Lone Star Fence & Construction

When Should You Consider a Chain Link Fence?

Chain link fences aren’t the prettiest fences. Yet they are extremely durable, versatile, and useful.

Here are three times when a chain link fence is the right choice.

#1) When Security is the #1 Concern

There are many reasons to add a fence to your property, including privacy and curb appeal. But if you really only care about keeping criminals off your property, it’s hard to beat a chain link fence.

They’re difficult to climb. It’s often easy to raise them high enough to make unauthorized access even more difficult. If you have a commercial property, you can add barbed wire to the top.

The mesh patterns of a chain link fence also help with the security aspect. By retaining some visibility, you are able to keep an eye on what’s going on right outside of your property. You can still retain some privacy by choosing a style of chain link fence which reduces the gap between links.

#2) When Paired With Certain Climbing Plants

Want to add a whimsical series of climbing morning glories to your fence, or some vibrant Coral honeysuckle plants?

Chain link fences offer excellent support for vining plants. We’ve seen them turned into the skeleton for glorious “living” fences in the past.

#3) When Protecting Pets is the Purpose

Certain fences are very easy for dogs to dig under. Wooden fences are also very easy for dogs to chew on.

Chain link fences are more difficult, and do a better job of keeping dogs safe and sound. Only metal and masonry fences compare, and not everyone has the budget for those fence types.

Chain link fencing is especially useful for protecting big dogs.

Get a Quote on Your New Chain Link Fence Today

At Lone Star Fence and Construction, we offer chain link fences in a variety of styles, colors, and heights. We’re happy to help you determine which options will best meet your needs.

For incredible security, try pairing your new fence with a customized automated gate, too!Call today to schedule a quote.

Will Adding a Fence Increase Home Value?

Our customers often want to know if adding a fence to the home will help increase the value of the home. In many cases, this will depend on a number of different factors.

Here are some considerations which can impact the amount of value your fence ultimately adds to your home.

Does the fence add curb appeal?

Curb appeal can account for up to 7% of a home’s value. That means a gorgeous fence that makes your home look even more beautiful for the first time can indeed add a great deal to the value of your home.

Of course, a fence won’t get the job done by itself if you haven’t taken other steps to improve curb appeal, such as cleaning up the home’s exterior or keeping the lawn in good shape. Nevertheless, it can help.

Does the fence improve security?

Houston has a high crime rate relative to the rest of Texas. Local home buyers are often willing to pay more when a home has good security features.

Many fences don’t offer good security on their own. Anyone can lift a latch. Nevertheless, when you combine the fence with an automated security gate and when you build the fence high enough, you do indeed harden the home as a target.

How much privacy does the fence offer?

Home privacy adds to curb appeal. Most people want the opportunity to live their lives without scrutiny or interruptions from the neighbors.

Some fences don’t add privacy but many do. If privacy is a concern, be sure to tell us when we design your custom fencing options.

What is the condition of the fence?

A fence only adds value to the home if it’s in great shape. If it’s begun sagging, has holes in it, or, if made of wood, has gone to an ugly shade of uncared for gray, then the fence can reduce property values instead of raising them.

If the fence is in pristine condition, then it’s more likely to help you fetch a great price for your home.

What is the fence made out of?

Metal and masonry fences add the most value to your home. These fences are made out of high quality, long-lasting materials. They help to communicate serenity and affluence.

By contrast, a chain link fence may be a practical addition to a yard, but might not do much to increase the selling price of your home. Like it or not, these fences aren’t considered to be particularly prestigious.

Wood and vinyl fences are somewhere in the middle, depending on how they are constructed.

What is the neighborhood like?

Do most of your neighbors have fences? Then you’re reducing the value of your home by not having one. You’ll also reduce the value of your home if you don’t invest in the same basic type of fence as your neighbors.

Most neighborhoods prefer to maintain a certain aesthetic. Don’t be the odd house out.

Design Your Fence Today

At Lone Star Fence & Construction, we are committed to helping you install the right fence for your home. If you’d like input or insight into which fences might be good additions in your specific case, contact us to schedule a quote today.

