Choosing the type of perimeter security fencing that is appropriate to your site is highly dependent on the type of land surrounding your premises.
Depending on the terrain, certain fences may be more suitable than others.
So, should you purchase a mesh or a palisade security fence?
The topography of the land around your site should be one of the considerations when you are deciding whether mesh fencing or palisade fencing is better suited to protect your premises.
For example, is your premises on uneven land?
If so, it won’t be as simple as choosing a fence that is the most aesthetically pleasing.
There are four main considerations when choosing perimeter security fencing to be installed on your premises:
- Speed Of Installation
- Overall Cost
- Aesthetics Of The Fence
- Security Level Of The Fence
Let us look deeper into these considerations, and how fencing specifiers can better choose their fencing by focusing on these factors.
Speed Of Installation Depending On Fence Type
When choosing between mesh or palisade fences, specifiers must consider their project timeline, in addition to the cost of overall cost of the project.
Mesh fencing often requires 20mm of the fence to be buried into the terrain to mitigate the risk of people being able to prize the panel upwards.
When it comes to uneven and especially sloping ground, the panel will have to be buried further to accommodate the rigid panel. This requires more labour cost and physical work for installers.
Also, if some of the fence is required to be buried, this creates issues with ensuring the fence is the required height. As mesh panels arrive in large sheets, rather than smaller sections, this makes adjusting for variable heights difficult.
This is especially important when it comes to third party tested fences, such as LPS 1175 fences which have a minimum height at each level of security.
Meeting all of these requirements while working with heavy panels can cause a longer installation process. Ultimately, more complex material needs will delay the speed of installation.
The need for lift apparatus on site is a factor that specifiers must consider when choosing a fence type, as mesh panels require mechanical lifting.
As palisade fencing is delivered as singular pales, rails, and posts, these are essentially lighter to move around site and there is less space needed in a vehicle to transport them. Labourers will be able to move these around and fit them with more ease. Furthermore, as palisade is installed in singular pales, their height can be adjusted individually to offset uneven terrain.
How Much Does Each Perimeter Security Fencing Type Cost?
Once the speed of installation has been reviewed, the cost difference between the type of fence is another crucial consideration to make.
One of the main links between these elements is that the longer a project takes, the more money it will cost your business.
Adam Savage, Marketing and Sales Director of Barkers Fencing states that “On average there are 10% more posts to install for mesh fencing on flat land. For uneven land, this can increase.”
With this extra post fitting, the physical work of installing a mesh fence and the cost of extra posts makes mesh fencing the more expensive option. This is especially the case if the ground gradient is considerably longer. Posts and panels will need to be ordered to maintain the minimum height of the fence, meaning more steel will need to be purchased.
Those installing palisade fencing can follow the contours of the land, adjusting the height of each post in order to achieve the minimum height goal of the fence.
This means there is flexibility with the materials, unlike mesh fencing that requires extra panels to be purchased when height restrictions are affected by the terrain.
Aesthetic Differences Between Mesh & Palisade Fencing
Mesh fencing is often chosen due to it’s more subtle visual appeal. Many specifiers will choose this option for their perimeter security fencing when the general public are in close proximity of their vicinity.
This is contrasted with palisade fencing’s intimidating appearance. Due to the panels of this fence often having a pointed top, many specifiers looking for an aesthetically pleasing fence will avoid this.
However, due to topography and the labour involved with making mesh fencing efficient, some appearance issues can begin to develop. Once the height of the panels needs to be edited to fit the land, mesh fencing can become less than aesthetically pleasing.
In addition to this, air gaps can be created by the panels being fixed together, which is both a safety issue and a visual one. By having to fit multiple panels together to match topography, the opportunity for gaps in the fencing is opened.
Specifiers need to consider which fence will seem more of a challenge to attackers. If the fence looks intimidating, the chances of an attempted attack will lessen.
How Security Levels Can Differ Depending On Topography And Fencing Levels
In terms of performance, both types of fences have varying levels of security.
For third party tested fences of the same security level, when installed correctly, both fences will meet standards to ensure protection against various attack threats.
Palisade fencing can deter potential attackers due to its posts looking difficult to scale, especially if the pales are curved outwards.
Mesh fencing has welded wire that makes it difficult for attackers to gain a foot hold to climb the fence, plus the option to add electric pulse fencing at the top, along with other more daunting materials to intimidate attackers.
Uneven land can cause issues with mesh fencing meaning it can require much more designing and manual labour to install it correctly.
The goal for all specifiers is to provide a safe fence for the premises, so choosing the appropriate material for this is paramount.
Why Topography Has Such An Impact On Perimeter Security Fencing
Topography plays an important role in deciding which type of perimeter security fencing should be chosen by specifiers.
Factors such as installation speed, cost, aesthetics and efficiency are all important when choosing a fence fit for topography.
Once all of these factors have been considered, specifiers can make an educated decision on the right fence for their project.
If you are looking for more advice on which fence to choose, Barkers Fencing provide a variety of approved security fences along with advice from experts in the field. Asking the opinion of a security fencing specialist like Barkers will help you to make an informed choice on whether mesh or palisade fencing is the right choice.
Contact Barkers Fencing today to enquire about your decided fence, or to speak to a professional about the suited fence for you.