Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about our aluminum fence panels, gates, and accessories — all in one place. Whether you’re looking for residential, commercial, or industrial solutions, our comprehensive FAQ sections are designed to help you make the best choice for your project. Explore the topics below to learn more about greatfence.com’s products, installation tips, and company information.
Residential panels are designed for standard home perimeter and swimming pool enclosure use and offer strength with a lighter profile. Commercial panels are stronger and built for businesses, parks and areas with higher traffic. Industrial panels are the heaviest-duty and used in high-security areas or for large home and public driveways.
aluminum fence rails by grade
Yes! All of our aluminum fence panels are powder-coated and made from rust-free aluminum. They won’t rot, warp, or corrode — and they require virtually no maintenance.
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Yes. All of our fence panels are rackable, meaning they can be angled during installation to follow the slope or contour of your landscape. Configure your aluminum fence panel in our online store for slight, medium or steep slopes.
Standard and Rackable fence panels can be connected together with our factory-routed line, corner, end and 3-way Posts.
Heavy Rackable fence panels can be connected together using blank (non-routed) posts + vertical swivel mounts (sold separately.
aluminum post punches
All fence panels arrive fully assembled for fast, easy installation with 1 exception. Small orders of 3 - 6 ft wide fence panels or less (and no gates) ship unassembled so they can ship oversized-UPS (instead of freight) and provide you with much, much lower shipping fee. It's easy to assemble a couple of fence panels on-site.
The vertical pickets go through the horizontal rails and are connected with stainless steel screws visible on one-side of the panel. We use the strongest aluminum alloys and a premium, 2604-5 AAMA approved powder coat finish. The horizontal rails are a heavy-duty c-channel rail with 8 internal metal ribs inside each rail going across the entire width of the rail. Most brands have hollow rails. As a result, our fence panels (and gates) are on average 20% heavier than other brands.
20 Percent More Aluminum for strength you can count on!
Absolutely. In fact, our STYLE 9 @ 54 inches high and our STYLE 10 @ 48 inches high meets the strictest codes in the USA for pool enclosures and child safety!
Residential Aluminum Fencing STYLE 10 - aluminum pool fencing
Absolutely! Unlike our Gates (which are framed and welded), our fence panels (width) can be easily trimmed or cut on-site using any metal blade saw. We call this: TRIM-TO-FIT. You can cut 2 inches off the width of a fence panel or you can cut a fence panel in half or in thirds, if necessary.
Our residential aluminum fence panels are available in 5-foot, 6-foot, and 7-foot widths. All panel widths are designed to be trimmed on-site to fit your exact layout. Heights range from 3 feet to 6 feet and meet most HOA, pool, and local building code requirements.
Yes, these panels are designed for easy DIY installation with no welding required. You can install greatfence.com residential panels using basic tools—they’re lightweight and rust-free.
Yes. All our residential aluminum fence panels are made from 6063-T5 or 6005-T5 aluminum alloy and powder-coated for maximum durability. They will not rust, even in coastal or high-moisture environments.
Yes, our residential aluminum fence panels meet most swimming pool code requirements when installed with the proper height and picket spacing. Always check with your local municipality for specific code compliance.
Absolutely. All of our residential aluminum fence panels can be configured online and installed on-site to accommodate slight, medium and steep slopes!
It's not uncommon for homeowners to mix and match their residential fencing / posts with our commercial or industrial gates when they have a large driveway. In your case you can order the same style, color, height and options in our Industrial grade Double Gates area. You'll also need to order two industrial gate posts with this large driveway gate.
Yes! All of our commercial aluminum fencing panels are fully rackable and easily adapt to varying landscape grades except for Styles 7 and 8 with close pickets. Other styles with puppy pickets, rings or butterfly scrolls added will also have limited racking; however, in these scenarios, you can stair step the fence panels on slight, medium and steep slopes.
racking aluminum fence panels - hills / slopesStyle 9 Aluminum Fence - Racking vs. Stair Stepping
The width of the panel, absolutely. We call this Trim-To-Fit! You can cut 2 inches off the width of a panel, 2 feet off, or you can even cut a panel in half. Using any metal blade saw, this is a very, very diy benefit.