How to Keep Your Vinyl Ranch Fence in Great Shape

We’ve built plenty of vinyl farm and ranch fences for homeowners across Texas. Their classic white look and their sturdiness make them perfect for marking off pastures.

Another great reason for vinyl fencing is that it’s built to last. A properly built and maintained vinyl fence can last up to 30 years.

The trick, of course, is to give your vinyl fence the treatment it needs to go the distance. Here’s what you need to know.

Never Use Harsh Chemicals

A garden hose should be sufficient to clean your fence; you don’t need harsh chemicals.

If you feel you need soap, choose one of the following:

Biodegradable soap
Vinegar and water
Castille soap

Baking soda can remove almost any stain a vinyl fence might develop.

Avoid the Use of Force

Pressure washing a vinyl fence will damage it, as will clipping it with a lawnmower or a weedwhacker. If possible, keep your trees trimmed back from your vinyl fence to avoid issues with falling debris during severe thunderstorms.

Vinyl fences stand up to wind, weather, and mold very well. The thing they don’t do well is blunt force trauma, especially from heavy machinery. The more gently you can treat your fence, the better.

Avoid Paint

Vinyl naturally protects itself from UV rays, but only if you don’t block its protective qualities with paint. Paint doesn’t adhere too well to vinyl anyway.

If you really want a color other than white, talk to us; there are some options, and we can help you explore them.

Pay Attention to Mildew and Algae

In our humid Texas climate, mildew and algae are all too likely, especially in the shaded areas of your yard. Either will stain your fence.

Fortunately, vinegar and water take care of mildew and algae, too.

Schedule Your Free Quote Today

Don’t have a vinyl fence yet? Thinking about installing this low-maintenance, long-lasting option? Turn to Lone Star Fence & Construction and call us to get a free quote today!

Our customers will tell you all about our detailed estimates, the way we offer informed suggestions, and, best of all, the way that we won’t charge you until the job is finished.

What to Think About When Considering Custom Gate Design

Adding a custom gate to your property can increase its value and security. It can also help you personalize it, communicating your unique style, your house number, or anything else you want.

When ordering a custom gate, you will have a big influence on the final design. Thus, there are some points to consider as you discuss your quote with us.

What is the purpose of the gate?

Gates may either slide open or swing out. They may help you increase your curb appeal, or they may block the view of your property altogether.

Consider whether your primary concern is privacy or security. Consider how many times per day the gate might open, where it will open, and how much space you’ll have to work with.

Are you laboring under any restrictions?

If you live in a neighborhood with a homeowner’s association, you may be dealing with some strict rules about the type of gate you can put up, how high it may be, and how much of the view you’re allowed to block.

It’s imperative to research these restrictions before you call us, as you may have to pay fines or even tear down your new gate if the HOA takes exception to it.

How much space do you have?

If you have enough space, adding a pedestrian gate can be a great option. This allows a safer entry point for people approaching on foot or via a wheelchair.

However, suppose you don’t have the space to add the option. In that case, you’ll maximize your accessibility with a sliding gate vs. a swinging gate, as someone may always step or scoot backward long enough to allow the gate to open without having to judge distance.

How tall do you want the gate to be?

A taller gate can be an elegant, imposing feature for any home. A shorter gate shows that you’re serious about security but creates a more welcoming atmosphere.

Some of the zip codes we serve are in townships with height restrictions on gates, so there’s often an upward limit on what we can do anyway. Nevertheless, it’s a good design and aesthetic consideration.

Get your free quote today!

Here at Lone Star Fence and Construction, we’re always excited to help you design the perfect gate for your home, ranch, business, or property. We can help you balance aesthetics and other design considerations with practical concerns.

Ready to get started? Call (832) 981-2402 today!

How to Child-Proof a Fence

Many people install fences so their children will have a safe, private place to play. Yet you won’t be able to create a genuinely safe play area if you don’t take the time to child-proof the fence.

After all, children are resourceful. They can think of all kinds of ways to get into trouble, and sometimes, their imaginative play inspires weird ideas. Taking the proper childproofing steps can stymie them when they’re about to do something crazy.

