When deciding which type of fencing is the best choice for your outdoor project, it’s important to research the pros and cons associated with all of your options. Here, we’ll discuss the key differences between aluminum fence versus wood fencing and which type of projects are ideal for each material.

Aluminum Fencing 411

Chances are, you’re familiar with aluminum fence whether you’re aware of it or not. Many fences that you may have always assumed were steel or wrought iron are actually made of aluminum. Aluminum fences are typically made up of a combination of horizontal rails and vertical pickets. Standard styles are either a smooth top rail or exposed or pressed spear top, but many variations of styles exist or can be custom made by the manufacturer.

Aluminum fence can be used in nearly any setting, from residential landscape projects to commercial or industrial railing projects. Some of the key attributes of aluminum fencing include:

• Aluminum fencing is typically powder coated black, but many manufacturers offer a variety of powder coating color options like white and bronze. You can also find raw aluminum fencing which would look similar to stainless steel.
• One of the most attractive attributes of aluminum fence is its aversion to rust. Unlike steel or wrought iron, aluminum fence does not rust over time and requires almost no maintenance. This makes it an ideal choice for use in wet climates or for projects in close proximity to large bodies of water.
• Aluminum fencing is light weight. This makes it ideal for DIY-ers who are not necessarily well versed in fence installation and aren’t eager to maneuver heavy fence materials. A typical fence panel weighs anywhere between 5 and 10 pounds and can be delivered assembled or unassembled. Its light weight also makes it ideal for use on driveway and estate gates.
• Many aluminum fence manufacturers design their aluminum fence panels to be rackable. This means that the fence can slope up to a certain degree to follow the grade of the ground. Why is this advantageous for the customer? This eliminates gaps that would otherwise be created at the bottom of the fence while still maintaining an even fence line at the top.
• Aluminum fencing comes in a variety of styles, from simple to ornate. Most aluminum fence manufacturers or wholesale retailers will create custom styles as well.

Wood Fencing 411

You’re probably a little more familiar with wood fencing, as it’s one of the most commonly used fence materials around. Many enjoy wood fencing for its classic, natural look, relatively low cost and variety of style options. The most common types of wood fencing include wood privacy fence, wood picket fence, and post and rail wood fence. You’ll commonly find wood fencing in residential and agricultural settings, and less commonly in commercial or industrial settings. Wood fencing is typically composed of some combination of 2x4s, 4x4s, 6x6s, 1x6s or 1x4s.

Key attributes for wood fencing include:

• Wood fencing is a general term that covers a variety of materials – there are many types of wood one could use in the construction of a fence. However, the most commonly used would be Pressure Treated Pine and Cedar, depending upon your location. In many areas, it’s important to use only Pressure Treated Pine for posts that are sitting in the ground, as they tend to hold up better over time.
• Wood fencing can be built to fit almost any residential purpose, from keeping dogs or children safely contained, to fencing for privacy, to picket fences designed to enhance the look of the property.
• Wood fencing should be painted or stained/sealed about a month after installation to protect it from the elements. This is important to include in your wood fence cost estimate for your wood fence project, as many fence installation companies won’t include this service. Staining/painting will typically add $7 – $12/foot to your overall wood fence cost.
• Although it’s generally considered one of the more cost effective fencing options available up front, wood fencing does require quite a bit of maintenance in the long run. It’s important to know that wood fencing will warp over time and require repairs. Furthermore, it’s important to seal or stain your fence to slow the rotting process and protect it from the elements. These are all added costs that you should consider before moving forward with a wood fence.

If you’re located in the Atlanta, GA area and are in need of wood fence repair, contact Fence Workshop for a quick quote!

Aluminum Fence vs Wood Fence – Which Is Better?

As you’ve read above, aluminum and wood both have their strengths and weaknesses and it may be obvious that one material is more appropriate than another depending on the project. However, it is in our opinion that aluminum fencing tends to be the better option in most cases. Here’s why:

• Aluminum fence requires little to no maintenance – an invaluable trait to most customers. Although aluminum fence cost will typically be higher than wood fence up front, you should consider the upkeep and future costs involved in maintaining a structurally sound and good looking wood fence.
• Aluminum fence is perfect for pool enclosures and fencing near bodies of water. By contrast, wood fencing is particularly effected by the air and elements.
• Aluminum fence is powder coated, meaning you’ll never have to worry about painting your fence. Wood fences will need to be stained or sealed about a month after installation to protect them from the elements. This is another “hidden” cost you’ll need to consider with wood fencing.
• Aluminum fence is particularly easy to install. Aluminum fence panels come pre-assembled, and posts come pre-notched. It’s light weight make it easy for almost anyone to handle and move from place to place. Wood fence pieces can be quite heavy and cumbersome to handle and building wood fence requires much more planning, measuring and grunt work.
• Need privacy? While aluminum fence doesn’t typically bode well for those in need of privacy, don’t be afraid to get creative! Remember that landscaping can be used in conjunction with aluminum fence to gain privacy where you need it, without creating a barricade around your property.

