Peek-a-Boo! How-to Fix a Hole in the Fence

Did one of your four-legged family members pull a Houdini? Many different breeds of dogs can dig their way out of a fenced yard, while other breeds have the ability to climb a perfectly good fence. For diggers, many homeowners place bricks or concrete blocks in the fence openings. Soon, their backyard looks like a minefield from a video game.

It doesn't matter what your fence is made of, a determined dog can get through most materials. Some days, you want to wrap the fences with barbed wire, but don't. The key to preventing Brownie from escaping is preparing the yard near the fence and then repairing the fence.

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Metal Fencing - If the fence is still intact, but there is a hole at the bottom, chicken wire fencing is the solution. Before beginning the fence repair, you will need to dig the hole a little wider and perhaps deeper.

Place the chicken wire into the hole and up to the wire fence. Use heavy metal or aluminum fence ties to secure the wire to the fencing. Cover the wire fencing with dirt. Now, when your dog begins to dig, her paws will hit the wire fencing and discourage her from repeating this bad habit.

Wood Fence  - To repair a wooden fence at the ground level, so your pup can't escape under it, will depend on what you want your yard to look like. One option is to add shrubbery and or flowers around the fence. After planting items along the fence, lay down a layer of chicken wire and cover with decorative rocks. Do Not use mulch, it makes dogs very ill when they eat mulch.

If you need help repairing your fence, or you are interested in enhancing your backyard with aluminum fencing, custom wood fencing, composite fences or a deck and gazebo, call Franklin Fence and Deck at 615-790-8428 for a free estimate. Franklin Fence services Nashville, TN, Franklin, TN, and Brentwood, TN. Alternatively, contact them by email at franklinfence@yahoo.com.

Decorating Fences for the Holidays

It's that time of year again! Decorating for the holidays is a fun and festive way to show your holiday spirit. Most families decorate their house and/or yard for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other winter holidays, but forget their fence. A wood fence, a picket fence, vinyl fencing, or metal fences each lend themselves to create decorating spaces.

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Bring Your Fence to Life

It doesn't matter what type of fence you have in your home, you can use various decorations to bring your yard to life. Using large cloth or vinyl cutouts, drape them over the fence and secure with clothespins or other types of clips. This works for all holidays.

Use wrapping paper and large ribbons to create presents for Christmas. You may want to punch small holes in the paper to help the wind go through it and not take the paper down.

Use Lights

Do not regulate your colorful lights to Christmas alone. Use white lights for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Create a winter wonderland scene with white lights. There are also white and orange string lights available for Halloween. Be creative and cover a tree, a garden fence, or a fence gate, completely with lights, and don't forget the driveway.

Garland and Beads

Drape rope garland or strings of beads along the fence top for a more elegant look. Add festive wreaths to several posts for the best final additions.

Halloween colored beads of orange, purple, and green can become a fun decoration for the upcoming candy night. Add a string or two of lights to help guide the costumed kids to your front door.

Contact a Brentwood fence contractor to help with fence repairs and decorating. If you are interested in enhancing your backyard with aluminum fencing, custom wood fencing, composite fences or a deck and gazebo, call Franklin Fence and Deck at 615-790-8428 for a free estimate. Alternatively, contact them by email at franklinfence@yahoo.com.

Four Steps to a DIY Fence

If you are a little more than a weekend handy person, you could build your own wooden privacy fence. Here are the basic steps to building a beautiful fence around your home for privacy and added value.

Check Codes

Before you begin digging the post-holes, check with your local building and zoning division. There may be different codes you need to adhere to, or special permits required before building a fence in your area. You may also need an inspection when the job is completed.

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Design

You will need to come up with a design for your fence. A privacy fence allows you and your family to enjoy your backyard without a lot of noise and curious neighbors. Privacy fences are typically made of wood, but there are aluminum fences and vinyl fencing that also provides much needed privacy. Once you have your design, it is best to measure out and stake the area you are going to fence in. Find spray paint and small marking flags in any hardware store.  

If you are feeling overwhelmed, contact a Nashville fence contractor, such as Franklin Fence and Deck to build the fence of your dreams.

