7 Ideas For A Festive-Looking Fence
Of all your Christmas holidays, this year’s is one you will happily stay home to celebrate. Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising in Ontario, and the Waterloo Region will be going into a hard lockdown. With Covid-19 spread indicators worsening, it’s best for everyone to stay home this Christmas. So why not prepare your home and make this Christmas less forgettable than it might be under these difficult circumstances, starting with your wood fence? So, how do you dress up your wood picket or board-on-board fence to capture the Christmas spirit? In this article, we will discuss 7 Christmas fence decoration tips for a festive-looking wood fence. Let’s go. Christmas fence decorations to consider this festive season If you have a white picket fence, then decorating it for Christmas will be a dream. For other wooden fence types, the job will be just as rewarding. Beyond the strings of LED mini lights, scrap wire, decorating materials left over from other DIY jobs, and wire cutters and pliers you likely already have in your toolbox, you won’t have to spend much on these Christmas fence decorations. 1. Drape your fence with a garland of fresh greens What’s a Christmas fence decoration without a garland of fresh greens? If you have some plain wire about 1.5 times the length of your fence, some soft tying wire, and access to fresh cypress cuttings, you have all you need to make a garland. It’s important to make the garland longer than the fence, preferably 1.5 to two times longer because you want it to hang on the fence posts in a ‘smiley’ pattern. To add that wow factor, decorate some wreaths in a contrasting colour (red works a treat) and hang them on each of the fence posts. Instead of wreaths, you can use red cloths tied around the top of posts in a bow-tie fashion. If you are not sure how to make one, here’s a short video that shows you how to make a garland: 2. Wish passersby a ‘Merry Christmas’ in lights A fun idea is to spell ‘Merry Christmas’ in light strings along the length of your wood fence. A board-on-board fence is perfect for this decoration. All you need for this are strings of mini LED lights. Be careful how you fix the light strings to the fence. Because this is a seasonal decoration that you will soon take down, you don’t want to use big nails that will leave holes that will let in water and cause rot. You can use tape to affix the mini lights to the fence. If the lights are too heavy, get some plastic hooks and use double-sided tape to fix them to the fence. Done right, this decoration is sure to catch the attention of passersby and help spread that Christmas cheer. 3. Use barbed wire wreaths to decorate country style post-and-rail fences A winter Christmas out in the country, or some large estate whose border is marked by those post and rail fences you see on paddocks, is the stuff of fairytales. But what’s also true is decorating a long fence lacking in charm can be a bit overwhelming. But a few strategically-hanged, colourfully-decorated barbed wire wreaths can make a big statement. Making the wreaths is fairly easy, but be sure to wear protective gloves. Use whatever you have on hand to decorate the wreaths, which could be fresh or artificial flowers, green pine/cypress cuttings, and anything leftover from your Christmas tree decorations. 4. Drape your fence with a mesh of icicle lights An easy and yet eminently fun wood fence Christmas decoration trick is to dress your fence in a drape of white icicle lights. Right on theme with a winter Christmas celebration, the icicle lights give the appearance of falling snow. This decoration truly comes alive at night and is fairly inexpensive to execute. Still on the lights theme: 5. Hang candle lamps along the length of your fence After a year of sorrows and the dark cloud of uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Christmas represents an opportunity for renewal. And there is no better spiritual symbol of ‘light in the darkness’ than candlelight. Instead of the standard LED light strings, choose the therapeutic and calming energy of lighted candles. For the lamps, buy a set of glass storage jars and a corresponding number of thick, slowing burning candles. The jars must have a rimmed top so you can tie a hanging wire around them. Also, make sure the jars are taller than the candles so they don’t blow out. Hang these lamps on the top of your fence’s anchor posts. Light the candles when daylight starts to fade so they can burn through or well into the night. And now for the driveway gate: 6. Hang snowflake motifs on driveway gate You were not going to forget about decorating the driveway, were you? The driveway gate is where your Christmas guests should get an idea of what the evening will be like. It should set the mood for the rest of the night’s festivities. You want to decorate it well, and you have many options. We like the idea of placing strings of shining stars and glittering snowflakes around your gate’s frame. This is an excellent way to draw attention to your main gate. Even first-time visitors to your home will not miss your gate. Why not light your visitors’ way right up to your doorstep? 7. Outline your driveway with pathway lights This one is an easy fix, but it makes such a big difference. Pathway lights are available in different designs. But what’s more important, especially if your area receives a lot of snowfall, is how high you set your light stakes. If your area is forecast to snow heavily, choose 15-inch stakes so your lights will always be above the snow. For something a bit louder, choose starlight stakes in
