Great Fences

Back in my early days of design school, we were asked as a class to define the Canadian backyard. What should have been a fairly easy task ended up being a discussion on the idea that there really isn’t a definition of our national backyard that worked for everyone. That said, we all agreed that a fence around the perimeter was pretty standard in almost every urban home. As property owners packed into small spaces like city lots, we feel the need to protect and to maximize our available spaces. Too often, neighbours will disagree about property lines and things like overhanging trees or incorrectly built fences. Recently I spoke with a representative of Protect Your Boundaries, an online site helping homeowners with all of the legal issues regarding their property lines (www.protectyourboundaries. ca). I wasn’t surprised that someone finally put all of the pertinent information in one spot.

When it comes to building fences, here are the major design points you should know

1. Every municipality or town has its own rules about heights and how close you can build a fence to the property line. Make sure you check these first before you start construction. The average height for a fence for a backyard is usually six feet, six inches (2 metres). Often this is defined as a 5-foot solid fence with up to 18 inches of lattice on top. Every homeowner always wants taller, but you put your fence at risk when you push the building codes.
2. If you really need more height, look into the rules on privacy fencing or privacy panels. These sections of wood or lattice are generally attached to the home and often have a different set of restrictions than a regular fence. Some towns will even let you build a 12-foot by 12-foot wall as long as it is attached to the house.
3. Beware of building a completely solid fence. While the idea of not being able to see your neighbours in their backyard might seem appealing, creating a space without any wind flow will probably keep you inside all summer anyways. I encourage the style of fence with alternating boards on each side of a single cross beam. It might seem boring, and you still might be able to see through the fence when looking on an angle, but at least some airflow can still happen between the yards.
4. Horizontal fences may be popular, but they have to be built differently than fences with vertical boards. Wood will warp when given the chance and once it does, it its very hard to get it to be straight again. Horizontal boards need an extra centre brace to prevent sagging in the middle.
5. If you are building your own fence, please use a level. To me, a fence that has a different level for every section is the worst feature of any backyard. Fences really shouldn’t be the focal point in any space, they should be the backdrop for all of the good things you want to have on the outside of your home.

One final note, and probably the most important part of building a fence—talk to your neighbour first. Even if you don’t get along, having a civil conversation about a detail that will affect both of your spaces will make life easier going forward.

carson@carsonarthur.com