Materials

Depending on your needs, purchasing materials are the next step. Many associates at the large box hardware stores can help you with your plans, and direct you to any shortcuts they may know.

Lumberyards are another great place to purchase your fence materials. Their associates are also brimming with expert advice. In additions, this type of store will have prefabricated panels for an easy fit.

Fence Insulation

Once you have marked out the fence on the lawn, it is time to dig the holes for the posts. Renting a post hole digger and using some old-fashion elbow grease is the best way to get an accurate post spacing and depth.

Adding a fence to your yard is a two-person job. As you shovel the concrete into the holes, have the other person tap the mixture to remove bubbles.  Rounding the concrete will help water flow away from the fence posts. Using a combination square and line level will assure each rail to be square and level with the posts.

If you need help repairing your fence, or you are interested in enhancing your backyard with aluminum fencing, custom wood fencing, composite fences or a deck and gazebo, call Franklin Fence and Deck at 615-790-8428 for a free estimate. Alternatively, contact them by email at franklinfence@yahoo.com.

Beautiful Gazebos & Pergolas from Franklin Fence and Deck

Extending the life of summer is easier when your backyard contains a beautiful gazebo or airy pergola. A Nashville fence contractor, such as Franklin Fence and Deck, will custom build the perfect outdoor space for you and your family.

Taking dinner, or any meal, outdoors can become a disaster if the weather is not cooperating. Having a privacy fence with an attached deck and a gazebo or pergola helps keep the food fresh, less flying bug invasions, and a nice breeze for everyone to enjoy their meal.

  

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Many homeowners are unsure of the difference between a pergola and a gazebo. Here are the main dissimilarities.

Pergolas - these are more like an open-air shelter. There are no walls, only four posts. The ceiling is a crisscross top that allows the sun and other elements to peak through to those sitting under it. It's perfect for dinner, working on your laptop outside and reading and relaxing.

Planting a type of crawling vines along one or more of the posts provide a natural shade cover for a more relaxing atmosphere. There are various types of vine plants, some with hanging fruit and others with beautiful flowers. The amount of shade you want will be the determining fact for choosing living cover.

Attaching a pergola to a fence on one or two sides will add stability and beauty to your backyard environment. If the pergola were wood, a wood fence would look best. However, combining materials like metal fence, vinyl fencing, a garden fence, or an aluminum fence with wood can add a dramatic bold look.

Gazebos - this type of covering has a solid roof, can have one or more walls, and may have different shapes. A solid roof allows for full coverage from the sun and other elements and provides another option for perfect entertaining. Wood and metal are the most common materials used for gazebos, but there are other options available.

If you need help repairing your fence, or you are interested in enhancing your backyard with aluminum fencing, custom wood fencing, composite fences or a deck and gazebo, call Franklin Fence and Deck at 615-790-8428 for a free estimate. Alternatively, contact them by email at franklinfence@yahoo.com.

Maintaining a Franklin Fence and Deck

Once you have added a beautiful, durable fence from Franklin Fence and Deck to your house, you will need to maintain it year after year. Here are 3 tips to keeping each fence type looking brand new. In addition, there is 1 suggestion for repairing a damaged wood fence.

Cleaning

Metal Fences - Dirt, rust, and old paint will accumulate on metal fencing. Use a dry wire brush to remove these annoying stains from your metal fence. One gallon of warm water and 1 cup of a strong household cleaner will brighten and shine a metal fence.

Vinyl Fences - A sodium-bicarbonate cleaner is the best for vinyl fencing. Do not use bleach, as it will stain. Do not use a brush, but a soft cloth to keep from scratching the fence.

Wood Fences - Using a fiber scrub brush and a solution of mild detergent, most stains on your wood fence will disappear easily. Add 1-2 cups of bleach to warm water for tough stains. Be safe, wear gloves.

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Reinforcing an Older, Damaged Wood Fence

Adding a sister post to existing posts, which is wobbly or leaning, helps strengthen the entire fence. A sister post is the same width and approximately half the thickness of an original post. It should be no higher than the top rail. Bolt the new post to the old. Sheer off, at a 45-degree angle, the top portion of the new post so rain will not collect between the two wooden posts. 

