Photo by J Shim

Originally Posted On: https://www.buttefence.com/stone-privacy-fence-ideas-for-style-and-protection/

 

Experts have noted a trend over the last few decades toward the shrinking of the average yard size in American homes.

Regardless of its size, however, if you have a yard you’ll likely have a fence to go around it. Whether for privacy or protection, you’ll want to separate your property from the outside world.

Read on as we share a few ideas you can use when installing a new stone privacy fence.

The Advantages of Stone

Stone isn’t the material that’s traditionally used on fences. However, it’s becoming increasingly popular, for a number of reasons.

One of the major ones is privacy. The more traditional American boundary comes in the form of a picket fence, or other similar wooden construct.

While these are perfectly effective at marking off your property boundaries, they don’t do much to preserve your property from prying eyes.

Stone fences will do more than protect you from nosy neighbors. A high, solid stone fence is a significant barrier between a malicious intruder and the safety of your home and family.

Granted, it’s not going to stop someone getting in if they really want to. However, a stone fence is one more reason why a burglar might decide not to target your house. With levels of violent crime increasing in recent years, that can only be a good thing.

What Is the Difference Between a Fence & a Wall?

Traditionally, a fence was something that could be seen through, while a wall was solid.

With stone privacy fences, however, this dichotomy does not hold up. As the name suggests, stone privacy fences are designed for privacy.

This requires them to look more like walls than traditional fences. The reason they are called fences is that the term is more versatile.

Stone fences may be interspersed with wooden parts, or have ornaments that are untypical of walls. Therefore, “fence” is a more appropriate term.

Should You Opt for a High or Low Stone Fence?

When installing a stone fence, there are many options in terms of structure.

If the “privacy” element of a stone privacy fence is what you’re after, you should go for height.

However, if you’re not that concerned about protection from prying eyes, a low stone fence might be better suited to your needs.

Low fences are easier and cheaper to install than higher ones. They also afford you greater choice in terms of style and design.

Dry-stone fences cannot be built above a certain height, as their structural integrity will not allow for it. If you want a low fence, this design option remains open to you.

Is Real Stone a Necessity?

When we talk about stone privacy fences, we are referring to a certain design. The use of real, natural stone is not a necessity.

Although it is a sturdy, reliable material, natural stone does have some disadvantages. Chief among these is its price.

At Butte Fence, we use SimTek to build our stone and rock fences. These are cheaper to supply and install than traditional stone fences.

However, that doesn’t mean that there is any compromise on quality. SimTek fences are durable and long-lasting, with a high level of resistance to weather conditions of all kinds.

SimTek also has the look and feel of natural stone. The untrained observer will never know the difference!

Different Types of Stone Fence for You to Consider

As noted above, stone fences need not be made of real stone. Synthetic alternatives can do the same job at a much lower price.

SimTek

SimTek is a material that we’ve been using to install stone privacy fences with great success. It offers the durability and aesthetic of real stone without the price.

SimTek is made from a mixture of new and recycled polyethylene plastic. This mixture is then reinforced with galvanized steel.

The material will never need to be painted. It is resistant to cracks and fading, and will not erode due to plant growth.

SimTek is also a good option for those of you who like to have a positive environmental impact. The quarrying operations that are necessary to produce the stone for real stone walls and fences require a lot of heavy machinery, which makes the carbon footprint of real stone structures very significant.

The manufacturing methods used for SimTek are far less detrimental to the environment.

RhinoRock

Like SimTek, RhinoRock allows for the construction of stone-style walls and fences without the use of traditional techniques.

RhinoRock is made from an outer shell of reinforced concrete and a core of structural foam. This makes for a much lighter stone fence than you would get by using only natural stone.

Like SimTek, RhinoRock is extremely durable. It will withstand almost all weather conditions, despite being around 90% lighter than a traditional stone fence.

Its lesser weight means that it is far easier to install than natural stone. Ordinarily, a small group of workmen can install a standard RhinoRock garden fence in a day or less.

A natural stone fence of the same proportions might take twice the number of workers, as well as heavy construction equipment.

Making the Most of Your New Stone Privacy Fence

A stone privacy fence will add a lot more than protection from the outside world. If you choose a quality fence in a style that complements your existing structures, you will add hugely to the aesthetic value of your home.

If you’re interested in having a stone privacy fence installed, or you have a question about any of our products or services, contact us today.