Our premium powder coating (2604-5) provides a maintenance-free finish that resists rust, corrosion, chipping and UV damage, keeping your fencing beautiful and durable for decades.
Learn more about AAMA 2604/2605 Powder Coating Standards for architectural-grade finishes.
Industrial panels feature thicker pickets, larger rails, and reinforced construction designed for maximum impact resistance and security.
3 aluminum fence and gate grades
Yes, all fence panels are 100% Made in the USA using only American components and extrusions. Furthermore, all powder coating and packaging is done here at the factory in Michigan and we ship to your home or business anywhere in the continental USA.
Residential gates go up to 6' wide, commercial up to 8', and industrial up to 10'. Choose based on the width of your opening and how much security you need. Residential and commercial gates are available from 3 to 6 feet high, while industrial gates are available from 4 to 8 feet high.
Yes. All of our aluminum single gates are made from rust-free, powder-coated aluminum. They’re designed to withstand the elements, resist corrosion, and require virtually no maintenance.
You will need to order 2 gate posts for each aluminum single gate --- one for the hinge side and one for the latch side. You can install your aluminum single gate in one of three ways:
Cemented in-ground
Surface-mounted with a welded plate
Surface-mounted with a plate and decorative cover sleeve
Choose the configuration that works best for your project site:
aluminum post installation options
Only Commercial and Industrial Single Gates support automation using our Double Channel Premium Rail upgrade. This feature allows compatibility with swing gate operators.
See: Automation
4 ft. The arch will add additional height to the gate but all the horizontal rails will visually match-up and be in-line with the horizontal rails on your fence panel(s).
Because all of our gates are custom-made per order, the current lead time is approximately 5 weeks plus shipping time. Orders are fabricated to spec and ship directly from our facility. 100% Made in the USA! Don't settle for anything less!
As wide as you want. There is no wrong or right gate width here. We have 3ft wide, 3 1/2 ft. wide, 4 ft wide and wider single gates. A popular walk gate width is 4 ft. but we have many greatfence customers who order 3ft wide and 3 1/2 ft. wide pedestrian gates for ingress and egress to their property.
Width refers to the opening between the inside edges of two gate posts. This includes space for hinges and the gate lock. Double Gate widths are not actual.
Yes! We offer custom width aluminum gates at no extra charge. Just order the next standard width that’s larger than your custom size. During Checkout, you will notate your, specific custom gate width.
The only way to do this is to use our Heavy Duty Gate Hinges which are only available for our Commercial and Industrial gates. And, the Heavy Duty Gate Hinges will only work with our 4" x 4" Gate Posts.
20 feet. Remember, gate widths are not actual. All of our gate widths are the opening measurement between two posts or two structures (like columns) and include the spacing for the gate hinges and gate lock.
Use a measuring wheel or tape to walk your full perimeter. Mark each corner, gate location, and any obstacles. Then sketch it out to plan panel spacing and post placement.
You’ll need a post at every panel connection, plus gate posts at each gate. Rail mounts may reduce the need for posts when attaching to walls or columns.
aluminum post punches
Yes. GreatFence.com products are designed for easy DIY installation. Just follow your layout sketch, dig and set posts, and mount the panels using our included instructions. Do not dig all of your posts in advance; instead, build your barrier one section at a time.
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First, you have to decide which fence panel widths you will be ordering. Residential Fence Panels come in 5ft., 6ft., and 7 ft. widths with 6ft being the most popular width. Commercial and Industrial fence panels come in 6ft and 8 ft. widths. Let's say you're going to use 6 ft. wide fence panels. When measuring your layout, look at each fence run in 6ft. spans. Then, use the following guide to determine the quantities of each fence panel configuration:
Racking Fence Panels by GreatFence.com
USE WHITE PAPER ONLY (no graph paper, no pictures, no city plots, no construction blueprints).
Clearly draw all fence lines (BIRDS-EYE-VIEW) so that we can see where your fence turns (corners) and where it starts or stops (ends).