Ready to buy aluminum fence materials online? You’re in luck! Fence Workshop provides a wide variety of American made aluminum fence products in their easy-to-use online store, including pre-packaged fence kits. They’ll deliver nationwide to customer’s doorsteps – start shopping today!

At Fence Workshop we’ve helped countless satisfied customers plan out, order, and build their aluminum fence projects. While we don’t do the installation, we will help you order exactly what you need. In this article, we’ll go over the process of installing your aluminum fence yourself. Depending on the scope of your aluminum fence project, you may want to enlist the help of either a general contractor or just a few friendly faces. But, rest assured, if you start your aluminum fence project with Fence Workshop, you will quickly discover that your aluminum fence can be installed very easily yourself. Before starting a fence installation, always call 811 to notify your underground utilities!

I’ve Received My Fence Workshop Aluminum Fence Material – Now What?

You’ve successfully planned, ordered and received your Fence Workshop aluminum fence materials. All that’s left to do now is to get it installed. If you’re a DIY-er, this will be your go-to guide to ensure your installation is up to professional standards. You’ll need to have the following tools and materials to complete your aluminum fence installation:

• Tape Measure
• String
• Post Hole Digger or Auger
• Drill
• Level
• Hacksaw/Reciprocating Saw
• Rock Bar
• Snips
• Wheel Barrow
• Marking Spray Paint
• Quickrete

Step One

To begin your aluminum fence installation, you’ll first want to determine the placement of your corner posts and end posts. These posts will serve as “anchors” of your fence layout, so it’s important you are precise with their positions. You’ll also need to determine the location of your gate(s) and mark where the posts will be placed. It will be helpful to use wooden stakes to mark these locations. Use your string and tape measure to mark the fence line around these stakes. You can also go ahead and mark your line post placements with your marking spray paint, measuring every 72 1/2″ between posts starting at your end post. This way, you can plan whether you’ll need to cut panels down at the end of a fence line.

Step Two

Now it’s time to start digging! Use your post hole diggers to dig 24″ deep x 18″ wide holes where you’ve pre-marked with your marking spray paint and wooden stakes. Gate, corner and end posts should be done first. You can then dig your line post holes at this point as well.

Step Three

Place your gate posts, end posts, and corner posts into their respective holes – be sure you have the right type of posts in the right places! Be sure to leave enough room between the bottom notched hole in your post and the ground if your aluminum fence style has pickets protruding through the bottom rail – typically around 7 or 8 inches. If you have a flush bottom rail, leave roughly 2 inches between the bottom notch and the ground. Once you place a post into its post hole, fill the hole with wet or dry Quickrete. Insert your panel into your post and connect with next post using the provided self tapping screws. Continue down your line repeating the same process. Be sure to make sure the fence line is level which can be done using another line of string at the top of the posts.

Step Four

Finally, you’ll need to install your gate. First screw the provided hinges onto the gate. Have a partner hold the gate to line the rails up to the surrounding panels. Once aligned, screw hinges onto gate post. Attach the provided gravity latch to the gate and gate catch post.

Tips To Remember

As mentioned before, you may need to cut panels down if your fence line length isn’t compatible with 6′ wide panels. The panels can be cut using any saw that cuts metal. When cutting panels, be sure you leave enough rail to be inserted into the post. You also may find it more aesthetically pleasing to cut several panels down to even sizes at the end of a run rather than having one very small panel at the end.

Get Started – Shop Our Fences Now!

Ready to purchase high quality fencing materials? Our easy-to-use online shop makes purchasing beautiful new fencing a breeze! Browse our selection of fences and with just a few clicks, your new fencing can be delivered to your doorstep. We can’t wait to work with you!
Phone: (404) 973-2911 Email: [email protected] Get a quote: Online Quick Quote Form

Because Fence Workshop™ is a premier supplier of fence posts, hitches, gates, and segments, we get asked a lot of questions by both general contractors and residential home owners. In this section, we’ll address some of the most commonly asked questions about aluminum fence projects.

Q: Why should I build a fence around my pool?

A: For both commercial and residential swimming areas, a sturdy aluminum fence can decrease your liability of unwanted guests in your pool and is also a legal requirement in most jurisdictions. If you plan out your aluminum fence project with Fence Workshop™, you can get all the materials you need to ensure only the proper people have access to your commercial or residential swimming area — a relief for you and your clients.

