Author Archives: rusty

Let a Fence Contractor Help Create Your Outdoor Living Space

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Did you know that a fence contractor can help you create the outdoor living spaces you crave, for much less money than other alternatives?

Outdoor Living Space

The demand for outdoor living space is growing by leaps and bounds. The friendly climate and beautiful scenery of the Intermountain West are especially perfect for enjoying life outdoors.

With summer right around the corner, wouldn’t you like to enjoy life outdoors a little more often?

The Growing Demand for Outdoor Living Space

Today’s homeowner is spending a lot of time at home. Whether it’s cooking out with the family or having friends over for game night, entertaining space is what we all want right now.

And the more of that entertaining space we can take outside, the happier we are.

Home buyers want a seamless transition from indoors to outside. Where once stood a solitary barbecue grill, they want full outdoor kitchens. No more patio tables from the home warehouse. Instead, they want the full dining room experience, but outside. Courtyards, Zen gardens and reading nooks are also on everybody’s wish list this year.

Aren’t they on yours?

How Wood and Vinyl Fencing Can Create Outdoor Living Space

You could spend a ton of money with a contractor to build pavilions, pergolas or structures to create these outdoor living areas. Or, for a fraction of the cost, time and hassle, you could call on your local fence contractor to create those spaces for you.

Both wood and vinyl fencing can help you achieve your goals. Vinyl fencing is especially versatile for this purpose, as you have dozens of styles and configurations to choose from. From tall privacy fences to half-height view fence, you can create dazzling visual interest while defining your outdoor spaces.

If wood is your preference – as it is for many customers – your fence contractor can create custom wood fence options to achieve the same goals.

Ornamental Iron Fence Enhances the Beauty of Your Yard

Once you have defined the various living spaces, why not allow your fence contractor to add a few decorative elements?

Ornamental iron fencing provides the perfect option for accenting your outdoor living spaces without blocking the view. For example, you can use an ornamental fence to define and separate your outdoor kitchen from the dining area without losing the open-concept feel that you love.

For peaceful seating areas or reading nooks, iron fence can help you distance yourself from the world while still allowing you to see and enjoy it!

You can also use ornamental iron fences and gates to create off-limits areas. This can help you keep pets out of your garden or children within reach of your watchful eyes and ears.

Outback Fencing has all the ideas and options you need for creating your outdoor paradise this summer. We are located in West Jordan, but we serve commercial and residential customers throughout Utah and Wyoming.

Remember Outback Fencing whenever you need a premier, locally owned and operated fence contractor.

Wood Fencing, Good Neighbor? Today’s Fence Etiquette Tips

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Whether it’s wood fencing, vinyl, chainlink or ornamental iron, the old adage holds that good fences make good neighbors.

Fencing Etiquette Tips

While that may still be true today, modern society has added a few rules to the game.

If you plan to add or replace the wood fencing along a property line you share with a neighbor, we offer a few helpful tips and tricks to keeping things neighborly.

Have a Conversation, Even If It Kills You

There’s nothing quite like going out for the morning paper only to discover your neighbor has torn down your shared wood fencing.

If you want to make an enemy of the folks next door, that’s how you do it. If you want to keep things a little friendlier, ask your neighbors over for a glass of lemonade in the back yard. It’s a perfect segue to a discussion about installing a new fence.

And, as hard as it may be for you, have the conversation about price if you expect them to contribute. Be prepared for a little pushback, as they may not have an interest in splitting the cost (or the ability to).

Whether or not your neighbors are willing to contribute financially, be sure to discuss the type of vinyl or wood fencing you plan to build. Full disclosure and agreement from both sides will prevent misunderstandings and bad feelings in the future.

Verify the Property Line and Other Relevant Details

Before you build any kind of shared fencing, hire a surveyor to locate the property line.

This is especially important if your home is older, or if it has had multiple owners over time. Property lines tend to shift over the years and failure to verify the exact location can lead to disputes and unexpected expenses.

If a new neighbor moves in later, only to find you’ve built your fence too far to their side, they may have legal grounds to make you relocate it. By the same token, you don’t want to give up any of your lot either.