Fencing In Cambridge: Who To Trust For The Best Fences
‘A good neighbor is a fellow who smiles at you over the back fence but doesn’t climb over it’ – Arthur Baer. Perhaps putting perspective on Mr. Baer’s standard for neighborliness, Rober Frost made this now-famous statement, ‘good fences make good neighbors’. At Jay Fencing we couldn’t agree more with the two wise gentlemen. Our work fencing houses and commercial properties around Cambridge has taught us that to keep the peace with your neighbors, it is best (and easier) to not give conflict a chance. We believe that you make your own neighbors. That a weak fence that’s easy to breach encourages burglars and intruders. Likewise, a fence that offers no privacy invites the attention of neighbors and passersby, unable to resist stealing a glance at you stretching about in your backyard. The security, privacy, and your whole property’s look is a product of the quality of your fence. It is also to a large extent determined by your choice of the fencing contractor. Why Cambridge Property Owners Trust Jay Fencing We are not the only fencing contractor in Cambridge or indeed in Ontario. So why should you choose us over the others? We can list many reasons why choosing Jay Fencing to fence your property is a smart decision. But we can’t think of one that’s more important than our experience. Experience can’t be bought or faked. It’s either you have fence X number of properties over a span of Y years, or you haven’t. We have been serving Southern Ontario for decades, honing our craft and perfecting our systems one fencing project after another. Because we have already served our apprenticeship, you won’t have to pay for our on-the-job training with your own security. It is the quality and length of our experience that gives us the confidence to attach a guarantee to our work: Our two-year quality guarantee is a show of confidence and trust in our own work We probably wouldn’t be promising to repair your fence at no charge if it fails within two years of us installing it if we didn’t think it will hold up for that long. We guarantee our work because we value quality craftsmanship. We want you to have absolute confidence that your new fence investment will pay off. To show you that we put our money where our mouths are, we will repair your fence if it fails because of poor welding, peeling paint, or any other defects that hint at poor craftsmanship. Between you and us, we would rather not work free of charge and, to avoid that, we simply do it right the first time. Two years is a long time, so why are we so confident in our services? We were fence technicians before anything else We have since expanded our installation services to include gazebos, decks, gates, enclosures, railings, and privacy screens among other home improvement services. But fencing is where we cut our teeth. To Jay Fencing, fencing is not an added service or something we added to diversify and recession-proof the business. We started in fencing because it’s what we knew how to do best. We have watched as vinyl fences grew in popularity and can rightly claim to have been one of the fencing material’s early proponents. We are just as experienced with other fences, whether they are board-on-board privacy fences or chain-link fences. Name any type of fence and we will point you to a home in Cambridge where you can go and review our work in person. You can leverage our experience to get a secure fence that will frame your property for the best curb appeal. Enjoy your well-manicured yard in perfect seclusion (and security) It matters little that your home is beautiful if you don’t feel secure in it. Or that your yard is well-tended if you can’t enjoy it without the prying glare of neighbors. A good fence will complete your home into a secure suburban oasis that your family and pets can enjoy. But all this begins with your selection of a fence builder in Cambridge. Jay Fencing offers a variety of fencing solutions that are perfectly customized to your security, privacy, and aesthetic needs. When you choose Jay Fencing to install your fence, expect the following: A breakdown of the materials you need and our reasons for our recommendations, If the job entails replacing an old fence, we will assess the existing fence and tell you what materials can be salvaged for recycling, A realistic time budget for how long the fencing job will take, A clear statement on what warranties and guarantees you should expect, A clear written agreement on payment, including terms and plans (where applicable). Ready to get started with your fencing project? Jay fencing is a leading fencing contractor with a strong reputation and a growing list of satisfied customers in Cambridge, ON. Contact us below to discuss your project.
How Do You Take Care Of A New Wood Deck?
