Professional fencing installers serving the greater Richmond area

The passion of our fencing specialists is providing the best fencing options for your home or business. We have experience with every size and shape, with accommodations for any kind of special need. We take pride in every job we do and would be honored to provide you with a quote for your fencing needs. Please give our Richmond based office a call and we are certain you will be glad you did.

Additionally, we know the importance of good communication, which sadly is lacking in the contractor industry. We will return your calls promptly, carefully coordinate scheduling, and follow up. We are confident you will be very satisfied with our service.

Gazebos, Arbors, Pergolas, and Trellises

When the weather’s perfect, it’s a great chance to spend more time outdoors in the yard. To add to the beauty of the yard, create some shade, or to create seating areas for entertaining, you may want to consider arbors, pergolas, or trellises. Each of these can be a great option, depending on what you need, and there are tons of materials and designs to choose from. Commonwealth Fence has staff that is schooled in the construction of these four structures and can assist you in making decisions about which is right for your yard.

What Option to Choose

Lets look at these structures in more detail to really understand the differences. The differences between some of these can be very subtle.

Gazebos

A gazebo is a freestanding structure, typically in a garden or attractive open area. Gazebos are usually octagonal or hexagonal in shape, and they have a roof. Most are made of wood though occasionally they are metal. They have built-in seating and sometimes if it is big enough, a fire table is inside. These are most often placed in areas with beautiful views of maybe a garden, open water, or hillside with open views.

As far as design goes, you want to make the gazebo have some similarities to the house if possible because you want it to blend in as much as you can. It needs to fit with the surroundings in terms of its size and shape, the materials it is constructed from, and its location. We have constructed a lot of these and have a very keen eye as to what looks right and what doesn't.

Arbors

Arbors are generally used over walkways and footpaths. They are vertical structures used in a garden or landscape that can provide privacy, shade, shelter, and also serve as a very attractive ornament. They can be used to separate parts of the yard, blend in with the landscape, or even to direct people as they traverse the area. The walls and roof are open, allowing for the growth of climbing plants or vines. They’re perfect for climbing flowers to grow on and can create an amazing view. Designs can range from basic to more elaborate, depending on your preferences. Arbors can be attached to any wall or fence, or be freestanding. The arbor can have lattice walls or open walls. The one above has a single lattice wall. Arbors are typically wood or wrought iron.

Trellises

Trellises are generally used to create a place for flowers to grow and can be used to create privacy around the yard. They come in various sizes and shapes, depending on what you might want. It is a simple framework constructed from vertical supports and horizontal framing, often similar to lattice. Plants like vines, small trees, or some shrubs do well growing up a trellis. These are simple to construct and install so the do-it-yourselfer will have no problem with these.

You can get them pre-made and ready to be set in your yard. You need to be sure the trellis is strong enough to hold the weight of whatever you will have growing on it. Some fast growing vines can cover a trellis quite quickly and can assume a lot of weight when fully grown. It also needs to be able to withstand the weather in your area. Snow and ice can create a lot of weight the trellis might need to hold.

Another way these are made is by using wire to make simple criss-cross patterns across a wood frame against a wall. Certain vines love the thin wire and will completely cover it over time.

Pergolas

A pergola is a structure that forms a walkway or sitting area. It is constructed of posts with cross beams across the top and open horizontal beams or sturdy lattice on top. Pergolas are most typically used as vine-surrounded passageways and when done well can be quite striking.

Pergolas are also a way of providing some shade over a larger area. They’re great for climbing flowers and can be used over seating areas to create new shade. Pergolas can be attached to the house, over a deck, or covered to create even more shade.

Pergolas are often confused with arbors. A pergola is typically much larger than an arbor and is often used simply as a vine-covered walkway, though now putting seating in them is becoming popular.

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