Here are the steps to take.

#1) Choose the Right Fence

Wooden fences, metal fences, and smooth metal fences are perfect for children.

Masonry fences and chain-link fences are less ideal. Chain-link fences essentially present kids with a series of convenient handholds to help them scramble right over the fence. An excellent climber could also use the natural ridges offered by brickwork to get over a masonry fence.

You also need the right fence design. Many parents prefer privacy fences with tight slats that can’t be seen through or squeezed through. This keeps bad actors from staring at your kids and prevents kids from squeezing through the slats: a win-win on both counts.

#2) Install Safe Latches

If you don’t pick a child-proof latch, you won’t have to worry about climbing and squeezing because your child will be able to walk right through the gate.

You can add plenty of safety latches to a fence that is too high for children to reach or too difficult for them to open. You may even consider adding a keycode lock just for your fence.

#3) Pay Attention to Fence Maintenance

Fence damage can pose a hazard to your children. It can frustrate all your efforts to keep them on your side of the fence. Certain fence damage can even cause injuries.

Give your fence regular inspections. If you see damage, call us. We are happy to handle fence repairs as well as installations, and we want your child to be safe, too.

chain links Climbing Plants

Want help choosing the perfect fence for your family’s needs? Want to find out how much it will cost to install the fence of your dreams? Call us anytime!

The team at Lone Star Fence and Construction is ready to help.

How to Hurricane-Proof a Fence

The odds of a major hurricane hitting Houston sits at 7%, and statistics tell us that Texans can expect an average of three hurricanes and tropical storms to hit over a four-year span.

Since it’s hurricane season now, we thought we’d offer some insight into how hurricanes might impact your fence and whether there are any steps you can take to keep it standing in the face of high wind and driving rain.

Construction Matters

No amount of planning or tricks can help you if your fence wasn’t constructed properly in the first place.

That’s why our team sets fence posts high and deep, ensuring they’re secured with concrete. These steps help ensure that it’s difficult for the wind to yank your fence right out of the ground.

Materials matter, too, and of course, some materials are better than others. Our masonry fences, wooden fences, and wrought iron fences are especially hurricane-resistant. Our chain-link fences also do a great job of standing up to nature.

Vinyl fences are harder and, by their very nature, a bit flimsier. We choose good vinyl, but it’s just never going to be as sturdy as the alternatives. Many of our customers don’t mind since vinyl is also less expensive and very easy to maintain. Plus, there are still some mitigation steps we can take during the building phase, such as ensuring that there are gaps between the slats, which allows the winds to pass right through the fence.

Maintenance Matters

In addition to regular cleaning, inspections, and repairs, you can make your fence more hurricane-resistant by trimming the vegetation around it and trimming back your trees so they don’t hang over it.

Falling debris, such as big, heavy branches, is a common hazard during hurricane season. It doesn’t even take a hurricane to produce them. We’ve all been in intense, tornado-spawning thunderstorms that rip branches right out of trees and litter them all over the road. Keeping the hazard away from your fence protects it year-round, not just during hurricane season.

We recommend checking your fence after any storm so you can catch and make repairs quickly. If you call Lone Star Fence and Construction, we’re happy to make repairs.

Alertness Matters

Nobody’s watching the news as often as they used to. If you don’t have the proper alerts set, it can be easy for a hurricane to creep up on you.

Find a way to check the weather daily so you know when to respond. Your fence won’t react well if the wind picks up a piece of your lawn furniture and hurls it right into the nearest post.

You need enough advance warning to get out there and pick up anything that might be at risk.

Need a New Fence?

We install year-round, even during hurricane season, and we always build for Houston weather conditions. While there are no guarantees, our fences do have a track record for withstanding severe weather conditions.

Check out our photo galleries to see our past projects, and call (832) 981-2402 if you’re ready for a quote.

Staining a Wooden Fence vs. Painting One

The image of a home handyman painting a wooden fence is almost iconic, but painting a wooden fence doesn’t always offer the best results.

Instead, we recommend a good oil-based stain.

