• Picket fences are installed in front yards all across America.house with picket fence image by Michael Shake from Fotolia.com
  
  Seen in virtually every city and town in America, picket fences surround small cottages, middle-size family homes, large mansions and even churchyards with their spiked pickets. Although most picket fences are whitewashed, they are increasingly finished with wood stain or left their natural color and simply sealed against environmental damage.
  
  

Choosing

• Picket fences are available in several heights, ranging from about 24 inches up to 5 feet. The height you choose depends on how visible you want the area behind the fence. For an open look with the fence simply marking the boundary, choose a shorter fence. For pseudo-privacy, choose a taller fence. Although the pickets have significant spaces between them, they do afford some measure of privacy by virtue of their height.
  
  

Installing

• Picket fences can be installed as preassembled panels or as individual components. For long runs of fencing on level ground, preassembled panels are easier to install. For sites not level or for short runs of less than 8 feet, individual components, although more labor intensive, afford more flexibility when installing.
  
  

Maintaining

• Guard against water damage, the growth of mildew and discoloration from the sun's ultraviolet rays with a consistent maintenance program. Seal the fence against these maladies immediately after installation and again within 12 months. Thereafter, power wash it yearly, and reapply sealer and/or paint or stain to your picket fence every two years.