You can choose between aluminium slat screening and Colorbond fencing by checking where the fence is going, how much privacy and airflow you need, whether it sits near a pool, and how much maintenance you want. To make the call, gather your site measurements and compare options such as Glass Outlet slat screening, perforated screens, retaining wall components, and Colorbond profiles. This guide breaks down Scott’s Jim’s Fencing walkthrough step by step so you can choose the right style for your home.
Watch Scott compare fencing options above, or keep reading for the step-by-step breakdown.
What Should You Check Before Choosing a Fence?
- Site measurements for the area you want to fence
- Photos or notes of any pergola, courtyard window, pool area, service area, or boundary line
- A shortlist of what the fence needs to do: privacy, ventilation, pool compliance, gate access, or feature finish
- Product samples or quotes for Glass Outlet aluminium slat screening, express screening, perforated screen, retaining wall components, Metline Premium, Trimclad, and Metfence
- Colour choices such as Island Grey or Monument
- Any accessory choices, including Press Lattice
How Do You Choose the Right Fencing Style Step by Step?
Step 1: Start With the Area You Need to Fence
Scott’s first point is practical. Work out where the product is going before you look at colours. In the video, he shows entertaining areas, pools, pergolas, courtyard windows, brick infills, and general fence panels. Each location asks for something slightly different.
A pergola screen may need stronger privacy. A pool fence may need compliance and airflow. A courtyard window screen may need to soften sightlines without making the area feel shut in. If the project runs along a shared edge of the property, it also helps to look at boundary fencing installation early so the layout and access are sorted properly.
Step 2: Decide How Much Privacy You Need
On the featured job, the aim was to block the neighbours out and give extra privacy under the pergola. That gives you a clear filter for choosing. If privacy matters most, lean toward screening and fence styles that reduce visible gaps when installed properly.
Scott also shows a privacy screen in front of bedroom windows facing a courtyard. That is a good reminder that privacy is not only about boundary lines. Sometimes the best fence solves a line-of-sight problem inside the property itself.
Step 3: Choose Whether Slat Screening Should Run Vertical or Horizontally
The Glass Outlet aluminium slat screening can run vertically or horizontally. That gives you more flexibility to match the home, deck, and surrounding finishes instead of forcing one look across the whole job. Scott also says express screening lets you create different angles and control the spaces between slats.
That makes slat screening a strong option when you want privacy without a heavy, solid-wall look. It is especially useful when the fence also needs to work as a design feature.
Step 4: Plan the Gate and Infill Panels Early
The video shows a gate that comes in a kit, can be cut to size on site, and built on site. That is useful when the opening is not standard or when you want the gate to match the rest of the fence properly. Scott also mentions using the same material as infills in fence panels or around brickwork.
Do not leave these decisions until the end. If a matching gate is part of the job, look at gate installations while you are still deciding on the screen and frame style so the finished result looks consistent.
Step 5: Use Perforated Screen Where You Still Need Ventilation
If the area sits near a pool or services, Scott recommends a perforated screen. His reason is simple: you still get ventilation while achieving approximately a 50% block out. He also says this type of fence is pool-compliant.
You can build full panels around a pool from this product, or mix it with other materials such as tubular panels or glass panels to create more of a feature. If pool safety is part of the job, it is worth checking pool fence installation requirements before locking in the final design.
Step 6: Check Whether the Site Needs a Retaining Wall
Not every job is flat. Scott shows a retaining wall system with aluminium uprights and aluminium sleepers that stack up and come in different colours. He says you can build a retaining wall up to a metre high.
This matters because the fence choice and the ground level often need to work together. If the site steps down or you want a cleaner finished line, deal with that first. Jim’s also has modular wall solutions if the project needs a more integrated wall-and-fence approach.
Step 7: Compare the Profile and Colour Options Before You Decide
Scott then moves to Colorbond-style options and samples. He mentions Metline Premium, plus Trimclad and Metfence. One selling point of the Metline Premium profile is that it looks the same on both sides. He also points out the Monument colour and says there are 18 colours available.
Earlier in the video, he shows Island Grey on aluminium slat screening matched with Trex decking. That is the practical lesson here: compare the fence against nearby materials, not in isolation. If you are still weighing up designs, the official fence styles section is a useful place to compare broader options.
Step 8: Check Maintenance and Local Conditions
Scott describes Colorbond as low maintenance and says no painting is required. His maintenance advice is simple: hose the fence and make sure the rails are free from dirt and leaves. He also mentions Press Lattice as an accessory that can go above the fence in a range of colours.
One warning matters here as well. These fences may not be suitable for seaside areas because of corrosion caused by salt in the air. That makes the environment just as important as colour or profile when you choose your fence.
What Mistakes Should You Avoid When Choosing a Fence?
Choosing a colour alone before deciding what the fence needs to do.
Using a more solid privacy option in places where ventilation matters.
Leaving the gate choice until the end.
Ignoring retaining wall needs on a site with level changes.
Assuming every metal fence suits seaside conditions.
Forgetting basic maintenance, such as clearing dirt and leaves from the rails.
When Is It Better to Call a Professional Fence Installer?
Call a professional when you need pool-compliant fencing, a cut-to-size gate, a mixed-material layout, a retaining wall, or advice for a coastal property. Those jobs go beyond choosing a panel. They involve fit, compliance, drainage, and long-term durability.
Jim’s Fencing offers fencing services, pool fence installation, gate installations, and boundary fencing installation across Australia. You can also contact the team through Jim’s Fencing or call 131 546 for advice on the right system for your property.
Frequently Asked Questions About Aluminium Slat and Colorbond Fencing
It depends on the job. Aluminium slat screening gives you more flexibility with direction, spacing, and feature looks, while Colorbond-style fencing is a strong, low-maintenance option when you want a cleaner, more solid profile.
Yes. Scott specifically says the screening can go vertical and horizontal, which makes it easier to match the design of the home and outdoor area.
Scott recommends a perforated screen for this situation. He says it gives approximately a 50% block out, allows ventilation, and is pool-compliant.
Yes. Scott says you can combine perforated panels with options such as tubular panels or glass panels to create a feature and suit the area better.
Scott says the retaining wall system can be built up to a metre high.
Not always. Scott warns that these fences may not be suitable for seaside areas because of corrosion caused by salt in the air.