Electric fences are your friend

Western Fence Co is the oldest fence company in Salt Lake City, Utah but our merchandise and expertise are cutting edge and top of the line. Electric fences are a really great option for many different situations. Call us for additional information on our myriad of fencing options and what could work best for your unique situation. We have competitive pricing and installation services. Here’s some additional information on the electric fence option.

It takes awhile to become confident 
in electric fences, but it’s worth 
the effort, says a provincial 
beef extension specialist

Electric fencing is an effective grazing tool cattle producers should consider taking advantage of throughout the grazing season.

“The fence you put up doesn’t have to be permanent and expensive as electric fencing systems on the market today are very effective, mobile and easy to install,” said provincial beef extension specialist Andrea Hanson. “There are a number of companies in Alberta that sell electric fencing supplies. Some companies even provide a self-contained portable package deal with everything included.”

Cattle need to be trained to the electric fence.

“An electric fence is a psychological barrier, not a physical one,” said Hanson. “To an untrained cow, an electrical wire isn’t an impediment. However, once accustomed to the electric fence, some producers have even got away with putting up twine to direct cattle into holding yards.”

It takes a few days to get cattle used to an electric fence.

“One method to train the cattle is to put up a perimeter hot wire in a small pasture or paddock and allow the cattle to discover it on their own,” said Hanson. “Cattle react in one of two ways — they either jump forward or they back up. If they do jump forward they may break the wire if it’s made of polyethylene, so gather them back up and enclose them again; fix the fence; and allow them to challenge the fence for a second time. An animal testing the fence for a second time is usually prepared to back up.”

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Looking for another reason to install a fence?

BEARS. Bears are a great reason to install a fence…and a really tall one! As a few Colorado families found out that their fences (if they had them) were not quite tall enough as they woke to find a bear traipsing across their yard. Call Western Fence Company today. Nobody ever thinks it will happen to them until it does.

HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. – A bear wandered through several yards and climbed back yard fences in Highlands Ranch Friday morning.

Alyssa and Jake Stevens sent pictures of the bear to Denver7.

The Stevens said they saw the bear in their back yard in the Westridge Village community in Highlands Ranch.

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Vinyl vs. Wood Fencing

There are no bad choices for fence material, it’s all a matter however of what suits your particular needs the most. Many of the different factors to consider are how much maintenance you would like to put into the fence, which aesthetic you appreciate more, the cost per foot of the material and how easy it is to repair the material, just to name a few. Here is a very basic pros and cons list of the two materials from Home Stratosphere. Read more at:

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Right to fashionable privacy

There’s something amazing about having privacy and tranquility in your home, tucked away from neighbors and the stress of the city. Home is meant to be a sanctuary for you and your family members. There are ways to get this desired privacy in a stylish way, through creative landscaping and fencing provided by Western Fence Company, the oldest and best fence company in the Salt Lake City area. Contact us for more information!

Depend on a Tall Fence

Decorative and useful hardscape pieces and plantings soften the lines of a towering fence.

  • Simple detailing, including a wide cap piece, breaks up an otherwise overwhelming facade on an extra-tall fence
  • Hung on the fence, a decorative latticework sculpture serves as an outdoor-ready, artistic element.
  • A low stone bench, with river rock collected on top and at the base, offers an additional seating spot.
  • Near the base of the fence, lights provide a safety element and ambience for nighttime gatherings.
  • Groundcover and a midheight tree soften the geometric lines of the paved seating area.

    Open Up for Privacy

    A stripped-down fence and airy plants offer subtle screening.

    • Two oversize urns planted with rhododendrons mark the transition from public face to private space.
    • The open latticework fence offers a discrete but unmistakable barrier; bright green paint and wood framing gives it distinctive character.
    • Double doors are a steadfast signal of a secluded area; the latticework details and wood inserts neatly complement the contrasting fence pieces.
    • Lacy, branching trees gracefully arch up and over the fence for a soft, protective canopy.
    • A wispy groundcover of sweet woodruff softens the space between gravel pathway and fence.