Label each and every fence line with total length (in feet)
Point and notate to each specific spot any each run where you want any matching swing gates (single or double) and make sure you also notate the gate width for each gate.
Do not draw dots, do not draw posts, do not draw dividers for each fence panel. Do not send us city plot layouts or construction drawings.
Do Draw a square and label it house or building to represent any existing structure. If applicable, draw a small box with the Letter "C" to represent any existing columns.
Yes. All GreatFence.com aluminum fencing products are designed for do-it-yourself installation. No welding is required, and everything ships pre-fabricated with simple connection points.
No. Gate posts must be purchased separately and are available in the Aluminum Posts section. A total of two posts are required per gate — whether it’s a single or double configuration.
It’s up to you. Some customers prefer to start with their gate installation and build outward with fence panels, while others start with their first end post and fence panel Either method works.
Posts are routed — not punched — and customized for each order based on post type (line, end, corner), panel style, height, and number of rails.
Gate Posts are not pre-drilled for standard gate hinges, TRUClose hinges or any of our gate locks. These items are easily installed on-site.
For larger gates, our Adjustable heavy Duty Gate Hinges include a hinge block which is factory-welded onto your chosen gate. See: Heavy Duty Gate Hinge Specification sheet (pdf).
Minimum 2 feet, 3 - 3 1/2 feet for jurisdictions with frost-lines. Always check your local building codes. Checking your local codes is easy with a simple Google search.
A rackable aluminum fence panel is designed to flex during installation so it can follow the slope of your yard without leaving gaps. This makes it ideal for sloped terrain or uneven ground.
STYLES 1 -4, 9 and 10 (no rings, no butterfly scrolls, no puppy pickets): Standard rackable panels can flex up to 6 inches per section. Rackable configuration (tier 2) enables the rack on-site during installation up to 18 - 20 inches per panel. Heavy Rackable configured fence panels can rack up to 36 inches per panel.
STYLES 7 & 8 or other styles with rings, butterfly scrolls or puppy pickets must be stair stepped for slight, medium and steep slopes.
See: Hills & Slopes
Yes for standard and rackable configurations. For heavy rackable configured aluminum fence panels, you must use blank (non-routed) aluminum posts + vertical swivel mounts.
Also, if you're connecting any racked fence panel (standard, rackable, heavy rackable) to an existing structure (house, building, wall, column, 3rd party wood post), you'll need to order our adjustable vertical swivel mounts (instead of our popular wall mounts).
See: Vertical Swivel Mounts
Very simple. Instead of inserting the horizontal rails into our line/corner/end/3-way posts, you will "mount" both fence panels to one of our blank (non-routed) posts using our rail end mounts. This allows you to connect two fence panels to one post at two different heights. Tons of flexibility is offered with this installation method.
See: Rail End MountsStair Stepping Aluminum Fence Panel STYLE 7 with Blank Posts + Rail Ends (sold separately)
All of our fence panels are constructed so that the vertical pickets go through the horizontal rails and are connected with stainless steel screws. When we make a rackable or heavy rackable fence panel, we overpunch the holes in the rails at every picket-to-rail connection point. This allows the fence panel to flex more (or rack) on-site during installation. Once you've installed a standard, rackable or heavy rackable fence panel, it won't move. Ever!
bronze aluminum fence panel configured heavy rackable for steep slopes
greatfence.com has been a leading aluminum fence supply company for over 20 years, serving homeowners and contractors across the U.S. and the Caribbean.
20th Anniversary logo - greatfence.com
Yes! You can easily buy aluminum fencing online through our website. Every order is custom-built and shipped direct from our U.S. manufacturing facility.
Residential fencing is ideal for homes and light-duty use. Commercial and industrial fencing are built with more aluminum for added strength, and are recommended for businesses, security applications, and large driveways.
3 aluminum fence and gate grades
Yes. We are proud to use recycled aluminum in our products. Aluminum is the most commonly recycled metal in the world. Additionally, the powder coating process is environmentally friendly and virtually solution-free.
