The key is in collaboration
One of the best ways to ensure you get the fence installation right is to get a landscape designer involved from the start. This will ensure that proper design considerations are factored into the installation plan.
A landscape designer is going to look at things from a different angle and can help you explore avenues that may not seem open to you, if you’re solely going by what you have been told by your local council.
There’s more than one way to install a pool fence while still meeting legislative requirements. However, if you don’t know what you’re options are and what to look for, you could end up with a not so aesthetically pleasing result.
The optimal scenario is to have a meeting with your certifier and landscape designer at the same time. That way you can have an open conversation and throw around ideas to try to get to your preferred outcome – while also being sure that your pool fence meets council laws.
What materials look the best?
In terms of what pool fence materials look the best, it always depends on the individual property, but glass is usually a pretty safe bet.
There are plenty of materials to choose from – glass-finish, powder-coated aluminum and timber. Glass is the most seamless and can disappear into a landscape more than other materials, but it will cost you more in relation to a standard aluminum fence.
If you have a large area and don’t want to incur too much expense installing the whole area with glass, you might consider using glass for the main visual of the fence to keep them open and visible – and then turn to a black-top aluminum fence that can be hidden in the garden and disappear around plants.
If you choose a powder-coated aluminum, go for black, as it disappears more than green if it’s up against plants. Steer clear of creams, reds and lighter colours because they stand out and often ruin the look of the backyard.
What materials last the longest?
Durability is also an important consideration. Glass is a top contender when it comes to low-maintenance and repairs.
Most people automatically assume that aluminum fences will require the least maintenance, however glass is super strong and is often held in place by high quality stainless steel and reinforced concrete.
There are rarely any issues with glass fences coming loose and when things go wrong with glass it is very obvious, whereas sometimes the screws and fittings on aluminum fences come loose and go unseen for some time. Glass is also, in essence, more difficult to climb than other materials because it’s just a slippery front-faced surface.
Compliance and design can be friends
From a compliance perspective, it’s important to understand what the pool fence laws are in your state and to seek professional advice to ensure that you don’t install a fence that doesn’t meet the requirements.
Installing a pool fence isn’t cheap, so you want to make sure that you get it right the first time. If your pool area backs onto one of the boundary fences, you need to ensure the boundary fence is also compliant.
Regardless of what material you use, it’s important to make sure you have a certified product.
Whilst it might cost you a bit more up front to ensure that compliance and design both come out on top, the initial outlay is often worth it in the long term.
Safety is the number one priority. Second to that is aesthetics. If you install a fence that ruins the overall look and feel of your backyard, the value of your property is likely to suffer. The potential loss you could incur due to a bad fence design far outweighs the cost of hiring a landscape designer to make sure you get it right the first time.
For more information on pool fence regulations, click on your state or territory...