Fencing or Stone Walling, Which is Best?

If you have a house that’s somewhere between modern and historic, you might be tossing up your options between stone walling and fencing. After all, stone walling has a very specific, ancient appeal, but fencing has many practicalities to it. You may also look at the aesthetic features of other houses to consider. No one wants to sit on the fence, but sitting on a stone wall is certainly attractive; so which should you choose?

Benefits: fencing

Let’s start with fencing. You may be trying to choose between fencing or stone walling your garden, if so – here are the perks of opting for a fence:

•  Easy to put up by yourself: you won’t have to hire a cement mixer or builders to do this one. It will require some manual labor, but if you have someone in your family who has an aptitude for this, then it’s certainly cheaper.

•  It can be far more eco-friendly. You won’t have discarded building materials or rubbish after erecting a fence. On top of that, you can also buy composite fences that are made from 90% recycled materials.

•  You can use these as support for plants: choosing slatted fencing is great for growing vines and other plants that require a surface to cling to. You could even design a feature wall that is burning with flowers, ivy and maybe even some fruit-bearing plants.

•  Privacy: fences are traditionally taller than stone walls. While it’s not impossible to build a tall stone wall, a fence is far easier to use in order to gain instant height.

•  Protection from the elements: because of their height, fences are far more effective at keeping debris and other items from neighbors’ gardens from blowing onto your property.

Benefits: stone walling

For those in more rustic abodes, a stone wall might be a more preferable option. If you’re willing to invest in something more robust in appearance, here are a few benefits of building a stone wall:

•  Cement isn’t 100% necessary: interestingly, you don’t have to use cement if you don’t wish. Techniques such as dry stone walling are as old as time and surprisingly robust.

•  Fire proof: while some fencing materials are also fire resistant, stone walls will never catch alight.

•  Blend in: because of their low-profile (if you choose to use a low stone wall as a garden border) and natural colour, they do tend to blend into natural environments incredibly easily.

•  A third surface: when you build a stone wall, you will also have the top of it to play around with. You could add potted plants, stone ornaments or any other decoration to your liking. 

Ultimately, whether you choose a fence or a stone wall will come down to your personal taste and preference. While you may want to keep the sights and sounds of your neighbors out, you may also want a more rustic aesthetic. On the other hand, you may want to create a border to your home in little or no time.