      • Use Lattice as a Screen

        A fence and carefully chosen plants insulate a side yard.

        • A clamoring vine — here, Boston ivy — softens hardscape edges and adds another layer of privacy.
        • A door is a distinctive, uninterrupted signal of a private space; fitted with a small section of latticework, it includes a decorative element that repeats the design in the fence.
        • While the fence’s woodwork signals a secluded landscape, the lattice’s open weave filters both sunlight and views.
        • Low-growing shrubs, such as a dwarf globe blue spruce, provide a way to maintain a year-round, softscape barrier.
        • A carefully chosen selection of plants and materials — river rock, patterned pavers, variegated hostas, black-eyed Susans — offers low-maintenance beauty.
        • Garden ornaments, including an imaginative birdhouse planter and a series of bright purple paintings, adorn the fence.
        • A pair of metalwork obelisks provides a spot for vines to clamor up.
        • Staggered landscape elements, such as a raised bed, offer delightful garden details.
        • A tall wood fence gets a pick-me-up with a simple latticework top.

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Only pay for what you need

Fences do not have to be very complicated projects but they do involve slightly more prep work than many people realize and this sometimes makes it needlessly complicated and sometimes ridiculously expensive! Here are some factors that you should consider so that you can determine exactly what kind of fence you want. Western Fence Co is there to help you every step of the way. Contact us today.

Installing a new fence can improve the appearance of your yard in addition to offering privacy. Homeowners, though, may be surprised by some unexpected costs.

Fence installation by a qualified, reputable professional can help ensure not only long life for your fence but an aesthetic improvement for your yard.

Most urban centers offer a host of contractors, giving you the ability to pick and choose the company or individual pro who best suits your needs. In many respects, this also gives you control over price, but you need to be alert for potential hidden costs.

Understand what’s beneath your lawn

While the bulk of your fence is installed above ground, properly installed underground posts are critical for long-term viability. This means total cost is in large measure determined by the soil in your yard.

What it contains can make an installation straightforward or very complex.

Soft soil, for example, means your contractor will need to auger down deeper than average (typically 1/3 of the post’s length for maximum stability) and pour more concrete, which means a higher labor cost.

Hard soil or clay poses the same problem. In this case, your contractor will need extra time to dig out post holes.

Large rocks can also increase costs. If your fence builder finds a massive stone buried along your fence line, you’ll have two choices: Dig it up (sometimes requiring an excavator) or go around. Both come with an increased cost.

While it’s possible to glean some information about your soil conditions before you hire a contractor, never take any estimate at face value. Always have a 10 percent contingency in your budget.

Fence depth a consideration

Another potential cost increase comes from the slope of your yard. All yards slope down from a home to some extent to ensure water drains away from basements and window wells.

If your home is built into the side of a hill, however, or if you’ve significantly changed the slope of your yard via landscaping, expect the price of your fence to increase.

Here’s why. A fence line with no (or very little slope) doesn’t require much in the way of preparation. Once the post holes are done, posts can be cemented in and string lines run to mark out the proper height for bottom and top fence stringers.

If your yard slopes sharply up or down, however, much more work is required to measure, cut and trim stringers and boards that fit. The result is a longer, more complex job and greater total cost.

Any reputable fence estimator should be able to give a general estimate for the price of dealing with your slope. Be wary of any quotes that sound too low or if the estimator says anything along the lines of “don’t worry about it.”

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HOA’s: A Burden or a Blessing?

Home owner’s associations can be great way to make sure that your community is protected and has a reasonably uniform aesthetic. They can regulate parking so that you have a good flow and other such amenities that your community can offer. This can however become completely oppressive when it comes to stuff like thinking about adding a fence but never fear! There are ways to work with your HOA if you understand what kinds of things they have power over and what you should consider before approaching them with your dream of a fence.

