Fences can be functional or decorative. The sort you need will determine the design or style to choose.

When choosing the style of fence for your home, first consider these three points:

1. Location
Fences on a rural property are usually designed to maintain the feeling of openness; inner-city fences are designed for soundproofing and privacy; and suburban fences are often designed for aesthetic effect.

2. Age/style of your property
The style of fence should complement the style of the house. A picket fence on a modern house would only look awkward.

3. Function
A front fence enhances your property visually and prevents animals and others from entering your front yard. Side and rear fences are usually higher than those at the front, as privacy from neighbours is the main concern.

Different purposes

You may also find that your fence is multi-functional, so consider:

Security and safety
Many people build high brick or timber-panelled
fences to give them a sense of security. Some areas of your property, such as swimming pools, will require specific types of fencing to make them safe, and these may be specified by government regulations.

Good-neighbour fences
Some fences, such as the basketweave or lattice fence, are designed to look the same on both sides; others, such as the paling fence, have only one `good' side. If your neighbours are not keen about having the `back' of the fence facing into their property consider paling the fence on both sides or choose an alternative style.

Soundproofing
Tall, close-boarded or overlapped timber fences are good options for reducing noise levels. For maximum noise reduction, panel the fence on both sides of the rails. Plant a screen of tall, thick plants directly behind the fence to further absorb the noise and direct it upwards.

Privacy
In cases where you need to screen a yard for privacy, consider alternatives that allow for the flow of air and sunlight. The basketweave fence or louvre fence would both serve this purpose.

Selective screening
The main purposes of selective screening, other than to provide privacy, are to provide shade and shelter from the elements and protection or support for plants. For attaching climbers to a fence, lattice is the best choice. When screening plants or people from the elements, a louvre fence is appropriate as it allows some flow of light and air without creating a feeling of enclosure.

Landscape fencing
Landscape fencing needs to be constructed using the open-slatted, latticed or louvred styles to allow plants to grow around and through the fence. This way the fence will `blend' into the garden.

Animal enclosure
In a rural setting, fences need to be practical and sturdy. The post and rail fence used to contain horses is far kinder on livestock than a barbed wire fence.

Wind control
For homes in high wind areas, a protective fence allows plant growth, prevents erosion and provides personal comfort.

By building a solid timber fence between your property and the wind, it may be possible to reduce constant or gusting wind blasts, but you could be creating new problems:
You could restrict your view.

Constant winds could cause the fence to lean.

When moving air hits a solid object it goes up and over the object, eddying downwards in circles, causing greater discomfort and damage.

The solutions to these problems lie in selecting the correct type of timber fencing. A louvred or lattice fence helps to break down the force of the breeze, dispersing it through the slats or lattice. Where solid fences are preferred, positioning angled cappings on the top of the fence will help to redirect wind up and over the area to be protected, operating as a windfoil to prevent eddying.

Regulations and obligations
Before building a new fence check local building codes. The requirements could include any of the following:
1. Fences are to be constructed of certain materials.

2. There may be a variation in fence height according to front, side, rear, corner, or even waterfront location.

3. There may be a variation in the position and distance of the fence from the kerb.

4. The style of the fence may be limited according to streetscape and heritage obligations.

Swimming pools are a special case and dividing fences between neighbours will also be covered. Obviously, for the sake of good neighbour relations, it is best to deal with this matter in a personal and friendly manner.

Coping with a slope
Examine the proposed line of the fence and calculate any variation in slope. This can be done by a surveyor or by the following method:

Step 1. String a level line between the two ends of the fence.

Step 2. Measure the distance to the ground from the line at each end or at various other points.

Step 3. The difference between each measured point gives you the amount of fall in that section.

If possible, sketch a drawing to scale so you can clearly see the proposed fence. On steep slopes it is often better to run the rails parallel with the ground, but on a gradual slope, a stepped effect, keeping the rails horizontal, is more appropriate.

To calculate the amount of step in each panel of fencing, divide the total fall by the number of panels in your design. If the step is too big, bring the posts closer together to increase the number of panels and decrease the height of the step.

Fence materials
Timber fences can last from a few short years to in excess of fifty years, depending on their construction, treatment and the choice of materials. During their lifetime, timber fences have to withstand the ravages of weather and attack by insects and fungus, so it is important to select appropriate materials for their construction.

Source: Fences (Murdoch Books) a Better Homes and Gardens mini workbook (out of print)