Metal Fences – Aluminum or Steel?
You’ve decided that you want a metal fence for your garden, but you can’t quite decide which metal to go for. Here are some of the pros and cons of using aluminum versus steel for your garden fence.
Which Metal Is More Weather-Resistant?
If you live in an area that experiences lots of rain or snow, you’ll probably have decided to go for a metal fence rather than a wooden one because metal won’t rot away in damp weather like wood will. But is aluminum or steel best for those who live in areas with lots of wet weather?
Steel is a strong material, but it’s not so strong when faced with lots of water over time. When exposed to rain or ice, steel will gradually rust away. This means that you’re looking at a lot of upkeep. You’ll either have to spend time painting your steel fence with special coatings to make it water-resistant, or you should be prepared to totally replace your fencing every few years after it starts to rust away.
In contrast, aluminum is a fantastic metal to use for your fencing if you live in an area that experiences lots of rain or snow. Aluminum is resistant to rust. This means it doesn’t have to be painted with any kind of special coating to protect it from the weather, although you might choose to paint it if you’d like your fence to be a color other than aluminum’s natural gray. Aluminum fences require minimal upkeep to stay looking great for years.
Which Metal Is Stronger?
Steel is harder and stronger than aluminum. However, this strength comes with a downside; steel is 2.5 times denser than aluminum, which means that is also a much heavier material.
Which Metal Is Easier to Work With?
Although steel is stronger than aluminum, aluminum is easier to mold into complex shapes. Aluminum is malleable and can often be pushed into shapes that steel simply refuses to hold. If you’re looking for an ornate fence for your home, you will be able to find far more interesting, complex designs fashioned from aluminum than from steel.
Which Metal Is Easier to Install?
Of the two metals, fences made of aluminum are much easier to install than fences made of steel. As mentioned above, steel is 2.5 times denser than aluminum, and it is, therefore, more difficult to move around. This means that if you’re planning on installing a DIY fence, it’s better to stick to an aluminum fence.
It’s also important to make sure you choose the right metal if you’re thinking about installing fencing panels. Aluminum fencing panels are much lighter than steel fencing panels, so they are easier for you to pick up and install yourself. Like aluminum fence posts, aluminum fencing panels are more weather-resistant than steel ones, which means you won’t have to worry about replacing any parts of your fence any time soon.
Make your life easier by choosing a DIY aluminum fence complete with aluminum fencing panels. Leave steel fence installations to a team of professionals.
From the answers to these questions, we can see that aluminum is clearly the best choice for people who want a sturdy, metal fence that will be resistant to bad weather and that they can install themselves.