As an extension of your living space, and an area you are likely to be spending a lot of your family time, your new wooden deck needs to look clean and sanitary, and feel stable for as long as possible. It also helps if your deck can look new for longer, both for your family and the many friends you will be hosting and entertaining there. In other words, you want to maximize your new deck investment. On this page, you will learn tips on how to take care of your new wood deck. We will also answer the most pertinent questions new deck owners ask on deck maintenance. Deck maintenance tips: How to keep your wood deck looking new If you don’t properly care for it, your wood deck will rot and break down long before it has to. A neglected deck also exposes your family and friends to the risk of injury. Here are tips on how to maintain your new deck so it looks its best for longer: 1. Sweep your deck regularly to remove dead leaves It sounds obvious that you should work out a cleaning schedule for your new deck to maintain its looks. But it is important to know that some types of dirt have a more damaging effect on your deck than others. If you have tall trees around the vicinity of your deck, it is a given that you are going to have a lot of dead leaves falling onto your deck. Normally that shouldn’t be a big problem. But if your climate is wet and humid, dead leaves allowed to collect and sit – especially in the corners – will start to rot. Rotting leaves will leave unsightly spots on your deck that will be hard to remove. Even worse, if the rotted leaves are left uncleaned for too long, the wooden boards underneath will start to rot too. When that happens, it is not only the deck’s looks you will be worrying about. The deck may become unstable, putting the safety of everyone who uses it at risk. When cleaning your deck, use a blower to remove both dead leaves, debris, as well as dust. Make sure to remove all dirt stuck between deck boards and to reach well into the corners. 2. Keep your new deck free of clutter Cleaning and maintaining your deck becomes a challenge if there is clutter everywhere. If you have chosen to furnish it, make sure everything is kept tidy and orderly. Make sure to move your couches, daybeds, and other furniture you keep on the deck every time you clean. Decluttering also makes the deck a safer place to lounge and to entertain guests. 3. Stain your new deck to prevent sun bleaching We generally stain the wood to get the colour of shade we prefer. But for decks, in particular, wood stains have an aesthetic as well as a protective function. But it’s important to note that staining your deck only protects it from sun damage. Staining offers minimal if any protection where moisture damage is concerned. However, there are products that combine both staining and sealing qualities. This means you only apply once and your deck will be protected from both sun and moisture damage. That said, sealants that contain a stain or pigment do not always produce the most pleasing results. The stain isn’t always uniform. So do a test first by applying to a small area to see if the result is what you are looking for. 4. Apply a sealant to protect your new deck from rot Wood, unfortunately, is susceptible to damage by the elements. The most damaging of these is moisture from rain, which causes rot, mold, and mildew. Rot destroys wood, ruining both your deck’s looks and structural integrity. So it’s important to waterproof your deck to prevent it from rotting. The best way to do this by applying a sealant. If you are going to stain your wood deck, it’s best to do that before applying a sealant. But if you prefer your deck in your chosen wood’s natural shade, you can go ahead and apply the sealant. The deck will still be just as protected. Sealants have a viscous consistency that seals the wood grain and prevents moisture from seeping in. So if you’re asking, yes, you do need to seal your new deck. But you shouldn’t do it immediately after installation. In fact, there is a good reason to wait it out: How long should you wait to treat a new deck? For new decks, it is best to wait for the preservative on your wooden decking to weather out before applying sealant. That normally takes 30 days. Why should you wait 30 days before treating your new deck? Because preservatives used on the wood prevent sealant from properly penetrating and adhering to the wood. You should do a moisture test to know when to seal your new deck. Splash some water on the deck and see if it beads up or soaks into the wood. If it beads up, the deck is not ready. And if the water absorbs into the wood, the deck is ready to seal. For the best results, wait until the deck is well dried and free of dust and dirt before sealing. You will not be able to clear any spots or dirt marks you seal over unless you sand the decking first. Is it better to stain or paint a deck? Besides applying a sealant, you can also apply a deck paint, although it does not work as best as a sealant will. Basically, you want a sealant that will absorb into the wood and treat it from inside and not one that forms a film on the surface. Choose oil-based sealants over water-based ones for the longest-lasting protection. To answer the question, it is best to stain
Good Fences Start With The Right Contractor
