Home › Aluminum and Steel Fence Installation
We install aluminum and steel fences in Crystal Lake, IL that combine security with elegant style. These ornamental metal fences are ideal for front yards, backyards, and pool enclosures. Powder coated finishes resist rust and fading so your fence looks great for years. Request a free estimate to see design options that match your home and landscape.
Legendary Fence Company Crystal Lake provides professional aluminum fence throughout Crystal Lake, IL, Illinois and the surrounding area. Our licensed, insured crew delivers safe, clean, on-time work with a free estimate before anything begins. Call 779-444-6436 or request your free quote.
Durable aluminum and steel fences for Crystal Lake homes and businesses
If you are looking for a fence that looks sharp and holds up to Crystal Lake weather, aluminum and steel are hard to beat. At Legendary Fence Company Crystal Lake, we install metal fences that can handle lake-effect snow, spring thaws, and summer storms without warping or rotting like wood.
Aluminum fences are popular around pools, patios, and front yards because they are lightweight, rust resistant, and offer a clean, ornamental look. They are ideal if you want low maintenance security with a more open view. Steel fences are heavier and stronger, so they are often the right choice for commercial properties, driveways, and any area where impact resistance and security are top priorities.
In our area of McHenry County, many neighborhoods have HOA rules about fence height, color, and style. We routinely work with Crystal Lake HOAs and city guidelines, so we help you choose an aluminum or steel fence that meets local rules and still looks like it belongs with your house or business. Before any work begins, our team walks your property, checks grade changes, and talks through how the fence will connect to existing structures, like garages, sheds, or neighbors' fences.
Local climate matters too. Freeze and thaw cycles in northern Illinois can shift posts if they are not set correctly. We account for soil type and drainage on your lot and design the installation to keep your fence straight and solid for the long term, not just the first year.
How we install aluminum and steel fences, step by step
A solid aluminum or steel fence starts with precise layout. During your on-site visit, a Legendary Fence Company Crystal Lake specialist measures your property lines, notes obstructions like trees and utility boxes, and marks where gates should go for day to day convenience. We also discuss exact heights, styles, and whether you need puppy pickets, pool code spacing, or privacy add ons.
Next, we confirm underground utilities through JULIE (Illinois' call before you dig service) and mark all lines so post holes go where they should without hitting anything. This step is mandatory in Crystal Lake and protects both you and your neighbors.
For installation, we string tight layout lines so every post lines up cleanly along the property boundary. Post holes are drilled to a depth below the frost line, usually 36 inches or more in this part of Illinois, so winter freezing does not heave the posts out of alignment. We pour concrete footings that are bell shaped at the bottom for better resistance to movement, and we slope the top of the concrete away from the posts so water sheds off instead of pooling.
Once the concrete sets, aluminum or steel panels are set in place. For aluminum systems, most connections are bracketed or screwed, which allows minor adjustments to follow sloped yards while keeping the top rail visually level. For steel, especially heavier ornamental or security styles, we often use welded or bolted connections at strategic points for added strength. At gates, we reinforce hinge posts and latch posts and use adjustable hinges so the gate can be tweaked later if the ground settles slightly.
Before we leave, we walk the entire line with you. We check that panels are secure, gates latch smoothly, and clearances at the bottom work for mowing while still containing pets or meeting pool code. We also explain how the finish protects against rust and what to watch for season by season.
Design options for aluminum and steel fences in Crystal Lake
One of the biggest advantages of aluminum and steel fencing is the variety of looks you can get without giving up strength. At Legendary Fence Company Crystal Lake, we bring sample sections, color chips, and photos of local projects so you can see what has worked on homes and businesses right here.
Aluminum fences often come in classic flat top or spear top designs, with optional decorative rings or finials. Homeowners in Crystal Lake frequently choose black or bronze powder coated aluminum that pairs well with brick, stone, and vinyl siding. For backyards that border open space or retention ponds, narrow picket spacing or puppy picket sections near the bottom help keep smaller pets safely inside.