Repairing a Wooden Gate

With continued use, a wood gate can swing too far out or in, causing the hinges to loosen. A simple solution is to cut a piece of wood 2 x 4 or 1 x 2 and attach it to the fence and the gate. When the gate swings open, it can only go as far as the block of wood, which is flush at the fence.

If you need help repairing your fence, or you are interested in enhancing your backyard with aluminum fencing, custom wood fencing, composite fences or a deck and gazebo, call Franklin Fence and Deck at 615-790-8428 for a free estimate. Alternatively, contact them by email at franklinfence@yahoo.com.

Animal Fencing Options with Franklin Fence and Deck

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) surveys' homeowners about their pet preferences each year. The latest data, as with the previous two decades, shows, pet ownership at an all-time high. Nearly one-quarter of the pet owning population, as well as all pet owners, live in small towns and rural areas.

To protect your pet, installing the right fence is important for their health and safety. You may think large breed dogs require a taller fence, no matter the materials, yet that is not always the case. Depending on the breed of dog, your fencing can be created for your specific pet.

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Dog breeds known for their climbing ability include Treeing walker coon hound (naturally), English setters, Catahoula leopard dogs, and Border collies to name a few. If you own one of these breeds of dogs, or one of the many other, rethinking your fence height and material is the first step to a safe dog.  

Dogs that dig can also have you decided on a different approach to the backyard fence. These dogs include Huskies, Chow Chows, and dogs with large heavy coats. They dig a pit to keep cool. Scent dogs, such as Bloodhounds, Beagles and Basset hounds are digging to follow their nose. Terriers dig because they have an instinct to find underground critters.

After you have figured out why your dog climbs or digs, you can talk to a Nashville fence contractor. A composite fence, a metal fence, an aluminum fence, vinyl fencing, and privacy fences are all good options for either type of dog. Your location is another consideration for fence materials. Homeowners are typically restricted to certain types of fences depending on the neighborhood, village, or city.

One option is a painted fence product, which looks like iron, but is actually an aluminum fence. Privacy fences work well for climbers, however; since there is no concrete foundation for the fence, dogs that dig are not a good fit for a wood fence or picket fences.  

If you are interested in enhancing your backyard with aluminum fencing, custom wood fencing, composite fences or a deck and gazebo, call Franklin Fence and Deck at 615-790-8428 for a free estimate. Alternatively, contact them by email at franklinfence@yahoo.com.

Get Creative with Franklin Fence and Deck

Looking to upgrade an existing fence? Franklin Fence and Deck is a respected Nashville fence contractor, which have helped countless homeowners with their fencing needs.  

If you have an existing privacy fence, most likely built from wood, it may be showing more wear and tear as the years march on. Wood lasts only so long before it needs to be replaced. Today, the wood privacy fences come in a variety of colors, styles, and treatments. Spraying wood panels with a special water resistant solution combined with a safe anti-mold, chemical, allows your wood privacy fence to last so much longer.  

If your privacy fence is connected to your deck, don't worry, Franklin Fence and Decks can help you with both. Many homeowners like to bring their deck theme to the backyard, and along the fence is a great idea. Using window sill boxes, colorful flowerpots, and even old empty picture frames can bring character to a plain wooden fence.

If you have old metal fencing, it's time to replace it. There are many reasons to upgrade to a new chain-link fence. First, there could be sharp edges in different spots from rust. These can be dangerous if caught on clothing or skin. If you are bored with a metal fence, try an aluminum fence or vinyl fencing. Both are sturdy and stand up to weather better than older metal fencing.

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You may think decorating a metal fence is difficult, but there are many ideas to brighten up your yard using your fence. Depending on how comfortable you are with DIY, the possibilities for bringing this type of fence to life is endless. Using shiny CD's, cover them using colorful glue in different patterns. These are easy to hang and help keep the birds from ruining your patio party. Another idea is aluminum slats that fit between the openings. These can be used in a pattern or as a coverall for more privacy.

If you are interested in enhancing your backyard with Aluminum fencing, custom wood fencing, composite fences or a deck and gazebo, call Franklin Fence and Deck at 615-790-8428 for a free estimate. Alternatively, contact them by email at franklinfence@yahoo.com.