When choosing a fence for your suburban property, between looks and security, what do you consider to be most important? At Jay Fencing, we believe you don’t have to sacrifice curb appeal for security, or vice versa. The right fence will offer the exact level of security, aesthetic appeal, privacy, or whatever attribute matters to you. In this regard, the right fence for a given property is a function of many factors. As you will see later, merely selecting a type of fence over another does not mean you will get the right quality fence. The fencing contractor you choose from the many that call Waterloo home is the foundation a good fence is built on. Prioritize the fence qualities that matter to you Your property is not quite complete without a fence. You may have a feeling of being too exposed. The property itself may look plain, devoid of a wow factor. Or, you may be concerned with the lack of privacy. So, considering the above concerns, a fence will look like the perfect solution. And it will be. But you can easily get a fence that, though secure, is as plain as the house and offers little privacy. Chain-link fences fit that description. If privacy and aesthetics aren’t that important to you, perhaps because yours is a commercial property, a chain-link fence will work just fine. As security will likely be important, these fences deliver on that, too. Some fences look as good and last as long as they are well-maintained As a property owner, you may be more concerned with security, looks, and privacy, but as an experienced fence installer, we have learned to appreciate that the durability and maintenance of the fence are just as important. On the projects where we have been contracted to replace broken, corroded, and collapsed fences, a common thread we have picked is the frustration that property owners have with fences that flattered to deceive. We have learned that a fence may not return the expected long use-life, not because of poor quality materials, but because of a lack of maintenance. This is true for wood fences that have to be resealed and vanished regularly. Of course, there are fencing materials, like vinyl that require very little if any maintenance. The right fence does not have to cost a fortune Despite all we know about secure, good-looking fences that offer enough privacy, why do homeowners end up with fences that barely deliver on these qualities? The answer supposedly has to do with the budget. But the budget isn’t entirely the challenge. A chain-link fence can offer acceptable privacy and score just as high on the aesthetic scale. All it takes is some imagination and creativity. For example, you can easily dress up your plain-looking, see-through chain-link fence by planting some flowering vines through it. With keen maintenance, the vines can transform the fence into a head-turner that offers complete privacy. The appearance of wood can work as well as the real thing Wood fences are popular for a reason. They have a natural charm and warmth that is hard to beat. Sustainable and natural, wood is an opaque fencing material that guarantees privacy and security. While wood fences are good-looking, they come with a huge maintenance burden. Without regular maintenance, they will not look as good for long and will rot and fall apart in no time. Hardwoods produce stronger fences, but they come with a suitably prohibitive price tag. If you like the look and privacy quality of wood, perhaps you don’t necessarily have to install a wooden fence. A vinyl fence can give you the look you are after, without the burden of heavy maintenance. It will last many times longer, too. Vinyl manufacturing technology has advanced so much that you can get realistic-looking wood-like vinyl fences in any shade you like. It is indestructible by wood’s archnemeses, termites and rot. Remarkably fire-resistant, vinyl is an install-and-forget fencing material every busy homeowner will love. Admittedly, vinyl costs more than wood. But that’s when you only consider the cost of materials without lifetime care and maintenance costs. When you factor in all the costs and its remarkable durability, vinyl is likely much cheaper than wood and other fencing materials. Why choosing the right fence installer matters in Waterloo A fence is as secure and durable as the quality of its installation. All the hard work of choosing the right fence type and material for your type of property and security needs can be undone by choosing an inexperienced fence installer. Beyond qualifications and professional memberships, choosing a local contractor is acutely important. An experienced local contractor will know Waterloo’s codes and fencing regulations and isn’t going to install a fence that is taller than what is allowed for your area. The City of Waterloo regulates fence installation based on the yard or property type. The fence bylaw places restrictions on fence height depending on whether it is a corner or interior lot. It also lays out specific guidelines for Driveway Visibility Triangle (DVT) and Daylight Visibility Triangle (DLVT). Failure to meet fence bylaw regulations may attract a fine on top of being asked to take the fence down. So choosing an experienced local fencing contractor who is well-versed with local bylaws will help you avoid unnecessary headaches and costs. Choose Jay Fencing for the best fence installation services in Waterloo, ON. It is not enough to look up a fencing contractor online and reading reviews left on their website. To be sure they are as good as they claim to be, it is best to check out, in person, the projects they have done. Looking at a prospective contractor’s work up close helps you decide if the quality of their work fits well with your expectations. Do their fences hold up? What do their former clients have to say about them? At Jay Fencing, our work speaks for itself. We have completed dozens of
Fencing Tips Only An Experienced Fencing Contractor Would Share
