. I really didn’t know where to start. I knew I needed a backyard fence for privacy, but what kind? I certainly didn’t know how to build a backyard fence. Should it be made of wood? Brick? Chain link? On top of that, I didn’t know anything about fence gate hardware!

I didn’t even want the stupid thing in the first place, and now I was forced with a big decision, not just about a privacy fence, but about what type would increase the value of my home. One of my neighbors had a backyard decorative fence wire woven, and it seemed to keep in the good and keep out the bad, but not obstruct the view.

The only thing I did know for sure was that our neighborhood was changing. The kids were cutting through the yard and snooping around, and even strangers would occasionally pass through. It started to get a bit creepy, so I was forced to quit putting it off and I had to make a decision on what kind of fence I was going to put up.

The problem is that I thought the type of fence that I wanted didn’t exist. I was a kid once, and I understand how easy it is to jump some backyard fences. Chain-link fences can be jumped. A wood backyard fence would probably be no good because the kids could knock a hole in it and go on through. Then I’d be stuck doing fence repair. The last thing I would ever consider for a backyard fence is a barbed-wire fence. Even though I didn’t want the neighborhood kids coming through, I didn’t want them getting hurt either.

One day while my family and I were out for a casual drive I saw the answer I was seeking – a wrought iron fence! I thought it was beautiful. However, there was one problem; I’m kind of a do it yourself landscaping guy, and I had no idea how to go about putting that kind of backyard fence up.

So, I went to Home Depot for some pointers. There was a really knowledgeable guy there and we talked about it for quite awhile. After he explained most of the details to me. I hired a contractor that he recommended and I watched football and drank beer while the contractor built the fence. Problem solved:)