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Fence Design Options for Small Yards

March 7th, 2012

In cities with high population densities, such as Portland, fencing materials are often destined for small yards. And as any custom fencing expert can tell you, the unfortunate tendency is to install fences that actually make small yards seem even smaller. To avoid this outcome with your fence materials, Portland residents, follow the tips we’ve gathered below.

1. Strike a proportional balance between your home and your fence materials. Portland’s grand Victorian homes often feature huge yards. In this setting, a tall, stone fence would be striking. However, the same six-foot stone fence would completely overwhelm a Portland bungalow with a postage stamp yard. While researching custom fencing options, remember to match the size and style of your new fence to the rest of your property.

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3 Reasons to Build a Cedar Fence before Selling Your Home

January 30th, 2012

Picket Cedar FenceWhen selling a property, homeowners generally understand that their home is more likely to sell if it is clean and well maintained. However, they may not as readily name the construction of a new cedar fence as a technique for attracting homebuyers. Below, we explain why adding a cedar fence is a great way to entice buyers to your property.

Curb Appeal: Making a Great First Impression

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Chain Link Fence: Portland History or Disposable Fencing Material?

January 20th, 2012

Washington Park Reservoir Chain Link Fence After saving your money, researching options and talking to your neighbors, you’re almost ready to replace that utilitarian chain link fencing around your yard. You’re just waiting on one thing: the building permit for removing your chain link fence. Portland’s bureaucrats will surely rubber stamp this application, you tell yourself. But they don’t. Instead, they reject your plans, saying your fence is protected by historical preservation ordinances. You can’t replace the boundary marker with anything other than chain link fencing, they say. To do otherwise would be to destroy the cultural context of the neighborhood.

Admittedly, this kind of story hasn’t yet popped up in Portland, but a similar series of events recently occurred in Old Town Alexandria, VA, as reported in the Washington Post. A homeowner there, Anita Hall, replaced her old chain link fencing with an aluminum fence. After examining the new fence (which had been erected without the proper municipal permits) city historic preservation staffers reported that by taking down the chain link fence, Hall “would be removing an important contextual clue to the original occupants of this neighborhood.”

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Are Cedar Fence Materials Worth the Maintenance?

November 30th, 2011

Decorator Cedar FenceIf you’re in the market for fence materials, Portland residents, you may be wondering if cedar fencing is worth the time and effort its upkeep requires. The following list of cedar fencing disadvantages and advantages should help you decide if this is the right fencing option for you.

Disadvantages of Cedar Fence Materials

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3 Warning Signs Your Cedar Fence is Unprotected for Winter

October 11th, 2011

Cedar FenceConsidering that the National Weather Service has predicted another wet, cold La Nina weather pattern for the next six months, it’s especially important right now to examine and maintain your wood deck and fence materials. Portland always sees drizzly winter weather, but the La Nina cycle means we’ll be seeing even more precipitation than we’re used to here in the Pacific Northwest. Even in years with typical moisture levels, property owners should check their fences to make sure they’re protected for winter.

What makes wood-based Portland fencing materials vulnerable to winter rain and snow? Well, when moisture seeps into wood fiber, it naturally expands and contracts with the external temperature. This is a vital characteristic for standing trees – after all, living things need to be able to adapt to surrounding weather conditions. However, when waterlogged cedar fence materials expand and contract, warping, splintering and cracking can occur.

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How to Build a Scarecrow for Your Garden Fence

October 5th, 2011

Happy Scarecrow CouplePortland fencing materials serve very important purposes. They protect families, provide boundaries and create safe, enclosed zones where kids can play. Beyond these utilitarian uses, however, you can find many fun ways to take advantage of your fence materials. Portland homeowners can turn any fence into a habitat for an eye-catching scarecrow, for instance.

Here are some tips on building a scarecrow for your garden fence. Read the rest of this entry »

Top 3 Spookiest Gates in Film

October 4th, 2011

Ornamental gates are some of the most symbolic fence materials. Portland’s Jungian psychologists would point out that gates are the ultimate thresholds. Mythologists such as Joseph Campbell have found that, in stories across cultures, gates represent the line between the known and the unknown. In Campbell’s concept of the hero’s journey, a sort of recurring plotline in myths throughout history, the hero must often cross a gate in order to begin his or her own transformation.

In our everyday lives, ornamental gates function as announcements of just what type of person lives in a certain home, or what type of business operates in a certain building. Gates can also represent safety and security – just think about so-called gated communities. Finally, gates can also represent a movement from one defined neighborhood into another; this is the function of the ornate gates to Chinatown in Portland.

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Halloween Fence Installation: How to Transform Your Yard into a Cemetery

September 25th, 2011

For many adults, seeing munchkins run around in costume is the best part of Halloween. One way to attract more trick-or-treaters to your door is to decorate your home in a seasonally appropriate way – and nothing says “Halloween” quite like a graveyard.

By substituting inexpensive trellising, salvaged fence materials or PVC pipe for wrought-iron fencing materials, Portland homeowners can create a spooky cemetery scene right in their front yards. Here are some ideas to get you started:

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How to Decorate Your Fence for Fall

September 21st, 2011

Halloween Lights in Iron FenceThere are many ways to decorate your home for autumn. Since a home’s fence is often the first thing visitors see, it is the perfect canvas for decorative expression. From cedar fence materials to stone walls, every fence can be outfitted to announce the fall harvest and holidays.

Here are a few ways to decorate your fence for fall:

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How to Grow Pumpkins on Your Fence

September 19th, 2011

Pumpkin climbing the fence in front of the chook houseA fence is a fence is a fence. Except when it’s also a nursery. Trellising vegetables along a fence is a wonderful way to add verticality to any garden – not to mention a tasty selection of produce. Few vegetables are as enjoyable to grow as pumpkins; with the passing of each crisp autumn day, you can watch your pumpkins swell in size.

However, because pumpkins can be quite heavy, they require a little extra planning in order to be grown on fence materials. Portland fence owners can grow pumpkins on their chain link or cedar fence materials by following the tips listed below. Read the rest of this entry »