You will never quite feel safe nor truly ‘at home’ if your residential property is not securely fenced. To improve both your security and boost your home’s curb appeal, you are probably now considering installing a new fence. You likely have an idea of what shape and form that fence will take. Your choices will depend on your budget, tastes, and level of security and durability you are after, among other considerations. While making the right choices on the type of fence is central to the success of your project, the fencing contractor you choose can also play a pivotal role. There are many fencing contractors in Toronto, so it is easy to make the wrong choice. Choosing the right contractor ensures the project is delivered on time and within your budget. That’s not all it can do for you: Tap into your fencing contractor’s experience for guidance on the most functional fencing solutions When you look at it, your fencing contractor is your best possible guide for choosing a fencing solution that meets your needs and budget. If you choose the right contractor, it is likely they will have years of local experience. That experience gives them indispensable knowledge you can utilize by simply asking the right questions. At Jay Fencing, we have been serving Southern Ontario for over 30 years. When it comes to choosing fencing solutions, we can confidently separate the good from the bad. We know, for example, how Toronto’s brutal and wet winters can ravage wooden fences and, importantly, how best you can protect yours so you can get the longest service from it. Below we share fencing tips an inexperienced fencing contractor would never speak authoritatively on. Maximizing your fence’s security Whether or not you live in a high crime area, you will sleep better knowing you have a fence so secure that any intruder would not have it all their way if they choose to cross your property line. But a strong fence that isn’t easy to breach can easily be interpreted as one that’s expensive to install. Is it, though? Use an anti-climb fence topper to discourage intrusions Fence toppers are an inexpensive way to prevent burglars from climbing over your fence. Generally, the harder you make it to climb over your fence the less likely vandals and thieves are to try to break in. You have probably seen razor wire fence toppers on chain link fences. But a good fencing contractor can fashion a fence topper for almost any type of fence. For example, for your wood stockade privacy fence, we would suggest fitting angled steel spikes. Of course, there are questions to answer on fence height regulations. Adding a fence topper after the fact can mean your fence may end up taller than local regulations allow. Because we have built many types of fences with toppers over the years, we would know to suggest making one part of the fence’s design. This way you know your fence will be secure and still meet code. Ensure adequate lighting around your fence For intruders and burglars, darkness is often the best cover. In our experience, even the best fences can be breached if the intruder has adequate enough cover. If you have limited street lighting, consider installing security lights along your fence’s perimeter. But make sure the lighting is inaccessible from outside. Some criminals will try to disable the lights so they can climb the fence unnoticed. Fencing tips for privacy Unsurprisingly, privacy is a top concern for homeowners in Toronto. And it should be. Your residential property is one of the few places where you can still live relatively inconspicuously. Step outside your gate and your right to privacy isn’t guaranteed. The challenge is to make sure you get a fence that keeps nosy neighbors out of your business but still not make your property look like a maximum-security prison. You can very easily end up with a fence that barely looks like nothing you had in mind. Privacy fences don’t have to be dull and boring Vinyl and stockade fences are some of our favorite options where fences that deliver on looks, security, and privacy are concerned. That said, we know that each has its place and will suit a specific type of property. In our time we have seen privacy fence failures that we are motivated to ensure you avoid. Most important, we will make sure your fence allows you to enjoy your outdoor living spaces with relative seclusion without hiding or distracting from your property’s best features. Effective fencing solutions that will not break the bank You may want to work with an experienced fencing contractor for the reason that they can point you towards more budget-friendly solutions. Even so, we have been in this business long enough to know that a fence can be cheap to build and yet be expensive to maintain in the long run. While wood is a cheaper fencing material that also has great appeal for its warmth and sustainability as a natural material, it is more expensive to maintain and won’t last as long as vinyl. Are you are struggling to decide between two or more fencing materials? We will happily share our experience with each as well as their general pros and cons so you can make the right choice for your fencing project. Unusual fencing materials that may not quickly come to mind When you have been in an industry as long as we have, you can be tempted to think you have seen it all. But every day we are surprised at the ingenuity and creativity of property owners and fellow fencing contractors. We have, of course, not seen it all. But we have seen a lot, including materials that may not be the most conventional but which can be the best fit for your fencing project. We are talking of:
How Many Years Should a Wooden Deck Last?
