Table of Contents
Why do people want a white picket fence?
On the practical side, a white picket fence is an attractive way to keep children and pets in the yard without blocking the new from the road. Throughout history these fences were constructed of wood and painted white, but today other non-wood options like vinyl and PVC have also become popular.
Are picket fences white?
Symbolism. A picket fence, ideally white, has iconic status as Americana, symbolizing the ideal middle-class suburban life, with a family and children, large house, and peaceful living. This stems from the fact that houses in quiet, middle-class neighborhoods often have gardens enclosed by picket fences.
How tall should a white picket fence be?
Traditionally, a picket fence is about three to four feet tall (if taller than four feet, a picket fence starts to look like a barricade) with 1 × 3 or 1 × 4 pickets. Fence posts can be spaced anywhere up to eight feet apart if you’re using standard lightweight pickets.
Are picket fences sturdy?
A sturdy picket fence will do many jobs in the yard. Keeping pets and children safe is one of them. The area will look stylish surrounded by a fence, but it will also be secure.
What happened to white picket fence?
White Pickets are Revived In the 1980s, the white picket fence was revived by New Urbanist developers attempting to recreate the idyllic suburbs of yesteryear. Today, white picket fences are a reminder of a bygone area of openness and trust.
Why do American houses don’t have fences?
American house styles have varied a great deal from region to region and over time. Generally, as soon as people were living in communities without livestock (cows, pigs, chickens, goats, sheep, etc.) wandering around, the houses have tended to be built without fences, especially in front of the house.
Why use a white fence?
There are a few theories as to why the earliest picket fences were painted white. The whitewash could be a sign of wealth and privilege. People setting up white fences effectively told their neighbors that not only were they wealthy landowners, they also had the means to set up and maintain a clean, white fence.
What does the word pickets mean?
1 : a pointed stake or slender post (as for making a fence) 2 : a soldier or a group of soldiers assigned to stand guard. 3 : a person standing or marching near a place (as a factory or store) as part of a strike or protest.
Where did the saying white picket fence come from?
In Old Europe, pickets—from piquet, French for “pointed stick or board”—were military gear, logs sharpened to shield archers from cavalry. Needing to demarcate and perhaps defend their land, New World colonists installed fences of rough pickets, bare or painted white.
Should a fence touch the ground?
In most applications, a wood fence should be installed at least two inches off the ground. Your posts and rot boards (if you choose to install them) should be the only fence components that contact the ground. Wood pickets should never touch it.
What is picket fence fever?
A descriptor for a saw-tooth pattern of high temperature ‘spikes’, a finding typical of pyogenic hepatic abscesses, often accompanied by chills, sweating, N&V, anorexia, pain.
How far off ground should fence pickets be?
Most situations call for a picket fence that is 2 to 5 inches off the ground. However, it’s important to pay attention to the environment around the fence line, and if necessary, position the fence a couple of inches higher.
Which fence is better wood or vinyl?
Winner: Vinyl wins by a landslide, because it requires virtually no maintenance at all. Vinyl is more expensive than wood at the outset. But if the area you will be fencing in is small and you can afford the upfront cost, choose vinyl. Winner: Wood costs less upfront, but vinyl is a better value in the long run.
How wide are pickets on a picket fence?
Pickets are the vertical members of a wood fence. Pickets can be installed tight to each other or with a space between them. Typically, pickets are 3 1/2″ wide, 5 1/2″ or as much as 11 1/2″ wide, if you are going to use dimensional kiln-dried lumber.
Is wood fencing cheaper than vinyl?
Installing a vinyl fence costs less than wood, although wood as a material is generally cheaper. Wood ranges from $2 to $10 per picket, while vinyl costs between $2 and $6.
Why has the white picket fence became a symbol of the American dream?
They started appearing during colonial times as a symbol of wealth and achievement, and they stayed even after the United States separated from Great Britain. Even though the picket fence already symbolized wealth and success, it was easy enough to make that families could create their own.
When did picket fences become popular?
In 1876, a Colonial Revival design movement made the picket fence more popular than ever. It remained a totem of middle-class prosperity until the 1930s, when many American households couldn’t afford to whitewash a fence.
What are white fences made of?
While the original picket fences were made of wood, a white picket fence can also be constructed of vinyl.
