Serving Tidewater · Mon–Fri 9:00 – 5:00
Smithfield, VA
A scalloped vinyl fence built for the family dog, with a little coastal history buried underneath.
This Gatling Pointe project started with a simple, practical need: the family dog needed a real, secure yard, not just an open lawn, so they could let him out without worrying he would take off toward the street or a neighbor's yard. We installed a vinyl fence with a scalloped top rail between every post, which reads a lot softer than a standard flat-top fence and fits the coastal, waterfront feel of a property sitting this close to the Pagan River. White vinyl was also the practical call here: no yearly staining or painting, and it holds up to the humidity and salt air that comes with living on the water.
The part nobody expected came up during installation. While digging post holes, the crew hit a dense layer of oyster shells packed into the soil, well below where anyone plants a garden bed. That is not construction debris — it is a soil-stabilizing technique that was common in this area generations ago, long before modern fill and gravel were the default, and finding it intact under this yard was a reminder of how much history sits under these older waterfront lots.
The result is a yard that works exactly the way the homeowners needed it to: the dog has the run of the whole space, guests get a clean, coastal look that matches the house instead of a heavy privacy fence blocking every sightline, and the property keeps a physical link to whatever waterfront homestead worked this land long before the current house was built.
A low-maintenance vinyl fence with a scalloped top rail between each post, giving the yard a soft, custom look instead of a flat, boxy fence line.
The whole reason for the fence: giving the family dog a secure, fully enclosed yard to run in without the risk of slipping out toward the street or the neighbors.
Sitting close to the Pagan River, a crisp white scalloped fence fits the coastal character of the neighborhood better than a standard privacy fence would.
Digging the post holes turned up a thick layer of old oyster shells, a soil-stabilizing technique used generations ago near the water — a literal piece of the property's history.
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