Your choice of wood as the decking material for your new deck is not a peculiar one. Many homeowners prefer wooden decking for its warm, tactile feel and variety of hues that appeal to a wide range of tastes. As the only renewable building material, choosing wood for your decking is also good for the environment. Lumber also uses much less energy to mill than it takes to produce other building materials. With that said, deck durability is a genuine concern with people who choose wood as their decking material. How well can it withstand sun and moisture damage? Just how long does a wood deck last? What Is The Life Expectancy of a Wood Deck? Your wooden deck’s life expectancy is a function of the type of wood you choose, the quality of the deck’s construction, its maintenance, and how well you protect it from moisture and sun damage. By choosing Jay Fencing as your contractor for the wood deck project, you can be confident your deck will be well made, secure, and will spot a design that catches the eye. As a decking material, wood is fairly long-lasting, especially if it’s pressure treated, which is what we recommend. With regular maintenance, we can give your wood deck a life expectancy of up to 15 years. For how well it boosts your property’s curb appeal and expands its livable space, that represents a fair return on your investment. It’s also worth mentioning that wood decking comes in a range of options, all of which come with their unique qualities. That does mean, too, that some types of wood aren’t strong enough to use as decking material. You have to consider your choices carefully. What Is The Best Wood for Decking? Wood’s aesthetic qualities are undoubted. But for its suitability as a decking material, the type of wood you choose has to pass the durability test. Unless pressure-treated, softwoods are prone to rot and sun bleaching that you will not enjoy your deck for long before it falls apart. After pressure-treated softwoods, which is the most popular, redwood and cedar are your two most viable decking options. Redwood is a durable, good looking decking material that will keep its shape, maintain its looks, and stay safe to use for up to 25 years. It is stable, does not warp, and makes a great option. The only wrinkle is it doesn’t come cheap. In terms of maintenance, with the periodic reapplication of a sealer and regular cleaning, redwood will last the longest. Cedar, on the other hand, isn’t as hardy. Technically a softwood, the wood tends to splinter and is not as strong as redwood. But its natural resistance to rot is a redeeming quality. As soft as it is, cedar won’t do well as your main decking material. However, if you use it for the guard rails that don’t have to support a lot of weight, it offers a good way to bring down the overall cost of your deck, especially if you are using the pricier redwood. When Should I Replace My Wooden Deck? With proper care and maintenance, you can enjoy long and reliable service from your wooden deck. But it will not last forever. At some point, you will have to replace the deck, either because of a tired, weathered look or weakening structural strength. It is possible to extend your wooden deck’s life by replacing worn boards with new ones. That said, your deck is only as strong as the structure that supports it. For this reason, take care to regularly inspect your deck for structural damage on the posts and guard rails. Signs that a wood deck’s best days are behind it include wood rot, noticeable damage and excessive wear, loose boards, rusted hardware, and loose railings. And even without noticeable damage or structural instability, after 15 years of consistent use, your deck will eventually start to look its age. That will be a good time to invest in a new wood deck. Jay Fencing is an experienced contractor for decks and other outdoor wooden structures. We have completed many projects throughout Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, Mississauga, Toronto, Hamilton and all of Southern Ontario. We are excited you are considering adding a wood deck to your property and are happy to guide you through the many deck design and construction options available. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Pergolas Make The Perfect Father’s Day Gift For The Outdoorsy Dad
Pergolas Make The Perfect Father’s Day Gift For The Outdoorsy Dad It’s father’s day, the one day of the year specially marked to celebrate the relationship between fathers and their children. And the best way to honor and toast this special day is with a gift. As always, we want our gifts to important people in our lives to be thoughtful and special. Often, we overthink it and wait until the last minute to buy the gift. But if your father is the outdoorsy type (all the fathers we know are), we have the perfect gift to save father’s day for you. A pergola will make the perfect father’s day gift. Pergolas Are The Perfect Excuse To Spend Time Outdoors As we get older, we naturally get contemplative and frequently prefer the peace and serenity of the outdoors. Fathers in particular often escape to the quiet seclusion of their backyards. This makes a pergola the ideal gift for an outdoorsy father. Help him entertain like a boss A pergola will give your dad some outdoor living space and the perfect opportunity to show off cherished tools. Think of that grill he loves to bring out when he invites his mates over. Add a few chairs and cushions for comfortable seating, and he has something akin to an outdoor man cave. With an investment in a few more braai tools and furniture, your dad’s pergola will be his own kitchen, where he can call the shots. A sheltered space from which to enjoy his garden On the days he just wants to sit and enjoy his drink without company, your pergola gift