Before you make any final decisions, determine whether you will need building permits or homeowners’ association approval for your fencing project. Failure to obtain the necessary permits or approvals can potentially get you and your neighbor into trouble.

If you do live in an HOA, consult the Association’s design guidelines and CC&Rs to be sure you understand what you are permitted to build.

Consider the Type of New Fencing You Plan to Use

Neighborly fence etiquette dictates that you replace existing wood fencing with new wood or a more preferable product, such as vinyl.

Likewise, if the existing shared fencing is a privacy fence, your neighbor probably won’t appreciate it if you replace it with chainlink or an ornamental iron view fence. And, as much as it may hurt, be considerate of your neighbor’s architectural style and exterior décor when making your selection.

Finally, let’s talk about quality. You may be an avid do-it-yourselfer, but a shared fence project is best left to the professionals. A poor quality wood fencing installation will not only look bad, but it may pose a security or safety risk for you and your neighbor.

Here at Outback Fencing, we consider all of our customers to be our neighbors. As a locally owned and operated fencing contractor, we serve commercial and residential customers throughout Utah and Wyoming.

Contact us today for assistance with all your fencing needs. We have lots of experience in helping neighbors with shared fence projects, and we can help guide you through the process of adding a new iron, vinyl or wood fence.

Choose Vinyl Fence to Repel Utah’s Pesky Critters

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If you have a yard or garden pest problem, a vinyl fence may be the ideal solution to your dilemma.

Vinyl Fence

Here in Utah, we are blessed with a variety of natural beauty. From the dazzling mountain vistas to the bounty of native wildlife species, our climate and ecosystem provide much to love.

Of course, it comes with its share of pests as well. Fortunately, vinyl fencing provides one of the most effective ways to keep them where they belong – outside of your yard.

What’s Eating Your Garden?

If something’s eating at your garden or digging up your freshly planted flower bulbs, it could be one of several furry fiends.

Common garden pests (of the non-insect variety) include ground squirrels, skunks, raccoons, voles, mule dear and rabbits. Squirrels love munching on everything from tulips to tomatoes. Both rabbits and mule deer are nibblers, against which almost nothing is safe.

Even your neighborhood’s pets can wreak havoc.

Cats particularly enjoy loose, healthy garden soil for answering nature’s call and dogs, well, dogs will dig up or eat almost anything that looks or smells like fun (or funk).

Potential Methods of Repelling Munchy Pests

You have several options for preserving your yard and garden from four-legged predators, although they offer varying levels of effectiveness.

You can always protect each plant with individual wire cages or enclosures but, for some crops (tomatoes, for example), you’ll likely have to wrap each one in screen mesh.

Spray-on repellants are effective in some cases, but they can have undesired side effects. Chemicals may not be safe for pets and kids, especially on those plants that produce fruits or vegetables. Animal urine is another popular repellant, but these products leave behind a decidedly unpleasant odor. If you spend any time outdoors (who doesn’t?), this may not be a viable option either.

Besides, repellents wash away with the every rainstorm and sprinkler session.

Some gardeners swear by rubber snakes, owl statues, foil pie pans and other folk remedies for protecting plants. Unfortunately, these produce mixed results as well.

Hungry animals intent on having a snack at your place quickly learn that these decoys don’t pose them any real harm. And, once they figure that out, it’s an all-you-can-eat critter buffet at your place.

Vinyl Fence Offers the Most Effective Method of Exclusion

Although it won’t help much with birds or bugs, vinyl fencing is one of the most effective ways to keep the furry variety of pests out of your yard.

So why is vinyl fencing a better option than other products?

First of all, it’s flexible enough that it can be built to almost any height necessary to keep pests out. It’s extremely strong and long-lasting as well, so critters won’t be able to nibble their way through (or knock it down) like they might with wood, or squeeze through like they can with ornamental metal or chain link fencing.

And, unlike other fencing materials, vinyl fence is extremely difficult for most animals to climb or scale.

The versatility of vinyl garden fencing means that you can choose a color and design that enhances your home’s architectural style. As a result, your new fence will be as beautiful as it is functional.

