Fence facelifts: two stylish ways to retrofit a fence

Sunset, Sept, 2004 by Peter O. Whiteley

Most fences don't live up to their potential. Many need to be sturdy barriers, of course, but they can also create an appealing backdrop for your garden. These two projects show just what an attractive fence can do. In both cases, the effect of improving the fence's appearance is similar to that of adding drapery to an unadorned living-room window: It adds texture, color, depth, and structure.

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Norm and Pat Michaud of Lake Oswego, Oregon, disguised a low chain-link fence with wood panels that they mounted to the existing metal posts. The orderly design of the warm-tone panels resembles a handcrafted piece of furniture and creates an arresting garden boundary.

In a similar approach, landscape designer Michael Glassman gave a makeover to a wood fence surrounding a Sacramento home. "The fence was still in decent shape, but it was nothing to look at," Glassman says. Instead of replacing it, he attached a grid of white 2-by-2s to the original. The grid adds depth and a place to train climbing roses.

Facelifts can likewise work for exterior walls--for example, the garden-facing side of a garage. For more information about how to add siding to a fence frame--from piano-key tops to horizontal basket-weave designs--read Fences, Walls & Gates (Sunset Publishing Corporation, 2004; $15).