will be the place your father thinks to escape to. Does your father have a green thumb? We will assume the answer is yes. Of which you will know he enjoys nothing more than tending his green patch. If he is retired, you bet he spends most of his time out there nursing seedlings, planting, pulling weeds, pruning, trellising his plants, and fighting pests. In between all the grunt work, which we are sure is anything but that for him, your father is seating somewhere comfortable enjoying the fruit of his sweat. Why not give him a space he can enjoy sitting in? As far as gift ideas for one who enjoys the outdoors go, pergolas are the bees’ knees. A pergola is a relatively affordable gift to spoil your dad with. If you choose Jay’s Fencing as your contractor, it is very quick to build, too. We can have it up in a few hours. To surprise him, create a distraction by taking your dad out for a meal at his favorite restaurant. If he assumes it, let him believe the meal treat is his father’s day gift. He will want to appear grateful and take his time enjoying the meal. All the while we are finessing his real gift. But, what if he already has a pergola at his home? What To Gift A Father Who Already Owns A Pergola? Thankfully, there are many things you can do to dress up and furnish the pergola to suit your dad’s tastes and improve its functionality. You can dress it up to add more shade and make it more livable. If it’s looking dated, sanding, staining, and resealing it will give it a new lease of life. Basically, though, you want to update it to make it more inviting and feel like home. Cool the pergola with latticed wooden curtains Adding timber lattice curtains will bring a bit more privacy and add shade to the pergola without blocking the view of the garden. It isn’t too pretty to make the space less manly than your father may prefer. If your dad chooses to, the latticed sides will also provide a perfect trellis on which to train climbing plants he may want to grow to add even more shade to the pergola. Fastening a removable awning is another cool idea that adds shade and cools down the pergola in the hot summer heat. Add more seating space with a swing bench Help your dad reminisce about his childhood days, perhaps with his grandkids for company, by outfitting his pergola with a swing wooden bench. A good woodshop can fashion one with chains. A swing bench provides comfortable seating for him to enjoy some company, or to lose himself in a good book if he prefers that. It is a playful yet thoughtful gift that your old man will appreciate. Light it up for night use If he likes to entertain, adding some lighting (a rustic chandelier is a fun idea) and a dining table will turn your outdoorsy dad’s pergola into an alfresco sanctuary. It will allow him to host intimate dinners outside. We can think of many other ways to add shade, function, and style and make your father’s pergola the perfect nook for lounging and entertaining. Plants, for example, add life to any space, so hanging a few planters around the pergola is always a thoughtful idea. Gift Your Dad Something He Will Actually Use Your father will likely receive a lot of gifts from all the loved ones in his life. Some of these gifts will inevitably not be used that much. But yours will be because he can’t ignore it. It is right there in his face every time he steps out of the house. Pergolas are bang on trend as well. They are an easy way to accent your backyard and expand your father’s living space and a great way to add value and beauty to any property. For a dad who loves to cozy up in his backyard, especially in this age of social distancing, a pergola makes a fabulous present to gift and celebrate your dad this father’s day. Now that you have the perfect father’s day gift idea, who will build this pergola? Jay’s Fencing is an experienced designer and builder of pergolas, arbors, and other outdoor
How To Restore Your Wooden Fence After Toronto’s Brutal Winter
How’s your wooden fence looking after the winter season we have just had in Toronto? Hopefully, not too bad. Snow has the effect of making even ordinary landscapes look serene and beautiful. But for your wooden fences, it hardly ever feels like a winter wonderland, even with all your winter preparation efforts. The steep dip in temperature and the eventual thawing warps wood, causing it to shed that protective seal you had wisely protected it with. The wooden fence that emerges after winter often looks grey, tired, and old. This year’s winter was especially brutal. It was early, too. Not since 1951 has Toronto received its first heavy snowfall that early in the season. So now that it’s spring, how can you revive your wooden fence to look its best again? How To Restore Your Snow-Battered Wooden Fence Even though spring comes with rain in Toronto, it is now warm enough to give your fence the attention it desperately needs. Here are some fencing tips to help renew your wooden fence and bring back its rich, warm glow: 1. Check the fence’s stability Before you start any restoration work, it is important to first check the stability of the fence. The freezing of the ground can cause the soil to shift, which makes the fence’s posts loose and unstable. Excessive moisture can also cause the posts footing to rot. The rot isn’t easy to spot if you don’t physically test the strength of the fence. As any fencing expert will tell you, if the posts aren’t strong, the whole fence is unsafe. After you test all posts, you should be able to see which ones are shaky and which ones need to be repaired. As you sink new ones, ensure they are deep enough to get past the frost line. Only then can you be sure the posts will not loosen when the soil shifts again next winter. 