How Do I Choose A Fence?
Choosing your new fence doesn't have to be complicated.
This guide will help you navigate those decisions and understand your options!
Consider Why You Need a Fence
The most common reasons people find themselves looking to purchase a fence are:
- Moving in a new house
- Building a house
- Installing a pool
- Additional privacy/better security
- Adopting furry family members
Choose Your Fence Material
There are five types of materials used for fences: chain link, wood, PVC, aluminum, and steel.
Each of these materials has primary advantages and disadvantages:
Unless you want a full privacy fence, aluminum ornamental fences offer a better cost-to-benefit ratio than other fencing materials. A Jerith fence will last longer (ours is Guaranteed for Life), look better over time, and remain maintenance-free.
Choose Your Height
The height of the fence is determined by the reason you need a fence and your local building codes.
Choose Your Fence Grade
We offer three primary fence grades at Jerith. The primary difference is the picket size and thickness of aluminum. The larger the picket and the thicker the aluminum, the more robust the fence system.
- Residential – This is the lightest and most cost-effective aluminum fence, and it is perfectly suited for most home applications.
- Commercial – This is a medium-weight fence and is visually more robust than residential. It is a popular choice for golf courses and is sometimes used at large residential estates.
- Industrial – This is our heavy-duty fence, and it is ideally used for high traffic areas, commercial swimming pools, and security applications for businesses.
Recommendations for Specific Needs:
For Privacy/Security
Choose a fence at least six feet high, so passers-by cannot look over the fence. A height less than six feet tall also makes it very easy for an adult to climb over the fence and enter your property.
For Pools
Building codes usually have minimum height restrictions to prevent young children from gaining unauthorized access to the pool area. In general, these codes require at least a 48” tall fence with 45” between rails and less than 4” between pickets for an ornamental fence. Our most popular pool fences are actually 54” tall, but we offer styles that can meet most pool codes in 48”, 54”, 57” and 60” heights. Learn more about our pool fence here.
For Decoration
Many homeowners prefer a shorter fence for their yard when the purpose is for decoration. A 36”, 42”, or 48” height is most common for this application. Shrubs and bushes may grow taller than this to allow the fence to serve as an attractive element in your garden.
For Pets
A 48” high is the minimum recommended height if you have pets. However, many large dogs can jump over a fence this short. In that case we recommend 60” or taller. For very small dogs, the height is not as important as the spacing between the vertical pickets. If they are too far apart, your dog may be able to squeeze through the fence. We offer a puppy panel fence that reduces the picket spacing for small dogs. Learn more about our pet fence options here.
Style Options
Please see our Aluminum Fence Spec Comparison for full guide on styles available per product line.
Style #000
Style #100
Style #101
Style #111
Style #111 Concord
Style #200
Style #202
Style #211
Style #400
Photo coming soon
Style #401
Style #402
Style: SafetyPup Pickets
Frequently Asked Questions
We have a database full of reputable contractors across the U.S. ready to provide you with the knowledge and service you need when purchasing a Jerith fence. Use our Contractor Locator to find a contractor near you.
Please contact your local fence contractor for replacement parts. Use our Contractor Locator to find a contractor near you.
We manufacture gates to match the fence style of your choosing! Please contact your local contractor for more details on gate options.
Our SafetyPup Mesh Panel attaches to the inside of Jerith fences and fits into our standard post spacing. Once your puppy grows too large to squeeze through the fence pickets, the SafetyPup Mesh panels can be removed. You can even reuse them with a new puppy!
We highly recommend that you use a certified contractor to ensure proper installation.
If your fence line bends, the sections can easily be angled in the posts to follow most curves. The sections themselves cannot be bent without ruining their structural integrity.
In the fence industry, we call this raking or racking. Most of our standard aluminum fence sections allow for racking and can easily follow slopes. Ask your contractor about racking your fence, if you have slopes or hills in your yard.
Yes, they can! Ask your local contractor about attaching your fence in this way.
Our fences are not designed to be used as railings.