If you live on a busy road, your front fence can be an important feature to reduce traffic noise in your property. There are many different fencing options available in Australia, but some are more suitable than others for properties located on busy roads or highways. So, what factors should you take into consideration when choosing a fence for your property?
To some people, living next to a busy road or a highway can seem like an obstacle to be overcome, but it doesn’t need to be a significant impediment to your life. Your property’s fencing can act as a physical barrier against the outside world. By choosing your perfect fence carefully, you can mitigate loud traffic sounds and other negatives of living nearby a busy road. Put simply, if correctly chosen, your fence can enhance the look of your home as well as ensuring that you get a sense of peace within its bounds, even if you live alongside a busy road.
Sound
One of the major negative aspects of living next to a busy road is the sound of heavy traffic that it often imparts. This can be any type of road with traffic – a highway, next to a school or other community centre, or next to public transport. Whatever the case, you’ll be disturbed by the sounds of traffic at all times of the day and night. This is where your new secret weapon, a noise reduction fence, comes into play.
A noise reduction fence is a type of wall designed to minimise external sound pollution in the area. As well as just traffic, your noise reduction fence can help prevent sound travelling from noisy neighbours, power tools or nearby construction work, loud wind or extreme weather, and more. As an added bonus, it also helps to insulate your own noise, which will keep you on excellent terms with your neighbours!
Your noise reduction fence works most effectively when you consider its height and placement. Typically, your wall would need to be at least two metres or higher to be effective at blocking out external noises. A way to consider it is thinking that if you can see the source of the racket, you won’t be able to hear it either! As for placement, you want to position the fence as near the source of the noise as possible. This will maximise the efforts of blocking out the sound. Using a noise reduction fence to silence busy roads makes this pretty straightforward. You just put the fence on the utmost barrier line of your property to get the best results.
Jim’s Fencing recommends using modular walls for your noise reduction fencing. Modular walls are designed to look like masonry brick walls, so they are very stylish and classy. The modular wall’s noise reduction features are more advanced than other types of fencing and can also be used as a retaining wall upside your existing fence if you want the extra benefits. As for your modular wall, you can choose from a few different thickness variations for your desired sound insulation effect.
Privacy
Lack of privacy is another snag to living beside a busy road. As well as just cars, these also tend to attract a lot of foot traffic and passers-by. You don’t want strangers to be able to look into your home 24/7! An easy way to solve this problem is by having your fence designed to give you the utmost level of privacy. The perfect fence for your privacy can come in a few different styles, depending on what you favour.
It’s good to engage an expert at fencing and installations, such as the team at Jim’s Fence contracting, as they’ll be able to talk you through your best options and other designs that would be suitable. For example, tubular or wire fencing probably isn’t your best bet as they tend to be shorter and have more visible spots for people to peek through. You could stick with the same modular wall that also provides your sound insulation, as outlined above. You can also get the same privacy results from other types of fences.
Jim’s Fencing offers merbau timber fencing that can be built to significant heights and is a durable, hard-wearing timber option. Colorbond fencing is another popular choice for Australian homes. Colorbond fening is made from ultra-durable and hard-wearing steel and features panels that can be customised to your preference, so that you have control of how much passers-by can see. Lattice style fence toppers can also be added to your existing fence for that extra height.
Safety
If you have young children or animals, one of your prime concerns for living on a busy road may be the hazard it possesses. The safety of your household should always be a priority, and the correct fencing solution can help to minimise any risk that comes with living next to a busy road. If you live beside a busy street, you really need a good gate. Some fences just have gaps for the driveway or pathway to the front door, but this obviously allows people to move freely in and out of the front yard and is not a safe option.
Jim’s Fencing contractor can install multiple variations of gates for you, from the standard garden gate to heavier-duty sliding gates. As you’re situated in a place with a lot of foot traffic and general traffic, it would probably be best to get something lockable. This will keep your family in and strangers out. An automatic gate is another excellent option. While this is more complex and therefore pricier than your average manual gate, you have total control when it opens and closes at all times and can lock your fence from the luxury of your front doorstep.
Additional landscaping tips and tricks for homes on busy streets
If you live on a busy street or road, your landscaping can also play an integral part in helping to reduce noises, retain privacy and make your yard an enjoyable, relaxing place to be. Additional ideas for maximising your landscaping design to combat any issues with your busy road location include:
- Installing a fountain or water feature. The tranquil noise of a water feature will help to drown or distract from any road noises. It’s also a beautiful addition to the overall aesthetic of your home.
- Replacing your nature strip with artificial grass. Even though your home may end at your fence, many homeowners like to extend their efforts out into the nature strip to make sure it’s manicured and looking good. If your area has a lot of foot traffic, it can result in your grass being in poor condition and difficult to maintain. Replacing the grass with turf is a low-maintenance solution to that issue.
- Create a courtyard. Make the most of your outdoor space and block out the havoc of the road by creating a covered courtyard space. The creation of a courtyard can be dependent on local council regulations, but it’s worth considering creating a peaceful outdoor area for your family to relax in.
Use foliage to your benefit. Trees, shrubbery, and hedges can all be utilised to block out external noises. They also promote oxygen flow and help your space feel fresh and clean, which is important if you live next to an exhaust-heavy highway. Bonus, they also look fantastic and brighten up your outdoor spaces.