When it comes to home security, we typically only think about protecting the inside of our homes. Our home’s interior is often well-protected and secure. However, a home’s backyard is often a focus for burglars and is ignored by many homeowners.
Homeowners can secure their fences with the following methods:
- Anti-Climbing Spikes
- Timber Trellis With Thorns
- Anti-Climb Paint
A secure fence can help provide better peace of mind for property owners. If you want to deter criminals, keep reading further if you wonder, “what can I put on my fence to stop burglars?”
Characteristics of a Burglar-Proof Fence
Potential thieves commonly target valuables such as grills, power tools, outdoor furniture, and lawnmowers. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the average dollar loss per incident in the United States is $2,661.
One of the common ways a burglar enters your backyard is by climbing over the fence. Before putting something on your fence, you must ensure your fencing offers proper protection.
Fences designed to keep burglars out all have similar qualities that discourage climbing and leave thieves feeling intimidated. Below are three of the most important features of a fence.
Height of Fence
A tall fence is one of the most important features of a burglar-proof fence. Not only do tall picket fences prevent thieves from easily seeing into your backyard, but tall fences also deter climbing.
When thieves investigate houses in your neighborhood, they will have trouble seeing what valuables you have in your backyard. Most criminals don’t want to make the effort of climbing a tall fence to see inside a backyard.
Fence Material
Durability should be the primary focus when constructing a fence on your property. Installing soft fencing materials like bamboo can be a liability, resulting in easy access to your property.
Fencing materials like chain links are also easily bypassed with heavy-duty wire cutters. The ideal fence material is premium fence panels built from durable wood material.
Some durable and stylish options are redwood, cedar, and pressure-treated wood. These wood fence materials will withstand impacts from potential thieves and hold up against harsh weather conditions.
Proper Security Features
If not necessary, a burglar will not take the effort to climb over a fence if there is an easy option to enter the property. One of the ways a burglar will enter a backyard is through the door in the fencing.
Without an effective locking mechanism, most people can stick their hand in the door’s gap and open the gate. Emphasize the security of your fence and make an effort to lock your outdoor gate properly.
Add a high-quality padlock and close any gaps in the fencing that can fit someone’s hand inside. While this may reduce convenience, it will save you if someone is looking for an easy way to enter your property.
Effective Security Upgrades For an Existing Fence
When you want to beef up the security of your home’s fencing, there are several methods you can use. At Serious Home Security, we discuss practical options homeowners can implement for their homes quickly.
Some options listed online that you can do that we think are unrealistic are the following methods:
- Install Barbed Wire
- Install Broken Glass Set in Mortar
- Add Spinning Fence Toppings
Making over-the-top changes like installing barbed wire will make your home look like a prison and is not allowed by HOAs. Unless you live in an area with a high threat of burglary, we recommend other options.
If you want effective backyard security ideas, we will break down some of the best low-profile and effective options. Upgrade your home’s backyard fencing with the following methods.
Install Anti-Climbing Spikes
For someone to climb your fence, they will need to reach up and grab the top to pull themselves up. If you want to deter climbing, you can add anti-climbing spikes that deliver sharp pain if someone decides to climb the fence.
The rigid spikes will dig into the potential burglar’s hands and cause them to quickly let go of the fence. If you install these spikes on your fencing, you should install warning signs that warn of the potential risk of climbing the fence.
Most potential thieves will notice these home security measures and move on to an easier target. If you have an HOA, you may be required to request their approval before installation.
Add Square-Shaped Timber Trellis With Thorns
One of the common complaints of commercial anti-climb spikes is their appearance. Thorny plants and climbers might do the trick if you want to prevent burglars with a more natural method.
When paired with a timber trellis, the thorny plant will cause pain and offer a beautiful landscape feature. If you want to double the protection, you can line the perimeter of your property with thorny plants that hurt when fallen on.
While burglars may attempt to climb over the fence, they will be surprised when they step into a prickly shrub or thorny rose bush. Several thorny plant species that act as an effective deterrents are:
- Roses
- Barberry
- Pyracantha
- Bougainvillea
If intruders attempt to climb the square-shaped timber trellis, it will likely break and cause them to fall. You should select a trellis material thick enough to support growing plants but not enough for someone’s body weight to be on it.
Anti-Climb Paint
Brushing on anti-climb paint to the top of your fencing is a unique option that blends well with the design of your home. This type of paint doesn’t dry and creates a slippery surface that is difficult to hold on to when climbing.
Anti-climb paint marks when touched, which deters most people from continuing further. Thieves want to reduce the evidence connected to the crime, so they prefer a clean entrance into the backyard.
You should add warning signs that note wet paint on the fence as a word of caution. If thieves decide to continue further, they will wash their hands for hours after climbing the fence.
Other Backyard Security Ideas
Having a fence that deters climbing is only one piece of an effective backyard security setup. You need to ensure you take other steps to protect yourself and your family against burglars that can steal your valuable possessions.
Some of the other steps you should take for your home are the following.
Install Security Cameras
According to the latest FBI crime statistics, there were 1,117,696 burglaries in 2019. One of the best ways to reduce the chances of being a victim is with security camera installation. Whether you choose a high-quality camera or a fake camera, it’s one of the best backyard security ideas for any situation.
Add Motion-Sensor Lights
Believe it or not, a majority of burglaries happen during the daytime. However, it’s better to be safe than sorry regarding security. Motion-sensor lighting will offer a clear picture for a security camera to view any movement in your backyard. The bright illumination will also act as an effective deterrent.
Secure Your Belongings
If intruders enter your yard, you should make it difficult for them to take your belongings. Keep structures like sheds locked and store all valuables in a safe location. If burglars notice there is nothing of value in your yard, they may move on to another home, searching for better items to steal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Keeping burglars out of your yard requires several backyard security ideas that work in unison. Homes without a security system are 300% more likely to be broken into by criminals. You need a well-rounded approach, from adding spikes to the fence to monitoring the space with security cameras.
When done correctly, wooden garden fences can be a useful tool for preventing theft. Options such as metal fencing can be a good option, but they must be tall, hard to bypass, and have spikes on the top to prevent climbing. A proper outdoor fence makes you feel safe and secure on your property.
Keeping people off your fence is a frustrating problem that requires some creativity. You can add a few security measures that keep intruders out, from a warning sign to slippery paint. If you are serious about keeping people off a wooden fence, you can opt for an option like an electrical fence system or barbed wire.
Conclusion
A fence is the first obstacle an intruder will face when they decide to enter your property. If you want to deter burglars, you can use a few methods listed in this article. When a thief feels the sting of the anti-climb spikes or gets their hand covered in thorny tall growing plants, they will second guess their decision.