HOA supporters say rules protect home values, but some worry they wield too much power.
home with landscaped yard

Homeowners associations establish rules for what you can do with your property. (Photo courtesy of Laura H., Charlottesville, Virginia)

Angie’s List member Penny Katz likes to refer to her grown dachshund, Beemer, as a puppy. But when her condo association found out, the group sent her a letter demanding proof that Beemer was the same dog the Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania, resident has owned for years.

Katz refused. The association began restricting pets more than 10 years ago, but allowed residents who already had pets — like Katz — to keep them. She says she didn’t feel she needed to provide further proof she owned the same dog, since she already did when the association’s rules changed. “I call my dog a puppy,” she says. “That was basically the problem.”

The association eventually dropped the issue, says Katz, who adds that she believes in following procedures but questions how much leeway the law gives homeowners associations to investigate and enforce their policies. Her association’s property management company, Robert H. Wise Management in Springfield, Pennsylvania, did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Fire hydrant in snow

HOAs usually hire and schedule important tasks such as snow removal. (Photo by Katelin Kinney)

Explaining HOA covenants, conditions and restrictions

Proponents of condo and homeowners associations say the groups use rules and regulations to protect home values and curb appeal, while opponents say the HOAs are poorly regulated, which can lead to abuse of power or negligence.

Though some states have passed laws to address the authority of condo and homeowners associations, the organizations can legally control what you do with your property. A developer forms an association when they build a neighborhood, and residents join that association when they sign a legally binding contract upon buying a home.

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Looking into getting a new fence? Read this.

If you’re looking to get a new fence for your home, then not only have you made a great decision but you’ve come to the right place. Getting a fence can have excellent aesthetic, economic and personal benefits for you and your family. Here’s how to make sure you get the fence that you want at the price that you need from a fellow fencing business owner in Ohio. Contact Western Fence Co. for questions, quotes and more.

Make an informed decision when preparing to fence your yard so that your choice will fit the needs of your yard, family and lifestyle.

Homeowners have various fence options to choose from and many things to consider before building a fence. Make sure the fence you pick meets the needs of your home: Is your goal is to keep kids and pets contained, increase privacy or simply boost property value by giving the yard a nice look?

You must also take maintenance and cost into account, investigate neighborhood restrictions and make sure you hire the right fencing contractor to install it.

Whether picking between a white picket fence or a wooden privacy fence, carefully consider the type of fence you choose before making an investment, says Keith Pickens, owner of highly rated The Fence Guy in Baltimore, Ohio.

A new fence costs between $2,600 and $8,000 on average, depending on the size and type you buy, so you want to make a good decision the first time. Other factors, like your yard’s slope, also affect the cost of fence installation.

Highly rated fencing companies recommend the following tips to pick the best fence for your home and family:

1. Pick the best fence for your yard

Homeowners install fences for privacy, visual appeal, or for the safety of pets and children. If done well, fences are one of the key landscaping features that increase property values.

Ask yourself why you need a fence and let that answer guide your decision making, Pickens says. Prioritize your needs over your wants, not the other way around, he suggests.

“You might want a privacy fence, but need a picket fence,” he says, adding that he generally cautions against privacy fences, which may affect resale value. “When you go to sell your home, potential buyers are going to be like: ‘What are they hiding in there?’”

If you do need privacy, wooden fences tend to work best, although vinyl fencing is sometimes another viable option, says Jennifer Pechanec, a manager with Chesapeake Custom Builders in Chesapeake, Virginia.

However, with certain vinyl fences, panels may be too far apart to provide enough privacy, she says.

Customers who don’t need privacy can turn to an aluminum fence, which gives a yard a classy, open look. In some areas, homeowners associations require aluminum fencing.

As for containment, if you mainly need a fence to protect a pet or a child, no particular type of fence necessarily works best over the other, says Michael Sterrett, owner of Affordable Fence in Bloomington, Indiana.