Why paint or stain a wooden fence at all?

Natural wood is indeed beautiful, especially when it’s new. Nevertheless, wood is wood. Even the highest quality wood is prone to rot, sun damage, and insects when it sits outside unprotected.

Always remember that the primary purpose of staining or painting a fence is to protect it. Everything else is secondary. We recommend staining the fence at least once a year.

When you stain the fence, you can just pressure wash it and reapply the stain every year. When you paint it, you’ll have to scrape and sand until all the peeling paint is gone, pressure wash it, and then repaint the fence. You might have to do that twice a year.

Stain is definitely the big winner if you want to reduce your “honey-dos.”

Why stain instead of paint?

Wood doesn’t absorb paint very well. When you paint wood, you end up with a big mess, sometimes in less than a year. Paint chips and peels, especially in harsh weather.

Plus, paint is often so thick that it hides the wood grain, making your fence look cheap and unnatural. You’ve invested in a gorgeous, real wood fence. Why not show off the wood?

What kinds of color options are available with stain?

Many people believe they can only use “woody” colors if they choose a stain. While it’s true you’ll find more options in natural colors, you can also find pink, blue, green, gold, purple, and red wooden stains. If you like natural colors, you don’t even have to go crazy; you can just use a transparent or semi-transparent stain instead.

While you might not have as many options as you might have if you’d gone to paint, you’ll generally have enough to support nearly any kind of garden decor you want to create. Just make sure you talk to your HOA first—many of them get uptight about certain colors.

Ultimately, the lady out front measuring your grass may have more of a say in what color your fence ends up as than the availability of your colors, which means you lose the major advantage of going to paint anyway.

Do you need a replacement fence?

Eventually, wood fences succumb to the elements even if you take good care of them.

When that happens, consider choosing us as your wooden fencing installation company. We use high-quality wood and our building expertise to build long-lasting wood fences you’ll be proud to have on your property. Ready to get started? Contact our office today!

3 Benefits of a Wrought Iron Fence

You’ve got a lot to think about when determining the best fence for your home or business. You need to think about the amount of time you have to devote to the fence, what you want to use the fence for, and, of course, the ultimate aesthetics of the fence.

While a wrought iron fence isn’t the best choice for everyone, there are significant benefits that make it the perfect choice for many. Here are three reasons why you should consider making your next fence a wrought iron fence.

#1) Beauty

Even a plain wrought iron fence is a gorgeous, traditional option for your home. Yet one of the benefits of wrought iron is that the fence may be fashioned into any number of gorgeous designs.

If you would like to adorn your property with customized, ornamented fencing, wrought iron is the choice.

#2) Durability

Shopping for longevity? Wrought iron can last up to 50 years if properly maintained. Proper maintenance means keeping them clean and guarding them from rust.

Even so, most wrought iron fences only need attention every six months to one year, ensuring you’ll have plenty of time to tackle everything else on your plate.

This makes them a great choice for homeowners and business owners who don’t want to spend a lot of time fussing with their fence but who nevertheless want a lot of value for their investment.

#3) Security

Build a tall enough wrought iron fence, and potential miscreants will find it very difficult to bypass, especially when combined with one of our automatic gates.

They’re smooth and difficult to climb. You can also adorn the top of the fence with spikes or other decorations that offer both aesthetic benefits and protective ones. This benefit can be especially important when using your fence to protect a swimming pool, as it does a good job of discouraging children and teens from climbing your fence to play in the pool.

If providing your property, family, or business with security is the primary reason why you’re building a fence, then you’ll want to seriously consider the wrought-iron option.

Ready to install your wrought iron fence?

At Lone Star Fence and Construction, we’re well known for the workmanship and beauty of our custom railings and wrought iron fences.

If you’re ready to invest in a gorgeous new fence that will last for decades, call (832) 925-3347 to schedule a quote.

How to Clean a Vinyl Fence

A vinyl fence is a relatively durable and low-maintenance fencing option, but you’ll still need to clean it at least once a year to keep it looking new.

