Although building a fence is one of the easiest projects that you can complete on your own, you will still be quite hard pressed to find a guide that tells you all you might need to know before you start one. This is because of the number of options that you have when building a fence.

There are dozens and dozens, possibly even hundreds of different kinds of fences, so no one can claim to be expert on each and every one. If you want to learn how to build a fence, you must first decide exactly which type it is that you wish to build.

If you are just looking for a way to separate your house from the houses of your neighbors, or to fence in your dog, or to stylishly enclose your property, and you live in a low crime, suburban neighborhood, many people would probably suggest building a picket fence.

Building a fence of this type is easy, if time consuming. You must simply hammer in the individual spikes of wood, then attach them together with a horizontal cross-member. Then all you have to do is paint your fence, and you are ready to go.

Many residential communities have very strong and specific rules governing building a fence, so often the picket fence is your only option anyway.

On the other hand, if you are building a fence for security purposes, you might want to consider a few other options as well. Building a wrought iron fence can be a way to get some security, while still preserving style.

Although these type of fences are far from unbeatable, they are stronger than picket fences, and can be bought tall enough and sturdy enough to keep out most unwanted visitors. Many iron fences have spikes that are both decorative and functional, making them almost impossible to climb.

Although someone who is really determined to get into your house will no doubt find a way past this defense, building a fence of steel is enough to scare away most perpetrators. After all, the crooks are looking for an easy target.

A more common option that combines the affordability of a wooden fence with the greater security of metal is a chain-link fence. Building a fence out of chain link is easy, because it can be bought premade. All you have to do is to sink it into some concrete, and you are ready to go.

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