Contemporary Metal Fencing

Project ID: #1405

Contemporary Metal Fencing for Outdoor Living

Finding contemporary metal fencing can be a daunting task. But it’s essential for maximizing your outdoor living space.

Maybe you want to screen the view but let light through the fence with a mesh fence or lattice fencing. Or you prefer good wrought iron fencing for pets large and small. Maybe you put in a pool and need custom aluminum pool fencing around the area. These can turn into an instant feature for your home.

We work with established architects, bespoke builders, and local artists to create stunning aluminum or steel fencing. For this Bingham Farms residence, Great Lakes Metal Fabrication welded seven (7) wavy panels for contemporary metal fencing, approximately 96″ long by 79″ tall each, totaling 56′-0″.

Steel Mesh Screen Wall

First of all, the customer approached the company for a wrought iron solution that would screen the view but not rob them of visibility. After producing a couple sketch-up renders, the final product became this beautiful latticed metal privacy wall. These wrought iron fence panels use welded wavy and geometric elements. Each section repeats the mesh pattern. This builds cohesion. But make no mistake! Each panel is totally unique. The process of creating them depended also on the fabricators.

Planned and Unplanned Elements

Good artists create, great artists copy – you’ll find iterations of this maxim all over. Books, ads, apps, etc. In this case, we were only “good”. Why? Because there’s little to copy in terms of a wavy fence panel like this. So to make an original mesh screen, we designed our own from scratch.

But to really build these, that was largely up to the fabricator and their creative process. In this case, free-hand fabrication resulted in a truly unique product. That was made possible through the careful planning of the frames. Since each section had unique dimensions, the drafters designed each lattice panel frame to reflect those measurements.

Add this Modern Metal Fencing for Outdoor Living Spaces to your Pinterest page.

@GLMetalFab

Mesh Privacy Fence Design

The upper, double-top section came to approximately 8″ deep. As it turns out, relative to the overall height, this seemed to be the best proportion. The lower, main section of contemporary metal fencing used dense and multi-layered wavy metal strips. Oriented in roughly vertical pattern and 60-80% opaque. The sturdy frame consisted of steel material about 1″ x 1-1/2″ in size. Inside, welded 1/2″ to 3/4″ wide bars composed the mesh that filled in the steel frame.

Partial Privacy Fence or Screen Wall

The goal of such unique, modern fencing was two-fold: Add beautiful outdoor artwork to the exterior of the home, and filter the view to the neighbors. In this case, total privacy was not desired. Not only would that limit the aesthetic options. But that would also mean a total block of light and visibility. Total privacy fencing can come with some trade-offs, as well as being challenging to do. So a partial privacy fence made the most sense to meet the needs of the homeowners.

Galvanized Metal Privacy Panels

For longevity, the customer added hot-dip galvanizing. This forms a durable zinc shield inside and out. Galvanizing the steel fencing added some surface texture. Why? Because the dipping process layers on the final finish, binding protective zinc to steel. However, industry professionals recommend this coating to preserve the integrity of steel material and its finishes. Regardless of the texturing.

Because of its strong bond to the steel surface, galvanizing protects the steel much longer than a regular zinc primer. The process is also much more effective than a surface coating. The steel is dipped into a zinc bath that covers it inside and out, in every nook and cranny. For outdoor contemporary metal fencing styles that have extra detail, this is even more important.

Excellent communication, excellent product, delivered as promised…worth every penny spent, too!

Yvonne R.

Powder Coating for Wrought Iron Fencing

Powder coat makes a great durable finish for wrought iron fencing. That’s very typical. So you’ll see glossy black (or not so glossy) finishes on wrought iron fencing all the time. It’s standard for a reason. Black powder coated fencing is very classic.

However, some projects call for another color. In this case, a shaded brown added just enough difference while still being a dark classic finish. This makes the contemporary metal fencing stand out. But not stand out like white or tan. Since there’s a lot of nature around, the goal was to blend harmoniously. So a grey-brown was a natural color choice.

(To read more about another outdoor galvanized project, check out this classic wrought iron pool fencing.)

Metal Fencing Installed at Brick Piers

When installed, the outdoor contemporary metal fencing panels attached to masonry piers. Metal tabs stuck out from the sides, embedded into the mortar. The field technician who measured the columns carefully noted the bracket placement. That way the panels could attach to them easily. As a result, no new metal needed to be drilled and cemented into the brick. The mesh fence panels could attach directly to the brackets.

In addition, the columns were fully usable after minor repairs. This meant the decorative tile and weathered nature of the brick did not need to be redone. This resulted in a significant cost-savings for the homeowner. Not to mention it made it easier to avoid the hassle of hiring another contractor to do the masonry for our portion of the project.

Turnkey Metal Fabricator

Great Lakes Metal Fabrication completed all the wrought iron metal work in-house. This really made things easier to adjust on-site. Using the existing columns was made possible because GLMF will measure the project themselves. Then, creating the layout to fit the site. In this case, that meant doing some CAD drawings with additional SketchUp renders.

Further, they used their own team of installers. Any adjustments were easily made onsite. Additionally, the team performed minor touch-ups to the finish. While galvanizing will protect wavy, outdoor contemporary metal fencing styles like this, occasional chips in the top coat can occur. A color-matching paint will cover these easily. The color and gloss will blend with the powder coat finish.

To ask questions and read more, visit this modern mesh fencing on Houzz at the Great Lakes Metal Fabrication.

The Secret to a Successful Custom Project

Great Lakes Metal Fabrication put in the work from beginning to end. But the homeowner really made this an amazing experience. They shared their needs in the estimating process and gave practical feedback on budget and timing. They gave thoughtful comments in the design phase, which is essential for successful products. This was done not just through SketchUp renders but also through photos scoured from the web. They described how they wanted to see through the fencing but not too much.

In addition, they wanted to invest in their home. Because they felt comfortable working with Great Lakes Metal Fabrication, they could curate something that was out of the ordinary. A simple fence became something like a permanent art installation. The homeowners became great connections that referred other clients for beautiful work as well.

Wrought Iron Fencing Near Me

Do you want to be the star of the next metal work project? If you would like to add stunning outdoor contemporary metal fencing to your own home, select “Add Project to Quote”. You can also note if you want pool fencing, pet fencing, or privacy fencing. Your information will be sent to our sales team, along with the chosen styles.

Invest in Your Home with Modern Steel Fencing

Wrought iron fencing that adds to the value of a home can be yours, too. Commercial grade coatings, high gloss finishes, and galvanizing all protect the investment in wrought iron fencing. And modern styles like this add value year after year. How? Because they maximize the livability of outdoor living spaces. They make an amazing back-drop to the day-to-day. And contemporary metal fencing found nowhere else in the world is right at home in your yard.

Loved working with this team of craftsmen on our remodeled lakefront home…our building contractor was impressed, too!

Yvonne R.

To see more great welding like this one, check out our “tree stair” rustic metal railing and staircase as functional artwork.