Q: Why is aluminum an ideal material to build a swimming pool fence?

A: A swimming area is subject to a lot of water and humidity. While it’s possible to design a fence for a swimming area comprised of wood and other materials, aluminum is a very ideal material due to its rust and corrosion resistant properties. More importantly, aluminum segments are easy to install and maintain — ensuring your swimming area remains secured and looking good for a long time to come.

Q: Is an aluminum fence ideal for privacy around the pool?

A: Because we work with a wide variety of aluminum fence segments, we’re able to help you design an aluminum fence perfect for guarding your pool area. Some customers request aluminum fence for their pool because it allows them to closely monitor who is using their pool. For commercial applications such as an apartment complex swimming pool, an aluminum fence is ideal for keeping unwanted visitors out and keeping a close watch on who is using it.

Different aluminum fence projects will require different designs. Check with your local codes to ensure you’re not limited in the height of a possible pool fence. We recommend designing a fence that uses a mixture of natural foliage as well as the sturdy reinforced aluminum bar so you’re able to retain a fairly decent degree of privacy while still being able to monitor the pool area for visitors.

Q: Should I build my pool fence so it touches the concrete or give it some breathing room?

A: At Fence Workshop™, we’re able to supply fence posts and anchors that will work with both a concrete platform as well as regular ground installation. Fences that hug the concrete platform are more easily reinforced. Drilling individual fence posts into the soil will require basic concrete to ensure the fence structure is sturdy.

Q: Should I install an aluminum fence directly into the concrete platform of the swimming pool area?

A: In general, we always recommend that you do not install your aluminum fence directly on or into the concrete platform of the pool area. It’s far easier to install at the perimeter of the concrete platform or at a stand-off distance.

Q: Do you also supply aluminum hitches, gates, and other aluminum fence accessories for developing my pool fence project?

A: Yes! We offer a wide range of both aluminum segments, hinges, latches, deck mounts, wall mounts, drop rods, and more. Fence Workshop™ is your one-stop shop for designing your complete aluminum privacy fence for your swimming area.

We recommend talking to one of our fence design specialists to work out a custom plan which will enable your commercial or residential property to have the very best placement of aluminum fence segments to allow for both controlled access and the right degree of monitoring.

Get Started Ordering Your New Fence Now!

We know you’re getting excited about your new fencing project, and we would love to help. You’re just a call or click away from getting started! Our passion is the art of beautiful fences, and we can’t wait to share that passion with you to create the dazzling fencing you’ve been dreaming of. Get started now!
Phone: 1-888-802-5252  Email: [email protected]  Schedule a quote: Online Quick Quote Form

American Made Aluminum Fences:

Looking for aluminum fence supply in Altamonte Springs, Florida? Fence Workshop™ of Altamonte Springs, FL is an experienced distributor of Ameristar and other brands of aluminum fences. Our aluminum fences are beautiful, functional and long lasting. We service all parts of Altamonte Springs, Fl. From the downtown amusement parks and shopping areas, to the relaxing neighborhoods outside the city. An aluminum fence can be the perfect addition to your home or business offering security or an aesthetic facelift.

The Best Choice for Aluminum Fence Supply Altamonte Springs, FL:

Because we are wholesale distributors of aluminum fencing in Altamonte Springs, we are able to offer some of the most competitive prices supplying aluminum fences in and around Altamonte Springs, Florida. Furthermore, our relationships with American made aluminum producers allow material delivery to your doorstep. We offer a variety of styles and packages to fit almost any customer’s needs. You won’t believe how easy getting aluminum fence materials can be with Fence Workshop.

Why Choose Fence Workshop™ for Aluminum Fence Supply Altamonte Springs, FL?

• We supply all styles of aluminum fencing for both residential and commercial customers.
• We supply aluminum fence additions like scrolls, rings, ball caps, walk/pedestrian gates and driveway gates.
• Because aluminum is so rust resistant, all of our aluminum fences come with a limited lifetime manufacturer’s warranty.
• We offer aluminum fence kits in a variety of sizes and styles delivered anywhere in Altamonte Springs, FL.
• We supply aluminum fences in Altamonte Springs, Florida and surrounding areas like Tampa, Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Destin and more.

Fence Workshop Also Supply These Other Types of Fencing in Altamonte Springs, FL:

Get Started – Shop Our Fences Now!

Ready to purchase high quality fencing materials? Our easy-to-use online shop makes purchasing beautiful new fencing a breeze! Browse our selection of fences and with just a few clicks, you could have fencing on your doorstep in no time. We can’t wait to work with you!
Phone: (404) 973-2911 Email: [email protected] Get a quote: Online Quick Quote Form