Material tells you what a fence is made of. Style tells you what it does. At 76 FENCE Main Line, most of our first conversations with homeowners start with the second question, because the right style depends on the job you need the fence to do: block a view, keep a dog home, meet pool code, frame a front garden or mark the edge of a few acres. Once the goal is clear, choosing between wood, vinyl, aluminum, steel, chain link and composite gets much easier.
Below is a quick guide to choosing a style by goal, followed by every style we install across Philadelphia’s Main Line and nearby Chester, Delaware and Montgomery County communities.
Choosing a Fence Style by Goal
Privacy
If you want a backyard that feels like an outdoor room, look at solid privacy fences in cedar, vinyl or composite. If you want screening without a closed-in feel, semi-privacy fences with shadowbox or lattice tops let light and air through.
Safety for kids and pools
Pools in Pennsylvania need a compliant barrier with self-closing, self-latching gates. Our pool fence page covers the basics; your township inspector has final say on the details.
Curb appeal
For front yards, picket fences and open aluminum or ornamental steel frame the house without hiding it. Modern homes often look best with horizontal fences.
Pets
Diggers, jumpers and squeezers each need something different. Our pet fence guide walks through height, picket spacing and gate latches that keep dogs in.
Acreage, Security and Access
Larger lots in places like Devon, Malvern and Newtown Square often call for a lighter touch. Split rail fences mark boundaries and hold a garden edge without walling anything in, and farm and ranch fences handle pastures and paddocks.
When the priority is keeping people out rather than pets in, security fences in steel or heavy chain link add height, strength and harder-to-climb designs. And every fence needs a way through: see our gates and automatic gates pages for walk gates, double drive gates and powered openers.
Businesses and Commercial Sites
For restaurants, offices, apartment communities and retail properties, dumpster enclosures hide trash and recycling areas while keeping them easy for haulers to service. Our commercial fencing page covers perimeter, security and screening work for businesses.
How Style and Material Work Together
Most styles come in more than one material, and that is where the real trade-offs appear. A privacy fence can be cedar, which is warm and customizable; vinyl, which needs little more than an occasional wash; or composite, which gives a wood look with less upkeep. A pool fence might be black aluminum so you can still see the water from the house, or solid vinyl if the pool also needs privacy. A pet fence might be black vinyl-coated chain link along the back and aluminum along the front.
Browse our materials overview for side-by-side comparisons, or read the details on wood, vinyl, aluminum, steel and ornamental, chain link and composite.
A Few Main Line Realities That Shape Your Choice
- Rules vary by municipality. Lower Merion, Radnor, Tredyffrin, Upper Merion, Haverford and Easttown each handle fence permits and zoning review their own way, and HOAs and historic districts can add design review. We check the rules for you and handle the permits and HOA approvals.
- Ground conditions matter. Clay-heavy soil, rocky schist and mature tree roots are common on older lots, which affects post placement and which styles make sense along a given line.
- Frost depth is real. Posts are typically set 30″–36″ deep in our area to stay below the frost line; local code governs.
- Weather is hard on fences. Humid summers, freeze-thaw winters and nor’easters reward solid posts, good hardware and the right material for the exposure.
Privacy Fences
Solid, tall and neighbor-friendly seclusion for your yard.
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Semi-Privacy Fences
Screening with light and airflow — shadowbox, lattice and more.
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Picket Fences
Timeless curb appeal for front yards and gardens.
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Horizontal Fences
Modern horizontal boards for a clean, architectural look.
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Pool Fences
Code-minded barriers with self-closing, self-latching gates.
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Pet Fences
Escape-resistant layouts that keep dogs safe at home.
Learn more →Split Rail Fences
Rustic, open boundaries that suit larger Chester County lots.
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Farm & Ranch Fences
Board and rail fencing for paddocks, pastures and acreage.
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Security Fences
Tough perimeter protection for homes and businesses.
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Gates
Walk, double-drive and custom gates built to swing true.
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Automatic Gates
Motorized swing and slide gates for driveways and lots.
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Dumpster Enclosures
Clean, durable enclosures that keep commercial sites tidy.
Learn more →Not Sure Which Style Fits?
That’s what the walkthrough is for. Andrew Taylor, our General Manager, meets most customers on site, walks the property line with you and talks through what you want the fence to accomplish. You’ll get honest recommendations, clear options and a free estimate with zero dispatch fees. We also call PA One Call (811) to have utilities marked before any digging starts.
Curious about the day-to-day? Our process page explains each step, our pricing guide covers what drives cost, and financing through our partner Wisetack lets you check your options online in minutes.
Ready for a fence you'll love?
Book a free, no-pressure estimate. Zero dispatch fees — and we handle permits, HOA paperwork and the 811 call.
Ready to talk styles? Call or text 484-779-6307 or book your free estimate online.