Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/101356
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Phenomenal Fence Man Walt Easter ��� Fencer���s Field Report Fence Industry Week Update ��� Fencer���s Memoriam 2012 ��� Let Your Fence Pride Show Be Sure To Stop And Visit With The WFN Crew At Booth No. 2407! JANUARY 2013 Celebrating our 29th year of publication ��� Be sure to visit us online at www.worldfencenews.com Maryland HOA says goodbye to wooden fence, hello to vinyl as continuing high maintenance costs spur decision to change The replacement fence had to provide separation from a neighboring high school, as well as act as a privacy and noise barrier from an adjoining busy thoroughfare. A couple years ago, Democracy Commons, a community of 15 townhomes in Bethesda, Md., began discussing the replacement of its original wood perimeter fence and individual privacy fences with an alternative material, due to the high cost of maintenance. ���We had a cedar fence, and the boards were gradually coming loose,��� said Marthe Lattinville-Pace, president of the Democracy Commons Homeowners Association (HOA), Inc. ���Our ongoing fence maintenance involved painting and board replacement every three years, and the cost of that averaged $6,000 each time. So, two years ago, we decided to have a new, lowermaintenance fence installed. ���We wanted something that aesthetically complemented our community and added value to our properties, but we didn���t want white vinyl. We wanted a low-maintenance material that had an authentic wood fence look,��� she said. ���Other criteria for consideration included the fence���s ability to provide security, as we are next to a large high school, and to act as a privacy and a noise barrier from Painting and board replacement on cedar fences at the Democracy Commons townhome community was running about $6,000 every three years, so the homeowners association made the decision to replace the wood fences with a lower maintenance product. The community���s governing board chose CertainTeed���s Bufftech Chesterfield vinyl privacy fence, which Frederick Fence Co. installed to the HOA���s complete satisfaction. CertaGrain texture gives the fence a woodgrain effect, and Weathered Blend, a new color option, provides a subtle look which blends in with the wooded environment. Pictured above right are two key Frederick Fence Co. employees: On the left is Nelson Rivas, five-year foreman assistant, and Eric Saum, 21-year master foreman. (Frederick Fence Co. photos) Democracy Boulevard, a busy road that borders us.��� The HOA hired Frederick Fence Co., of Frederick, Md., as its fence contractor and spent the next year researching various alternative fence materials, such as vinyl and composite, under the contractor���s guidance. For inspiration, HOA members also visited other residential developments with fences that appealed to them. The homeowners eventually found what they were looking for in CertainTeed���s Bufftech�� Chesterfield vinyl privacy fence with CertaGrain�� texture in Weathered Blend, a new color option for the product. The CertaGrain texture is manu- factured using a proprietary process that recreates the look and feel of real wood. Weathered Blend combines this authentic woodgrain texture with a natural, blended color reminiscent of seasoned wood. This eliminates the need for future staining or painting. ���When I met with the HOA, they were looking for wood-style vinyl fence that looked similar to their original fence, which they had painted bluish gray over the years,��� said Mark Brengle, sales representative for Frederick Fence Co. ���They didn���t want to have a big style or color contrast between the old fence and the new fence. We presented them with the CertaGrain fence, and once they saw the Weathered Blend continued on page 46