Dirt can leave your fence looking dingy, and algae and mildew can grow on fences if you give it enough time. Plus, vinyl fences can take some outdoor wear and tear from normal activities.

Fortunately, the job isn’t too difficult!

Basic Principles

When cleaning a vinyl fence, remember:

Never pressure wash a vinyl fence, as high-pressure water can damage it.
Use mild soaps or natural cleaners like vinegar whenever and wherever possible. Baking soda is often a good go-to if you have a tough spot you need to address.
A scrub-brush attachment can make the job go a lot faster.
There is no need to waste money on special vinyl cleansers of any kind.

Most people will find the job to be a quick and easy one that even a child can do. Heck, on a hot summer day, a child might even enjoy the task if you’re willing to let them get wet playing with the hose!

Cleaning Dirt from a Vinyl Fence

Barkeeper’s Friend can remove tire marks from a mower if biodegradable soap isn’t working, but you’ll want to spot-clean the mark as gently as possible.

Barkeeper’s Friend is abrasive, which is why it’s so effective at removing tire marks. However, if you use it too vigorously, you risk damaging your grass.

Cleaning Algae, Mold, and Mildew from a Vinyl Fence

Algae, mold, and mildew can form big, unsightly green patches on vinyl fencing. Vinegar, water, and a good scrub brush are often effective solutions.

If the patch is especially tough, a solution made with OxyClean or a similar oxygen cleaner product may give you the extra power you need to get rid of the growth.

Need to replace your vinyl fence?

A vinyl fence can last up to 30 years when properly maintained. If you don’t have one yet, or are thinking about getting one, or need to replace an existing vinyl fence, why not call us?

We’ll give you a quick, accurate quote and a quality install that meets your fence needs and goals.

5 Mistakes Houston Homeowners Make When Ordering a New Fence

Adding a fence to your property can add up to $4,000 to the total value of your home, but only if you do it right.

If you make certain mistakes, your new fence can become an expensive problem.

Here are five mistakes some Houston companies make.

#1) Failing to research the property line.

If you don’t know exactly where your property line is, you could end up in real trouble. If you accidentally build over the line, your neighbor can demand that you rip out the fence.

It’s best to build the fence just inside the legal line to avoid problems. You can also build right on the boundary, but in either case, having evidence of the legal property line can save you a world of trouble.

#2) Failing to understand permit requirements.

Different townships have different requirements. For example, Houston only requires you to get a permit if your fence is going to be higher than 8 feet tall or if you live within the flood plain. Houston also has certain requirements for fences that are going to be adjacent to intersections.

Sugar Land, Pearland, Friendswood, Galveston, and League City, Texas may have their own requirements. Don’t forget that your HOA may have special requirements, too.

Of course, when you work with a qualified professional like the team at Lone Star Fence, we help you pull the necessary permits and stay within the boundaries of the local regulations.

#3) Failing to talk to the neighbor.

Houston residents are, by and large, independent people with strong opinions about property rights. You may be forgiven for feeling like your property is your property, and you should be able to do whatever you want with it.

Unfortunately, an unhappy neighbor can still create a lot of problems. They can take passive-aggressive actions to damage your fence. They can cost money by challenging your fence legally, even if you’re within your rights.

Discussing your fence with your neighbor ensures that good feelings will abound and ensures you can enjoy your fence peacefully.

#4) Buying the wrong fence.

If you want the maximum amount of privacy, you want a wood or a masonry fence; a wrought iron or chain link fence won’t meet your needs.

Consider why you want the fence, and make the choice based on your needs rather than on the price of materials or any other factor.

#5) Attempting a DIY installation.

If you want a long-lasting, durable, sturdy fence, then attempting a DIY installation will lead you in the wrong direction. If you’re not already a carpenter or contractor, there’s a good chance that the fence will be unattractive. Plus, the cheap materials that come in standard fence kits get damaged quite easily.

You don’t save much money in the long run if you have to replace that fence in two years. Get a long-lasting fence from a fence contractor, and you’ll get to enjoy the results for many years.

Get Help Today

Ready to place a fence on your property? Reach out to Lone Star Fence & Construction to schedule a free quote today!