But this style of fence isn’t known for its privacy or aesthetically pleasing properties. Other than being an inexpensive, effective method of keeping pets and children safe, chain link is sometimes viewed as a blight on yards. In fact, some communities even ban chain link fences in incorporated, residential areas. Replacing the chain link fence with a solid fence is always one option. Yet if you try to remove this fencing, you might have a hard time. When installing chain link, the posts are buried deeply and held tightly in place with concrete anchors, much like the roots of a sturdy tree. Removal is made even more difficult since the metal posts are filled with concrete and can be hard to cut. Once you do remove the posts, the chain link itself is unwieldy and often difficult to dispose of. Rather than building a privacy fence or removing the chain link fence, an easier and far lower-cost alternative is to upgrade the fence for a polished look with plenty of privacy. Options range from traditional chain link fence slats and mesh to bamboo, reed, and wood fence panels. Ten linear feet of chain link slats at 6 feet high costs around $90 to $110. Installation is easy. Chain link slats are extremely durable and can last for decades. Fences slatted over fifty years ago are still standing today and providing coverage. When slats are damaged, they can be changed out on a one-for-one basis. Slats are often viewed as unattractive. Privacy coverage is low, offering only about a 75- to 80-percent visual blockage. The cost can be surprisingly high. Because slats must be slid in one at a time, installation is slow and tedious. Choose poles that are cut on the bamboo nodes, as they do better than poles that have exposed ends. The nodes act as natural weather-resistant caps. Full bamboo screens are very attractive and look natural. Coverage is a decent 85-percent. If you want to give your home and yard a fun, tropical feeling, full bamboo screens are an excellent way to start. Bamboo is only moderately durable. Tough and insidious as a growing plant, bamboo left untreated quickly turns brown and silver, then starts to develop long vertical cracks. As far as organic coverings go, full bamboo is relatively durable. But as with any organic material left outside, it will slowly deteriorate unless continually maintained. Full bamboo screens are a special order item, found mainly online or at specialized garden centers. Reed screens offer about 85-percent privacy when new. As the screen falls apart, privacy drops as well. Reed screens are very cheap and most home centers carry them on the shelves. If you need to cover up your chain link fence in a day, reed screens roll out and tack up quickly. A roll of 6-foot by 16-foot reed screen costs about $28 to $35. Reed screens stay attractive for about a year or two. After that, the reeds change from golden-brown to gray and start to fall out of the wire weaving material. Reed screens are a good quick fix but a poor choice for the long-term. Mesh privacy screen is water- and wind-permeable; it has a double-thick trim around the perimeter, and it has brass grommets on the trim so that you can attach it to the chain link with zip-ties. Privacy ranges from 80- to 96-percent, depending on how much you are willing to spend. Mesh screening is highly durable. As this is non-organic UV-rated polypropylene, it should last for many years, more so than with any organic products. But due to its woven construction and dark color, the elements will eventually take a toll on this material. Mesh screening is the lowest cost solution of any listed here. Lower privacy screens (85-percent blockage) are the least expensive. Screens with 96-percent blockage cost about 50-percent more. Mesh privacy screens are more about utility than beauty. Since they are often used in industrial areas, schools, tennis courts, and swimming pools, they don’t work well for most homes, at least from an aesthetic standpoint. Durability is usually excellent. If you use cedar, this wood is naturally weather-resistant, because it is very oily. Any species of wood can be sprayed down with sealer to extend its life. Privacy coverage is high (about 90-percent). This is one of the few options that will make your chain link fence look completely different. With all other options, the chain link is still visible in some places. A single wood fence panel 6 feet high and 8 feet long costs between $145 and $160. Because fence panels are very heavy (about 160 pounds) and unwieldy, you’ll either need a large truck and an assistant to help you pick up the panels or you’ll need to pay for home delivery. You may need to obtain a fence permit to attach fence panels in front of chain link fencing. There are no hardware kits or systems that help you make the conversion, so you need to be fairly handy and inventive to make this option work. Also, fence panels are very heavy and difficult to handle; two people are needed to deal with these panels.