Steel fences can be ornamental, similar in appearance to wrought iron, or more utilitarian for commercial and industrial sites. For residential use, we install many 4 and 5 foot ornamental steel fences that frame a front yard or driveway nicely. For businesses, we can pair taller steel fencing with security features like anti climb picket spacing, lockable panic bar gates, and coordinated access control hardware.
We also handle property specific needs. Around pools, we follow Crystal Lake and Illinois pool barrier codes, including height, gap, and latch requirements. On sloped lots around the lake or near wooded areas, we explain the difference between racked panels that follow grade smoothly and stair stepped sections where grade changes are more dramatic. This helps you understand exactly how the fence will look on your unique yard before anything is ordered.
If privacy is a concern, we can combine metal framing with other materials. For example, some clients choose a steel frame with composite or treated wood infill panels in specific sections, such as along a busy road, while keeping open aluminum around the rest of the yard to preserve views. Talking through these hybrid options during design often leads to better long term satisfaction than picking a single standard panel everywhere.
Pricing, timelines, and what affects the cost of aluminum fences
Transparent pricing is important, so we take time to explain what drives the cost of an aluminum or steel fence in Crystal Lake. The main factors are linear footage, material type and grade, height, number and size of gates, and complexity of the terrain.
Aluminum is typically more affordable and is ideal for standard residential projects. Steel tends to cost more per foot because of the heavier material and sometimes specialized hardware or posts. Taller fences, like 6 or 8 foot commercial steel, require more material and deeper footings, which also adds to the concrete and labor costs.
Corners, elevation changes, and obstacles like trees or retaining walls require additional layout and sometimes custom fabrication, which can influence the final price. Gates are another key component. A simple 4 foot walk gate costs less than a double drive gate that needs support posts, bracing, and upgraded latches. If you need automation for a driveway gate, we will break out those components separately so you can see their exact cost.
As for timing, most aluminum and standard ornamental steel fence jobs in Crystal Lake are completed in one to three days of on site work after materials arrive, depending on size and complexity. Some specialty colors or custom fabricated steel sections may extend lead times by a couple of weeks, especially during the busy spring and summer seasons. We recommend planning ahead if you need a fence installed before a pool inspection, graduation party, or business opening.
Our team also explains when installation is practical based on weather. We install year round, but concrete work in very cold conditions can require additives or tenting to cure properly. During rainy stretches, we may adjust schedules if the soil is too saturated to hold clean post holes, which helps avoid future settling. We keep you updated so there are no surprises and the finished fence stays level and secure.
Common issues with metal fences and how we prevent them
Aluminum and steel fences are low maintenance, but like any outdoor structure they can develop issues if they are not designed and installed for local conditions. At Legendary Fence Company Crystal Lake, we design each project to avoid the most common problems we see when we replace or repair older fences in town.
Post movement is one of the biggest issues in our freeze thaw climate. When posts are too shallow or set in narrow concrete sleeves, winter frost can heave them out of plumb. We prevent this by drilling deep enough to get below the frost line and widening the bottom of the footing so it resists upward movement. We also avoid using loose gravel backfill alone for structural posts in our climate, except in limited cases where drainage requires it and we size the footing accordingly.
Rust and coating failure are another concern, especially on cut edges and at the base of posts. We use powder coated materials rated for exterior use in Illinois and treat cut ends with manufacturer approved touch up where needed. For steel, we recommend galvanized undercoating plus powder coat when available, which provides two layers of protection. We also set posts slightly above grade and contour concrete away from them so water does not sit at the base.
Hardware is often the first point of failure on cheaper aluminum and steel fences. Hinges that sag, latches that misalign, and fasteners that corrode can make a fence feel worn long before the panels wear out. We use heavy duty hinges and latches appropriate for our wind and snow loads, and we anchor them into reinforced posts instead of thin wall material whenever possible.
Before you hire any installer, ask how they set posts in our region, what coating system the metal uses, and what type of hardware is included. We are happy to walk you through our answers in detail. We also provide clear care instructions, like rinsing off road salt overspray near driveways and checking gate adjustments each spring, so your aluminum or steel fence around your Crystal Lake property continues to look and function like new.