Here at Outback Fencing, we are big fans of vinyl fencing for your yard or garden. It’s virtually maintenance free and so durable that it will last for decades, keeping the pests out as well as it keeps pets and kids safe inside.

Contact us today for a complimentary inspection and estimate. This summer, trust Outback Fencing to protect your precious plants with the installation new vinyl fence.

Recycle Your Wood Fence

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Is it time to replace your wood fence?

wood fence utah

Before we can install your new fence, your old one must, of course, be removed. But don’t just trash all that perfectly good wood – much of it may still be in usable condition.

Check out our creative and fun suggestions for recycling your old fencing materials!

Use the Wood for New Projects

Discarded wood fencing is perfect for small construction projects around the house.

It doesn’t matter if you have worked with wood before. After all, the material is free so, if you make a mistake, just grab another piece and try again. Even novice builders can experiment and create a variety of items that could be used to decorate the home or give as gifts.

So what should you create with your old wood fence?

Building plans for all kinds of small projects are available online. You could build a birdhouse or squirrel feeder. Or, the material could be used to build rustic picture frames or shelving for inside your home. Garden or indoor benches, vintage-looking window boxes and storage chests are also fun.

You could even build a new doghouse for trusty Rex, or a playhouse for the kids. Both projects can be fun for the whole family!

Reuse the Materials Elsewhere

Trash cans and recycling bins can mar the beautiful appearance of your home. Why not consider using your old wood fence to hide them? A wood enclosure will also help keep animals from foraging for food in your trash.

The easiest way to tackle this project is to remove your old fence in sections, and attach them together with L-braces to create a corral for your garbage containers. Add hinges and a gate hook or latch to the fourth side, for easy access.

Once you’ve screened your trash cans, use the same approach to mask that unsightly ground-mounted AC unit!

Think about all the other possible uses for this beautiful, repurposed wood!

You could use it to build a compost bin or raised flower beds. You could use it to create landscaping borders. You could even attach the individual planks to a worn table top to create a shabby-chic patio set.

Other Ways to Recycle Fence Materials

If repurposing your fence materials around the house doesn’t sound appealing, you can still put the wood to good use.

Your local recycling center can suggest where you may donate your wood fence for reuse or resale. Or, you could just sell, trade or give away the wood online. Check to with your friends or neighbors, to see if they have use for the materials.

Consider finding a local charity that donates building materials for the homeless or disadvantaged. You would be surprised at how your old fence may contribute to the greater good!

Outback Fencing, serving Wyoming and Utah, can replace your old fence with new wood or with one of our other amazing products, including vinyl and ornamental metal. Contact us today and let us help you make magic with your old wood fence!

Building Fences and Gates on a Slope

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Building fences is the most effective way keep your pets and livestock corralled (kids too!), establish boundaries on your property and help to give you some privacy from the prying eyes of neighbors or passersby.

Sloped Fencing

Fencing also helps to make your property more visually appealing!

In some cases, fence-building can present some interesting challenges, and one of those is dealing with slopes and uneven areas on your lot.

The Intermountain West is known for its breathtaking terrain, but the very elements that make our part of the country so beautiful also can make construction and home improvement projects a hassle.

Consider all the facts if you plan to add fencing to your sloped or uneven property.

Sloped Property

When adding a fence to a property with significant slope, you have two basic choices:

  • Grade the slope, which involves digging and cutting to make the land level, and can be expensive and time consuming.
  • Build the fence to follow the slope of your property.

The right approach for you will depend on several factors, including the type of fencing material you prefer and your budget for the project. In some cases, land use restrictions and homeowners association guidelines don’t allow you to make major changes to grade or slope.

If you must deal with a slope, you have several options for design.

Contoured Fencing

If your lot has a fairly gentle, uniform slope, contoured fencing is an easy and cost-effective approach. Fence panels are simply installed along the contours of the lot.

As a result, the top of the fence will not be level, but parallel to the ground in that particular spot. This approach works best when you select fencing with a decorative or curved top edge, to mimic the terrain’s curves.