Just make sure to build the fence with containment in mind. For example, if you want to build a fence to keep a pet confined in your yard, understand what your animal is capable of in terms of digging and jumping, Pickens says.

“The last thing you want is to build a new fence, let your dog out for the first time, and have him jump over it,” he says.

2. Consider fence maintenance

Ask yourself how much time you want to spend maintaining your fence.

Wooden fencing requires the most maintenance because of the fence painting and staining required every couple years, but it can boost your property value by making your yard aesthetically pleasing, Pickens says.

Aluminum or vinyl fencing requires little ongoing upkeep, which makes those fence options appealing to many homeowners, Sterrett says. Wood fences offer the benefit of being more easily repaired than metal, Pickens says.

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Did you know that we do staircases too?

Staircases don’t just have to serve a purpose. They can become a beautiful decorative statement in your home. There are unlimited possibilities that can exceed design and aesthetic goals for your home. Check out these iconic spiral staircases and be sure to contact Western Fence Company so we can get started on making your stairs today.

The Santa Fe chapel is known for a very cool looking set of spiral stairs built in 1877 by a mysterious stranger. With no central support the stairs are said by the sisters of Loretto Chapel to be miraculous in construction. While there are those who beg to differ about the miraculousness of the stairs, no can deny that the stairs look, well, really cool!

article-imageThe miraculous staircase at Loretto Chapel (photograph by Michael Martin)

In the past I have admitted a somewhat obsessive love of libraries, and looking at the Loretto stairs, made me realize I have a bit of a thing for spiral staircases as well. Like secret passageways and hidden doors there is something intriguing, adventurous even, about a spiral staircase. The narrow twists, and slight dizzy feeling as you ascend, it always seems as if something fantastical awaits you at the top, or alternatively, something dark and ominous at the bottom. Either way, a spiral staircase calls to you saying “find out… if you dare.”

So without further ado, the Atlas Obscura presents to you the most intriguing, fantastical, dizzying spiral staircases from around the world. First the Vatican Museums!

article-imageThe spiral staircase at the Vatican Museums (photograph by Dimitry B.)

The Vatican Museums spiral staircase is one of the most photographed in the world, and certainty one of the most beautiful. Designed by Giuseppe Momo in 1932, the broad steps are somewhere between a ramp and a staircase.

article-imageThe Vatican stairs (photograph by Sebastian Bergmann)

As you may be able to see more clearly here, the stairs are actually two separate helixes, one leading up and the other leading down, that twist together in a double helix formation. Little did the Vatican Museum know in 1932 that this formation would come to represent life itself, with the discovery of the double helical DNA strand.

article-imageLooking up at the Vatican stairs (photograph by Hailé F)

Many more spiral staircases on the way… just try not to get dizzy.

Another set of very famous spiral stairs are the “Tulip Stairs” in the Queen’s House, in Greenwich, England. These, like the Lorretto Chapel stairs, have no central support, but here they are supported by being cantilevered from the walls, with each step resting on the one below it.

article-imageTulip Stairs at the Queen’s House (via Visit Greenwich)

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Things to do in SLC for St. Paddy’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is a fun holiday that is widely celebrated in the United States. As they say, you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy the holiday and this of course holds true this year. There are many things to do around Salt Lake City today to celebrate the day. Check out these fun events for a great day.

Guinness stocks are beginning to be depleted and bright red beards flood the shelves of every Dollar General across the Wasatch Front, which could only mean one thing: St. Patrick’s Day is upon us! Yep, that magical day wherein we celebrate the life and times of the Romano-British Christian bishop mastermind who developed a special green beer dye responsible for some wicked hangovers and, yes, green bowel movements, is here. To celebrate it, we’ve complied this list of fun-filled activities—from parades to Jell-O wrestling—guaranteed to put a smile on the face of every Irishman, Irish for-the-day and just plain drunks.

