Choosing Garden Fencing

22nd February 2018
Estimated reading time 3 minutes

Garden fencing serves many purposes. It marks the border between adjoining properties and provides privacy from prying neighbours. It keeps escapologist pets (and children) safely in your garden, as well as helping to keep your garden secure from potential intruders.

Yet fencing brings so much more to your garden. With the vast choice of available panels it can provide a stylish or decorative element to any landscaping scheme, or a backdrop to ornamental features and lighting. It can divide and support areas of planting, as well as act as an integral part to any outdoor play, entertainment or work area.

As you can see, when planning a new garden design, choice of fence (whilst seemingly unimportant) can create a huge impact on the finished result.

So whether you’re looking for traditional or contemporary, decorative or practical, your final choice of garden fencing can bring a whole new vibe to your outdoor space.

Wood Fencing Panels

Wood fencing forms the backbone of many gardens throughout the UK. Relatively easy to install, strong, secure and with a range to suit every budget it comes in a range of style and design options.

Good for: privacy, security, marking boundaries, keeping pets and children safe, affordability, easy to install and repair, can be finished with stain or paint, easy to fix decorations, lights and planters to.

Downsides: regular maintenance is required, weathers quickly, may rot and warp due to moisture, can become infected with insects, posts can fail causing the fence to lean or fall.

Traditional types of wooden fencing

These are the classic fence panels that most of us will recognise that are traditionally chosen for their strength and durability over their looks.

Closeboard – a heavy duty fence panel with densely packed vertical wooden boards, supported by a frame and horizontal struts on the back, producing one of the strongest fences available. The wooden boards being so close together mean there are very few gaps in these panels, making them a particularly good choice for those looking for more privacy.

Overlap – the classic fence design of horizontal wood boards inside a neat panel with additional vertical strengthening battens on either side for additional durability.  Again, a good option if security and privacy are your priority.

large circle seat set into garden fencing

Contemporary wooden fencing

More contemporary fencing panels have appeared over the years in response to demands by homeowners looking for something stylish for the garden that better reflects the same design aspirations shown in their home. In particular these panels are an essential part of creating outdoor rooms, which has become a huge trend in garden design over recent years.

Not only do these panels come in a wide range of designs, but also a larger selection of woods such as cedar and larch, bringing a whole new aesthetic to the garden.

Slatted – if privacy isn’t a priority, these fence panels are ideal for creating distinct zones within a garden, without sacrificing light levels. The small gap between the horizontal pales allow bands of light though, creating dramatic light and shade effects.

Hit and miss – a variation on the slatted panel that allows in more light without compromising on privacy. Its clever design of alternating panels on the back and front allows air and light to pass through, whilst obscuring the view from both sides.

Tongue and Groove – profiled boards are used to create horizontal, vertical or even diagonal solid board fences. Adjacent boards are joined via interlocking ridges and hollows down their sides creating total privacy.

Board-and-batten – a vertical design created by spacing wide boards with narrower boards (battens) covering the joins. Board and batten widths can be uniform or ad-hoc to create many different looks.

Thames Valley Landscapes provide an extensive range of fencing in an array of styles, colours and heights to suit any garden.  We can install any length of fencing as part of a new or existing landscaping scheme and supply gates to match. Please drop us a line for more details or a no obligation quote.  Call us on 01628 629720.

Choosing Garden Fencing

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