Stepped Fencing

A stepped fence works well for steeper slopes, especially if you prefer the tops of your panels to be level rather than parallel to the ground’s contours. In this approach, standard-width fence panels are installed so that each piece steps down (or up) from the next as it follows the run of your slope.

The one drawback to this design is that gaps typically occur between the bottom of the panels and the ground. Stepped fencing has an aesthetically pleasing look, but might not be a great choice if you want to keep pets in or critters out.

Racked Fencing

Racked fencing is installed the same way as a stepped design, but it uses smaller (narrower) panels, allowing it to follow the lot’s grade more closely.

Although you won’t completely eliminate the gaps at grade level, you can minimize them. The one drawback to a racked design is that, because the panels are narrower, it can create a choppy look that’s less pleasing to the eye.

A Few Final Considerations

Before deciding on a final design, be sure to check your city or county’s guidelines and any homeowners association restrictions that may apply.

You can also correct a multitude of sins with the right landscaping. Adding planters inside the yard is a practical and attractive way to minimize the appearance of any gaps, improving the look of your fence as well as preventing entry and escape for small animals.

If you plan to add one or more gates to your project, it’s best to locate them at the most level parts of the slope. To effectively swing in or out, gates must be mounted high enough to move freely above the ground. Otherwise, some degree of grading must be done at that location to facilitate the gate’s movement.

Outback Fencing, your locally owned and operated experts, serves Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. We have many years of experience working with all types of slopes and terrain. Call on us for a free estimate for your property and rest assured that we are experts at building fences of all types!

Security Fencing Improves Your Home’s Value

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Security Fencing

When it’s time to sell your home, installing security fencing is a great way to improve the value and salability of your property.

Maybe you’re considering selling your home in the near future, or maybe you’re just ready to finally add that fence you’ve been thinking about. Whatever the reason, installing security fence for your property provides a variety of proven benefits. Security fences also come in many shapes and sizes, to fit any budget and design style.

A Wise Investment

Whenever home or business owners invest in property improvements, their goal is to improve the look and value of the home. In a perfect world, the investment also will increase comfort and safety as well.

Security fencing does all of the above. It:

  • Protects the property
  • Adds aesthetic value and curb appeal
  • Adds function
  • Improves privacy

Security fencing serves multiple purposes for both residential and commercial properties. It’s for keeping people and critters out, sure, but also for keeping some of them in, assuming they’re yours.

Security fence around a pool, for example, helps to keep kids and animals safe. When selling your home, local laws may require pool fencing.

Perimeter fencing around your yard keeps children and pets from running into traffic, but it also improves your home’s curb appeal and adds to your property’s overall design aesthetic.

Lots of Options

If you think security fencing is utilitarian and unattractive, think again.

Today, you can choose from a wide variety of styles and looks, and you’re sure to find one that fits your taste and the architectural style of your home or business.

Among your choices are fence height, level of privacy and view options, color and material.

Select the Right Features for You

When selecting your materials and layout, don’t forget about gates and automatic opener options.

Gates provide easy access for you and your guests, but also a way to lock out unwanted visitors and potential criminals.

Automatic openers are especially helpful for accessing your driveway, garage or parking lot. At night, an automatic gate opener will provide an invaluable level of security, as you will never have to leave your car until you’re securely inside with the gate locked behind you.

At Outback Fencing, we specialize in security fencing of all types. From budget-friendly chain-link to durable and attractive iron fencing, we can recommend the perfect style to meet your goals and budget.

Outback Fencing serves Idaho, Wyoming and Utah. Contact us today to learn more about the benefits of adding security fencing to your home or business.

Choose the Right Type of Fencing for Your Needs

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The type of fencing you choose for you home contributes to its all-important curb appeal, certainly, but it also plays an important role in your home’s security.

Fenced Entrance

One of the most common reasons Americans install fencing at their homes or businesses is to improve privacy and security. Fortunately, you have many options when selecting your fencing.

 

Below are a few of the most important considerations that will help you determine which type of fence will best suit your needs.

 

Which Fence Is Right for Your Yard?