1. Go green, or go home

You know the drill. Good places to find verdant vestiture include The Dollar Tree, Goodwill, Deseret Industries, or the local Pib’s Exchange (1147 E. Ashton Ave., 801-484-7996). Hands off that “Shit Me, I’m Kiss Faced” T-shirt!

VIA FUNMUNCH.COM

  • via funmunch.com

2. Check out some sweet jams at the Best of Utah Music Winner Showcase
Sky, 149 Pierpoint Ave., 216-375-4684, Friday, March 11, 8 pm
OK, OK, this one isn’t exactly Irish-themed, but trust us when we tell you a lot of beer went into the creation of last week’s Best of Utah Music issue. To celebrate the fact that our livers remain intact (for the most part), we’re celebrating some of the best musical talent the state has to offer with a slew of live performances by the likes of DJ Sneekylong, The Aces, The National Parks, Thunderfist and Folk Hogan (who we are sure has at least one redheaded member).

3. Eat anything and everything even slightly Irish
Corned beef and cabbage, green eggs and ham, green M&Ms…eat it all. Want some cooking advice from our food critic? Check out Ted Scheffler’s current column, where, along with a recipe, he also lists some good Irish spots to check out. Places like Murphy’s Bar & Grill (160 S. Main, 801-359-7271), The Leprechaun Inn (4700 900 E. Ste. 6, 801-268-3294), Flanagan’s (438 Main, Park City, 435-649-8600) or MacCool’s Public House (1400 Foothill Drive Ste. 166, 801-582-3111). Many of these bars/grills will have live music, too, including Dublin singer-songwriter Pat Waters at the Inn on March 11 at 7 pm Hungry for some Irish soda bread? Stop by Mrs. Backer’s Pastry Shop (434 E. South Temple, 801-532-2022) for your doughy fix—no pesky Ziploc needed.

4. Drink everything Irish, too
Irish whiskey, Guinness, green beer. Ever drank Bailey’s from a shoe? Now’s your chance. Some local Irish watering holes include O’Shucks (multiple locations), The Republican (917 S. State, 801-595-1916), Piper Down (1492 S. State, 801-468-1492) and Fiddler’s Elbow (1063 E. 2100 South, 801-463-9393). Most of these places serve Irish pub grub as well, and even have live music so you can jig like there’s nobody watching.

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Before you build a fence, check this out.

So you’ve decided to build a fence. That’s a great decision. There are so many benefits to doing so. If you’re reading this, you’ve made an even greater decision by making sure that you hire the best company in the SLC area to make your fence dreams a reality. Here is some practical advice that will help you with the planning stages of building a fence.

Before you install a fence, ask yourself what your reason is for installing it. If it’s strictly utilitarian — keeping the dog in the yard — you can probably get by with a basic chain-link fence. If you’re looking to block noise or add privacy, you will want something tall and solid. Chances are your wishes are complex: You want to protect pets, but you also want to add a decorative element to your home’s exterior. Whatever its purpose, a fence can function in many ways, but the first step is deciding what you’re looking for to choose one that works for you.

Choose Your Materials


A white picket fence is quintessential, but before you buy wood posts and whitewash, think about the commitment you’re making. Wood fences may require occasional staining or sealing and can warp and rot over time. Consider a low-maintenance material, such as vinyl, that offers the look of wood without the elbow grease. Other material options include aluminum, steel, wrought iron, and bamboo.
Mix it up

If cost is an issue, mix different types of fences. Wood picket fencing could be placed at the front of the home, for example, connecting to chain link fencing in the back. No only will this combination fence potentially save installation costs, but it also will reduce the amount of fence that might require repainting.

Do your research

Inquire with homeowners or neighborhood associations and municipal building code officials regarding covenants that dictate fencing look, height, and material. City and neighborhood rules may specify the better-looking side of a fence (the side that doesn’t show posts and rails) be placed toward the public face of the property. Ask how far a fence has to be set back from sidewalks and property lines, and find out if your fence project will require a building permit.

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