Top Reasons To Go With Aluminum Rather Than A Wood Fence

Wood is the most popular fence material, due to its price relative to other options, its overall appearance, and its versatility. Although these characteristics are desirable for any fence, you might find that an aluminum fence more closely aligns with your long-term goals for your yard. Two top reasons to choose aluminum over a wood fence are durability and ease of installation.

Aluminum fencing can offer style and privacy to your yard like a wooden fence can, but if you prefer the look of wood, you can have it with aluminum. Many companies offer wood grain colors like cedar, mahogany, royal oak, knotty pine, white ash, and many more. Even without comparing the material to another, these characteristics alone make aluminum fencing worth buying for your yard.

Wondering about the cost? Expect to pay about $20-40 per linear foot to have an aluminum fence installed, compared to $15-35 per linear foot for wood. While aluminum is one of the most expensive fence materials, you may find the extra cost worth the lifetime benefits.

One of the top reasons to choose aluminum over wood for your fence is its durability. As a metal, aluminum is naturally resistant to rot, unlike pine and other types of wood. It's also impervious to mold and insects. A pressure-treated wooden fence lasts about 15 years for pine and 20+ for redwood or cedar. An aluminum fence, however, can last up to 50 years.

The durable nature of aluminum extends to its color maintenance as well. Since the material won't rot or deteriorate from the elements the way wood does, it can maintain its original color for longer. Wood can start looking weathered and gray after a few years, depending on the climate, while aluminum stays looking new for longer. You may need to clean it regularly to remove dirt and other debris, but the color won't like paint on a wooden fence does. To keep a wooden fence pristine year-round, time and effort need to be put into maintenance. This isn't the case with aluminum fencing.

In terms of installation, aluminum fence panels weigh less than wooden fence panels, which makes them easier to handle and, therefore, install. Having lighter materials also equates to faster installation. Some wooden fencing jobs could take two or more days, but an aluminum fence can be completed in one day.