Fence facts for kids

This is about a fence. You may be looking for the sport of fencing.

A fence is like a low wall built outdoors. It's often made of metal or wood. Fences are used to keep things inside an area or to keep things out. They can be painted many different colors.

What Are the Main Types of Fences?

A wooden fence.

A metal fence.

Fences come in many shapes and sizes, and they are built for different reasons. Let's explore some common types.

Fences by Their Purpose

Fences are designed to do specific jobs. Here are some examples:

• Farm Fences: These are called agricultural fences. They help keep farm animals, like cows or sheep, safely inside a field. They also stop wild animals from getting in.
• Noise-Reducing Fences: These fences, called acoustic fences, are built to make places quieter. They help block out loud sounds, like traffic noise.
• Privacy Fences: If you want more privacy in your yard, a privacy fence is perfect. It also adds security to your home.
• Temporary Fences: You often see temporary fences around construction sites. They keep people safe, secure the area, and guide people where to walk.
• Boundary Fences: These fences show where one property ends and another begins. They mark the land lines.
• Safety Fences: A perimeter fence stops people from trespassing. It also keeps children and pets from wandering away from home.
• Decorative Fences: Some fences are built just to look nice! They make a property, garden, or landscaping look more beautiful.
• Wildlife Fences: Special low fences, like newt fences or turtle fences, are used to stop small animals like amphibians or reptiles from moving into certain areas.
• Pet Fences: An underground fence can help keep your pet safely in your yard without a visible barrier.
• Pool Fences: A pool fence is a safety fence around a swimming pool to prevent accidents.
• Snow Fences: These fences, called snow fences, help control how snow drifts. They can stop snow from piling up on roads.

A balustrade or railing is a type of fence that stops people from falling. You might see them on a balcony, stairway, roof, or bridge. They are also used near water to keep people safe.

Fences by How They Are Built

Fences are made from many different materials and built in various ways:

• Brushwood Fences: These fences are made from bundles of brushwood held together by wires.
• Chain-Link Fences: Chain-link fences are made from metal wires woven together in a diamond pattern.
• Close Boarded Fences: These are strong fences made with sturdy posts and vertical wooden boards that overlap slightly.
• Concrete Fences: Concrete fences are easy to set up and last a very long time.
• Ha-ha Fences: A ha-ha is a hidden fence or ditch that creates a barrier without blocking the view.
• Hurdle Fences: These fences are made from sections that can be moved around easily.
• Palisade Fences: A palisade is a fence made of tall, pointed stakes or logs placed close together.
• Picket Fences: Picket fences are usually about waist-high, often painted, and have a classic decorative look.
• Post-and-Rail Fences: These fences use strong posts with horizontal rails connecting them.
• Roundpole Fences: Similar to post-and-rail, but the rails are closer together. They are common in places with lots of timber, like Scandinavia.
• Slate Fences: Found in places like Wales, these fences are made from vertical slabs of slate held together with wire.
• Spear-Top Fences: These fences have decorative spear-shaped tops, often seen on metal fences.
• Split-Rail Fences: Made from timber, these fences often have a zig-zag pattern. They were common in early United States and Canada.
• Stockade Fences: A stockade fence is a tall, solid fence made of logs or boards placed very close together. They are often used for privacy.
• Vaccary Fences: Named after the Latin word for cow (vaca), these fences are made of thin, upright stone slabs. They are used to keep cattle in.
• Vinyl Fences: Vinyl fencing is a durable and low-maintenance option.
• Wattle Fences: Wattle fences are made by weaving split branches between stakes.
• Wood-Panel Fences: These fences use large wooden panels.
• Wrought Iron Fences: Wrought iron fences are made from metal tubes and often have fancy designs.
• Living Fences (Hedges):
  • Cactus fences use cacti to create a barrier.
  • Hedgerows are fences made from living shrubs that are carefully grown and intertwined.
  • Live fencing uses living trees or plants to form a fence.
  • Turf mounds are low walls of earth used as fences in some grasslands.
• Wall Fences:
  • Dry-stone walls are fences made from stones stacked without mortar, often seen on farms.
• Wire Fences:
  • Smooth wire fences use plain wire.
  • Barbed wire fences have sharp points to deter animals or people.
  • Electric fences give a small electric shock to keep animals in or out.
  • Woven wire fencing comes in many designs, from fine chicken wire to heavy mesh for sheep.
  • Welded wire mesh fences are made from wires that are welded together.

Images for kids

• 

  A wooden fence

• 

  During the Cold War, West German trains ran through East Germany. This 1977 view shows how East German authorities placed fences near the tracks to keep potential defectors at bay

• 

  Security fence for schools in Korea

• 

  A typical urban fence

• 

  Typical chain link perimeter fence with barbed wire on top

• 

  Mass concrete fence in Russia

• 

  A wattle fence at Sanok-Skansen outdoor museum in Poland

• 

  Sometimes climbing plants are used to cover unsightly fences, also for the aesthetic purpose (Senecio tamoides).

• 

  A fence in Thavakkara, India

See also

In Spanish: Valla para niños