2. Give the fence a good power wash Looking at your wooden fence’s tired, grey appearance, you may doubt it will ever look as good as it did before winter. But it will. After making sure the fence is stable, take out your power washer and give the fence a thorough clean. Power washing will remove any mold, dirt, and grime that may have built up as well as strip away dead cells. What you want is to strip the wood down to the fresh layer underneath. 3. Replace rusted nails and tighten loose boards With the fence clean and well dried, check to see if the power wash hasn’t exposed any rusted nails or made some boards loose. Replace the rusted nails. If there are any broken boards or battens, glue and tighten them. 4. Protect the fence with a wood preservative Now it’s time to protect the wood with a good wood preservative. Apply several coats of the preservative, paying particular attention to the base of the posts, which is the one part of your fence that’s most prone to rot. 5. Seal the wood with an oil stain Staining your fence will ensure the wood looks freshly restored for longer. If you want the wood to look as natural as possible, with its natural grain showing through, choose a semi-transparent oil seal. Remember, without added protection, the sun is going to bleach the wood’s natural colors before long. So choose a stain that has an ultraviolet inhibitor. It also helps if the sealer has mildew protection. Work the sealer into all the corners and board joints. Any spots you leave unsealed exposes the wood to moisture damage and discoloration. Wooden Fencing Requires Regular Maintenance Your wooden fence should now be looking as good as new. But, being wood, you will still need to regularly maintain it to fix issues before they compromise the fence’s stability and good looks. If the fence restoration and maintenance job is too demanding for you, or you just don’t have the time, remember Jay’s Fencing is here for you. At Jay’s Fencing, we are experts at installing, maintaining, and repairing all types of fences, including vinyl and chain-link fences. Contact us for a free consultation.
Do I Need My Neighbour’s Permission Before Fencing My Property?
Fencing in Kitchener: Do I Need My Neighbour’s Permission Before Fencing My Property? When you erect a fence around your residential property in Kitchener, not too often do you envisage a conflict with your neighbors. Your intentions with the fence are often to improve privacy, protect your children and pets, and to keep out unwanted guests. But, as you may discover, fences are a fertile area for disputes between neighbors. Whether it’s you or your neighbor building a fence along an abutting property line, there is a need for some level of cooperation and, to some extent, consultation. There are matters of cost, repair, and maintenance of the fence to consider. In that regard, one of the most frequently asked questions we get is: Do I Need My Neighbor’s Permission Before Erecting a Fence? You do not need your neighbor’s permission to build a fence around your property. But you do need to know where the property line (the line dividing your property from the neighbours) is as if your fence strays into your neighbor’s property, they will have a valid case for encroachment against you. Where the fence sits on the property line, you will need to talk to them first. Moreso if you intend to ask the neighbor to absorb half the cost of the fence. You will need to agree on the cost and type of fence. If the type of fence you desire costs more than a standard, secure fence, above whose cost your neighbor is unwilling to pay, you will have to pay the remainder on your own. In cases where the adjoining landowner refuses to foot their part of the fence’s cost, repair, or reconstruction, the Line Fences Act gives you room to refer the matter to arbitration. The arbitration will determine “what portion of the fence each owner shall construct, reconstruct or repair, and maintain …” If arbitration and lengthy discussions with neighbors are too draining, you could just choose to erect the fence within your side of the property line. You would not need to share costs with your neighbor. Neither will you need their consent. Fence wars can get very ugly and will leave lasting damage on your relations with neighbors. Where you can, avoid them. Are you thinking of erecting a fence around your property in Kitchener? Consider the highly experienced team at Jay Fencing. From chain-link fences to PVC fences and everything in between, we have the expertise to erect fences that will last, while looking as good as a fence can. Talk to us today.
COVID-19 Update
Jay Fencing Ltd. is open & we intend to continue to conduct our business with precautions until directed otherwise. During this time of the CoronaVirus (Covid19) outbreak uncertainty the safety of our employees, customers & community is our primary concern. We are following guidelines on social distancing, hygiene and sanitization. We want to continue to provide our customers with the services that they expect from us! If you book an on-site consultation with one of our estimators please understand that we will maintain a safe distance during any discussions. Jay Fencing Ltd. was built on shaking hands and connecting with people but if you wish to direct us in advance of the areas to have estimated and avoid contact then we completely understand and can work with that. We will offer you the option to email you the estimate and relevant information to avoid having to leave physical documents with you. Please provide your email address when booking an appointment. If you are or become unwell after booking your appointment, please call or email us in advance to reschedule so we all can take extra precautions to protect our staff and their families, as we continue to serve you. Thank you & Be Well!