Creating a privacy fence around your yard is a great way to make it a place where you can relax and enjoy yourself, free from the prying eyes of neighbors and passersby. However, many fencing materials are made from finite resources that are difficult or impossible to replace. Instead, you can create your fence from materials that are produced sustainably, doing your part to ensure future generations have access to the materials they need to thrive just like you do.

Bamboo

There are two options when it comes to bamboo fencing. You can use the cut canes, either split or whole, to create a traditional fence. Or you can plant a stand of bamboo and allow it to grow in thick enough to create a fence of living poles.

Installing bamboo fencing is just like working with any other fencing material. Attach the canes to poles driven into the ground, but don't allow the actual fence to come into contact with the dirt-- it will cause the canes to rot prematurely. For easy installation, you can purchase rolls of canes that just need to be attached to the supports. If you want to create something truly unique, you can just purchase the cut and dried poles. Use twine or wire to weave them together in any pattern you wish.

A living bamboo fence requires little more effort than planting the bamboo a few feet apart all along your new fence line and waiting for them to grow in. The closer you plant your new bamboo shoots, the faster the fence will thicken but the more plants you will need up front. From there, it is just a matter of trimming the sides of the fence every so often so that your living fence doesn't get too wide over time.

Composite

Composite fencing is made from waste and recycled materials from other manufacturing processes. Shop around with various manufacturers to find one that uses almost all recycled materials to minimize the environmental impact of your new fence. If you want the look of a wood privacy fence without taking down several trees to make it, this is the product you want to work with. Advances in manufacturing have allowed producers to simulate the look of wood quite well, so people won't be able to tell the difference without a close inspection.

While composite fencing is often more expensive than wood, it does have some advantages over its environmental ones. It is easy enough for the average homeowner to work with, so you won't need professional installation unless you want it, and the maintenance is almost non-existent. Just wash it down with your hose a couple times a year and you are done. In contrast, wood fencing needs to be carefully repainted and damaged boards replaced regularly in order to keep it in good condition.

Reclaimed Materials

Perhaps the ultimate in recycling is to find something that was used once and make it new again in your home. Reclaimed materials, and wood in particular, have found an enthusiastic home with people who want something truly special in their lives. In order to help reduce the cost of deconstruction or renovation, construction companies are often reselling building materials instead of taking them to the landfill. You can create a fence out of anything you can find that will hold up well in outdoor conditions, but old pallets and barn siding are two basics that you should be able to find and work with easily.

Making a fence from sustainable materials is not that difficult, and it can look just as amazing as one created from traditional products. The peace of mind you get from knowing that you made a good decision with your purchase only goes to make your fence an even more enjoyable part of your newly upgraded yard.

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