For a long time, wood fences were the one and only option for a homeowner trying to combine beauty and practicality for their fencing needs. The problem with wood, however, is that it eventually succumbs to water damage, fading from UV radiation, and general deterioration. Fencing manufacturers developed longer-lasting materials, such as aluminum. They entered the market primarily as commercial fences, but powder coating and new painting and finishing methods have transformed aluminum into a beautiful alternative that more and more Detroit homeowners are taking advantage of.
Aluminum Fencing in Detroit: Maintenance-Free Performance
So what's so great about aluminum? Let's start with the pragmatic stuff. Aluminum is fire and pest resistant. Powder coating makes it resistant to fading as well. Plus, aluminum is rust-proof and generally unaffected by water and snow, a downfall of both steel and wood fences. Virtually indestructible, most aluminum fence manufacturers guarantee your fence will last for 20, 30, even 50 years, making it likely to be the last fence you'll ever need. Better yet, you'll have this performance and durability with essentially no maintenance whatsoever.
Uses and Designs for Detroit Aluminum Fencing
Aluminum's resilience against water makes it a natural for pool fencing, but it also performs well as either privacy or security fencing. You can fashion it with painted post caps, as you're likely to find with a wrought iron fence, or with a flat-edge top for the safety of your children and pets. The powder coating doesn't just improve the performance of aluminum, it increases ten-fold the number of paint and color options you'll have. If you're looking for something a little bolder, aluminum fencing is more than happy to accommodate. Whatever your fencing needs and your decorative preferences, you can find the aluminum fence to match and the right Detroit aluminum fencing contractor to install it.
Cost and Installation of Aluminum Fences in Detroit
Without dimensions and design, there's no way to effectively estimate how much your fence will cost, but we can tell you that the national average for an aluminum fence installation is around $3,400, slightly more expensive than wood fencing, slightly less expensive than vinyl. Of course, depending on the size and design options, you might be able to shave down this number to $2,000 or less, or watch it mushroom to more than $8,000. (Interestingly, though wood fences tend to be cheaper, they also have a wider range, where we see some wood fences exceed the $10,000 mark.)
With its light weight, aluminum fencing is easier to install than most fencing options. This doesn't mean, however, that a homeowner should attempt to tackle the project without researching installation methods. Soil content, landscaping, and local climate can play a huge role in the dimensions of your fence and its installation. Though the work may appear to be nothing more than manual labor, a bunch of expertise goes into fence planning before the first post is ever set.
Other Detroit Metal Fencing
As great as aluminum fencing is, many homeowners don't necessarily need or want "the last fence they'll ever build." In fact, in Detroit, chain link metal fencing is still more popular than its high-end metal counterpart. Though the typical chain link metal fence won't last forever, it's effective at basic tasks like pet containment and can be installed at a fraction of the cost. Plus, you'll still have a minimal amount of maintenance. Eventually, rust will probably overcome your chain link fence, but if you think your pet-owning days may run out in the next 10 or 15 years, this may not be a problem. Other homeowners install chain link fence to get them through the next few years while they save for a more luxury fence installation.

Marcus Pickett is a professional freelance writer for the home remodeling industry. He has published more than 600 articles on both regional and national topics within the home improvement industry.