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Fence

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A fence is a structure designed to enclose an area and create a boundary.

Westtown
Westtown

Most fences are built outdoors using posts that support various connecting materials. These materials can include boards, wire, rails, or netting.

Chain link fence surrounding a field in Jurong, Singapore
Chain link fence surrounding a field in Jurong, Singapore

It is important to distinguish a fence from a wall. A wall possesses a solid foundation that runs along its entire length. In contrast, a fence does not have such a continuous, solid base.

DFRFence
DFRFence

Fences serve many specific functions across different environments. Agricultural fencing is used to keep livestock contained or to keep predators out.

Barbed Wire, SC, Victoria, 15.9.2007
Barbed Wire, SC, Victoria, 15.9.2007

Safety devices like blast fences redirect high-energy exhaust from jet engines. Acoustic fencing, or sound barriers, work to reduce noise pollution. Some fences act as crowd control barriers or provide privacy and security.

EldoraAvenueConstruction
EldoraAvenueConstruction

Even specialized needs exist, such as newt fencing. This uses low materials like plastic sheeting to restrict the movement of amphibians or reptiles.

Acanthocereus tetragonus fence1
Acanthocereus tetragonus fence1

There are many ways to construct these boundaries using different materials. Split-rail fences use timber and are common in areas with many trees.

In parts of Wales, people use slate fencing made of vertical stone slabs.

Talyllyn fencing - 2008-03-18
Talyllyn fencing - 2008-03-18

A vaccary fence, named from the Latin word for cow, uses thin stone slabs to restrain cattle.

Vacchary Fence in the snow - geograph.org.uk - 752248
Vacchary Fence in the snow - geograph.org.uk - 752248

Other styles include wattle fencing, which uses split branches woven between stakes.

Zagroda z Rożnowic (Rozenberg, 1858)
Zagroda z Rożnowic (Rozenberg, 1858)

You might also see composite fencing made from recycled wood and plastic.

Construction methods can range from simple to highly sophisticated. A palisade, or stakewall, uses vertical pales placed side by side. One end is embedded in the ground, while the other is often sharpened for protection.

Bolivar Heights Battlefield, fence on Bakerton Road
Bolivar Heights Battlefield, fence on Bakerton Road

Some fences use the scissor-like pantograph principle to create an expanding trellis.

Thavakkara6
Thavakkara6

Modern security fences can also include advanced technologies. These might include detectors, peripheral alarm control units, or remote alarm receiving units. These tools help strengthen the defense of a specific area.

Fencing has played a major role in the history of land use. In England, the feudal system once used common fields for village support. By the sixteenth century, large farmers began to enclose these fields to increase productivity.

Concretefence
Concretefence

This process of enclosure redefined land use and led to modern laws regarding servitudes. In the United States, early settlers used fences to claim land. Later, the Homestead Act and Desert Land Act helped manage unsettled land. In the American West, fences eventually separated public land from private property.

In many regions, the law requires certain facilities to be fenced for safety. Transformer stations often use barbed-wire fences to protect high-voltage equipment.

2008-07-30 Fence along Commerce Blvd at RDU
2008-07-30 Fence along Commerce Blvd at RDU

Around mast radiators, wooden fences are used to avoid problems with eddy currents. Other required areas include airports, prisons, and construction sites.

EldoraAvenueConstruction
EldoraAvenueConstruction

In the United Kingdom, 19th-century laws require railways to be fenced. This keeps people and livestock away from the tracks. Trespassing on a railway is illegal and can result in a fine of up to £1000.

Railroad tracks through East Germany in 1977
Railroad tracks through East Germany in 1977

Ownership and regulations for fences can be quite complex. In the United Kingdom, the use of fencing is often regulated by height and material. Ownership of a boundary fence can be determined by looking at property deeds. For example, a "T" mark on a deed denotes the owner's side.

SchoolFence
SchoolFence

If a rural fence has an adjacent ditch, the ditch is usually owned with the fence. The boundary is typically the edge of the ditch furthest from the fence. This is because owners usually pile the dirt from a ditch on their own side. These rules help manage how neighbors interact and how land is divided.

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🖼️ Images & Media (18)
File:Westtown.jpg
Westtown.jpg
File:Railroad tracks through East Germany in 1977.jpg
Railroad tracks through East Germany in 1977.jpg
File:Barbed Wire, SC, Victoria, 15.9.2007.jpg
Barbed Wire, SC, Victoria, 15.9.2007.jpg
File:Sioux Mems Pro2.jpg
Sioux Mems Pro2.jpg
File:Split rail fencing.jpg
Split rail fencing.jpg
File:Chain link fence surrounding a field in Jurong, Singapore.jpg
Chain link fence surrounding a field in...
File:EldoraAvenueConstruction.JPG
EldoraAvenueConstruction.JPG
File:Vacchary Fence in the snow - geograph.org.uk - 752248.jpg
Vacchary Fence in the snow -...
File:Acanthocereus tetragonus fence1.JPG
Acanthocereus tetragonus fence1.JPG
File:SchoolFence.jpg
SchoolFence.jpg
File:Talyllyn fencing - 2008-03-18.jpg
Talyllyn fencing - 2008-03-18.jpg
File:DFRFence.jpg
DFRFence.jpg

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