 

Why are you installing a fence? Is it for privacy? Visual appeal? To keep pets or children safe? To keep livestock corralled?

 

Remember that no matter what your needs, a professionally installed fence will increase your property values while enhancing visual appeal.

 

If privacy is your main concern, then a wooden fence may work best; however, vinyl fencing may also be an option for you. If it’s containment that you need, consider an ornamental iron fence. Iron fencing comes in a variety of finishes and styles that will enhance the look of your home. And, of course, if you want containment but you’re not too concerned about style, chainlink makes for an affordable, durable and reliable option.

 

How Much Maintenance Can You Handle?

 

How much time do you want to spend maintaining your new fence?

 

Wooden fencing requires quite a bit of maintenance, and painting and/or staining will be required every few years. However, wood fencing has a warm, natural look that many people believe is worth the effort.

 

Iron and vinyl fencing require the least amount of upkeep, which is why they are popular options for so many homeowners. Metal fencing can be more difficult to repair than wooden fencing, however.

 

Do You Have a Homeowners Association?

 

If you live in a master planned community or subdivision governed by an HOA, you will be required to comply with their design guidelines. If you don’t meet the standards when building a fence, they can compel you to remove it.

 

It’s also highly likely that the HOA will require you to submit your proposed fencing plans for approval prior to installation.

 

How Do You Choose the Right Contractor For the Job?

 

Of course you can try installing a fence on your own, but the specialized tools and hard labor required is reason enough to hire a professional. With a licensed contractor, your new fence will come complete with a warranty and a quality of workmanship you would struggle to achieve on your own.

 

Your contractor also will be familiar with the process for obtaining any necessary building permits or HOA design committee approval.

 

Outback Fencing, serving Idaho, Wyoming and Utah, is your go-to choice for a locally owned and operated fencing contractor. We have decades of experience, and we stand ready to help you with all of your wood, vinyl, ornamental iron and chainlink fencing needs.

Winter Is the Best Time for New Fencing

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Holiday GateIf you’ve been thinking about new fencing and waiting for the perfect time to do it, it’s now. Winter is, in fact, the best time to install new fencing. Here’s why.

 

Springtime is Busy

 

As the snow melts and another winter passes, many people spring into action and start projects they’ve been dreaming about all winter. And this means that spring and summer are the peak seasons for repairing, replacing or adding a fence. You may have to wait for your fencing contractor to find a spot in the schedule for you, and you may even come up against material backorders.

 

By installing a new fence in the winter, you will get the prompt service and attention you need from your contractor, because it’s their offseason.

 

Easy Preparation

 

At this time of year, the earth provides a solid foundation for digging and setting posts.

 

Wet weather in the spring often means sloppy, muddy conditions in your yard, as well as expanding soils. During the cold months, soil is shrunken to its driest and most compact state.

 

Maybe Save a Little Money

 

Winter is the slowest time of year for all of the construction trades, and they may have surplus materials in inventory, which may translate to some savings for you. Some types of fencing may even cost less during these months. Be sure to ask about any current specials or promotions!

 

Get the Fence You Really Want

 

When you install a fence in the spring or summer, you often have an immediate need for it. If the materials you want aren’t available, you may have to compromise on your selection.

 

If you install during the winter, you can take the time to really customize your fence and get exactly what you want without worrying about how long it’s going to take. And, because you’re doing this in the offseason, even highly customized fences will have a short turnaround time!

 

Don’t Forget About Repairs!

 

Was your fence damaged during the summer months? Perhaps you or a family member had an unfortunate riding lawnmower accident that mowed down more than just grass, or your panels fell victim to one of our northern Utah winds.

 

Whatever the reason, this is also a great time to have your fence repaired. This way, when the snow melts to reveal spring, you’ll have one less project to worry about, and more time to enjoy the warm weather.

 

Are You Ready?

 

Outback Fence, serving Idaho, Wyoming and Utah, is happy to offer a full line of services all year long. So whether you’re interested in getting new fencing or repairing an existing fence, now is the time.

 

Give us a call today for a free estimate for all of your wood, vinyl, chain link or iron fencing needs.