Why we build mostly in aluminium, how it compares with timber and steel, and where we still use steel.
A fence near salt, chlorine or a pool is judged on how it ages, not how it looks on day one. That is where the material choice shows.
Architectural aluminium does not rust, rot or warp. It is light and dimensionally stable, and it takes an architectural powder coat with UV durability to AAMA 2604. With 316 marine grade stainless fixings, the fence holds against salt and chlorine, which is why it suits coastal and poolside sites. Maintenance is a rinse, not a chore.
Being lighter matters twice. It ages better, and it is easier for whoever is installing it to lift, square and fix. Around 95% of what we build is aluminium for both reasons.
Timber is warm, and it is the look many woodlook finishes are chosen to echo. But timber near a pool moves with moisture. It can warp, split and grey, and it needs oiling or painting to hold its finish. A woodlook aluminium section gives the grain without the upkeep.
Steel is strong and stiff, and there are jobs where that is what you want: a long unsupported span, a heavy driveway gate, a section carrying real load. Its weakness is the coast, where it depends entirely on its coating and a scratch or a cut edge can start rust.
We use steel where a job calls for it, which is a small share of what we make. When we do, we say so, and we detail it for the exposure it is going into rather than pretending aluminium and steel age the same way.
Pick the material for the conditions first, then the finish for the look. Near salt or chlorine, aluminium is the straightforward answer and it is what we will recommend. Inland, with no exposure and a span that needs stiffness, steel earns its place.
Tell us where the fence is going and what it has to do, and we will tell you what we would build it from.
