Fencing Materials and Lifespan
What a fence is made of decides how long it stands, and almost all of it comes down to what happens where timber meets soil.
How long do fence panels last?
An untreated lap panel can start to deteriorate within five to eight years. A well-installed timber fence given a preservative or exterior stain every two to three years should last 10 to 20 years, and closeboard tends to outlast lap because of the stronger construction. What usually fails first is not the panel. It is the post, at ground level.
Read the full answerCloseboard or lap panel fencing: which is better?
Closeboard for longevity, wind resistance and cheap repairs. Lap panels for the lowest upfront price and the fastest installation. Closeboard is built on site from vertical feather-edge boards on horizontal arris rails, so it holds its shape under wind loading and fails one cheap component at a time. Our closeboard runs £90 to £130 per metre excluding VAT.
Read the full answerConcrete or timber fence posts: which should I choose?
Concrete, in almost every case, because post rot at ground level is the commonest cause of fence failure. Timber posts typically need replacing every seven to ten years; a fence on concrete posts should need far less attention for 15 to 20 years. Concrete costs a little more per post and buys most of the lifespan difference on the whole fence.
Read the full answerWhat is a gravel board and do I need one?
A gravel board is a concrete or timber plank fixed along the bottom of a fence so the panels or boards never touch the soil. Yes, you want one. It is the cheapest component on the fence and it protects the part most likely to rot. Some manufacturers make gravel boards an explicit condition of their timber guarantee.
Read the full answerIs composite fencing worth it?
It is worth it if you want to stop maintaining a fence and you plan to stay. Composite costs more upfront, at £95 to £180 per metre excluding VAT against £90 to £130 for closeboard, and the payback is no staining, no warping and no rot. It does not suit every garden, and the long-life claims are warranty periods rather than proven service lives.
Read the full answerHow deep should fence posts be?
600mm is the standard depth for a domestic fence up to about 2 metres, with the hole roughly three times the width of the post. Softer ground, made-up ground and taller fences all want more. Depth is the cheapest insurance on the whole job, and it is the first thing quietly reduced when a price looks too good.
Read the full answerWhat is Use Class 4 treated timber?
Use Class 4 is the preservative treatment level required for timber in ground contact or permanently wet conditions, which means fence posts, decking joists and gravel boards. It is specified under BS 8417. Anything going into the ground should be Use Class 4 and pressure treated, not dip treated, and every cut you make on site breaks the treatment and needs resealing.
Read the full answerShould I treat or stain a new fence?
Yes, but not immediately. Pressure-treated timber arrives with its protection already in it and needs to weather and dry before it will take a stain, usually a few months. After that, a preservative or exterior stain every two to three years is what turns a five to eight year fence into a 10 to 20 year one.
Read the full answerWhat is the best fence for a windy garden?
Closeboard on concrete posts, set in properly sized holes, or a fence with deliberate gaps such as hit-and-miss or slatted. Vertical boards on horizontal rails hold their shape under wind loading where a lap panel flexes as one sheet and lifts out of its slots. A solid fence catches more wind, so the posts have to carry it.
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