When you decide your aluminum fencing needs a facelift, you have a few options on how to go about it. Whether you decide to clean up what you have or replace it, you’ll find some helpful tips here.
While aluminum fencing typically offers a long lasting, highly satisfactory, fencing solution, there may still be some scenarios where you may need to remove or replace it. In this article we’ll be exploring some of these reasons, as well as helping you decide whether removal or renovation is best for you.
Choosing to Update
There are a few reasons why you may wish to change out your current aluminum fencing. This is most commonly due to inheriting a fence from previous tenants, when moving into a new property.
While aluminum fencing does require little maintenance, if completely ignored or mistreated, you may be left with something that lets down your yard instead of showcasing it, as good aluminum fencing should do.
You may also be renovating your home, and looking to change up its styling. While typically aluminum fencing offers timeless design, if your tastes change, then there are always a variety of other styles to suit the new you.
Finally, either you or the previous tenants may have incorrectly installed the fence, been done without the Homeowner’s Association’s permission, if your residency has one, or be in violation of your area’s property laws involving fencing.
Not to worry if any of these scenarios apply to you, as aluminum fencing is easy to uninstall, as well as reinstall and recycle.
Think Renovation Before Removal
You’d be surprised how much difference a little TLC can make in regards to your fencing. Simply giving it a good scrub with water and dish soap will breathe new life into the aluminum, and you may find you end up saving yourself a good deal of money by keeping your now good as new fence!
It is a common misconception that metal fencing cannot be repainted. In fact, aluminum fencing in particular can be painted over and over! Painting your fence is a relatively easy process, involving cleaning, priming, and then painting with suitable metal paint.
Typically, aluminum fencing comes in three color options, black, white, and bronze, but if these options do not appeal, as long as the paint is suitable for metal you can achieve fencing that suits you and your personality!
A simple fresh coat of paint, or a whole new color, can totally transform a fence, as well as a garden as a whole, and again is far more cost effective than replacing the entire thing.
A word of warning though: be considerate of those around you, especially if your fencing is visible from the curb, or if you live in an area governed by a Homeowners Association. While you might love your new lime green fence, your neighbors might think otherwise.
Removing Aluminum Fencing
Where your fencing is, as well as its construction, will determine the best solution for removal. If the fencing is in an area away from the street, i.e. around your pool, then it may have been set in the ground using simple sleeves, which will allow you to simply lift the poles out, constituting the most painless removal possible.
However, to reduce theft and increase security, most fences near or on street level, will have had their posts secured to the ground using concrete. To successfully remove these takes a little more elbow grease, as you’ll need to dig around the post to be able to lift out the concrete and attached post.
While this does take a lot more work, it’s still well within the realms of an afternoon of DIY.
Another consideration is if you simply want to remove the posts and retain the fencing panels, maybe for future re-installation or to sell on, or not.
If this is the case, if you’re lucky you’ll find the panels are secured to the posts using screws or bolts, and you simply need to remove them to separate the two.
If you’re unfortunate, then they may be welded together, in which case you’ll need a metal saw and some patience.
Reinstallation Aluminum Fencing
If you’re opting to reinstall new aluminum fencing in the same spot as the old, then the process becomes a cakewalk.
Simply reset the posts into the old holes, and seal with concrete. If you’re opting to remove your fence entirely, then fill in the holes with soil and sprinkle with grass seeds, to seamlessly blend the patches back in with your lawn.
Finally, if you’re opting to reinstall in a different location, simply repeat the installation process as you did the last time.
No need to panic if you got help the first time and want to try a DIY approach this time though, as there are plenty of easy to follow installation guides, that’ll soon have you installing like a pro!
To Renovate, Remove or Reinstall?
At the end of the day, the final decision on how you proceed regarding your aluminum fencing is up to you, your situation, and your budget.
While it may be more cost effective to simply renovate your existing fencing, if you have your heart set on a specific stunning design, then, having just read about how easy removal and reinstallation is, your decision may have just become a bit more clear.
