What to consider when choosing garden fencing

As well as serving a practical purpose, garden fencing can really enhance the look of your outdoor space. Installing or replacing garden fencing can be a significant investment, so it’s important to get it right first time. This guide from the experts at Jacksons Fencing covers the important aspects to consider when choosing fencing, read on for lots of great tips.

What material?

When it comes to fencing, materials matter, and considering what material is best for you is paramount when choosing a new garden fence. Be it softwood, hardwood or metal fencing, it is useful to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each option before making a selection. Metal garden fencing is a longer lasting and naturally more durable option to wooden alternatives, but the design offers limited privacy and can be less aesthetically appealing than its softwood counterparts. Alternatively, hardwood, as the name suggests, is known for being hard-wearing and denser than softwood. However, as a result, the denser material can leave hardwood prone to splits, and can sometimes look harsh in certain garden designs. This has meant that softwood is often the most popular material used in contemporary garden fencing.

Research design

Once you’ve chosen the right material, it’s time for the fun part: choosing a design. It’s important to first look at the layout and location of your garden, to understand the purpose of your fence. Some common aspects to consider are privacy or noise requirements, these may narrow down your choices to solid panelled fencing. The first style that may spring to mind is Featherboard, a popular traditional style of fencing which is commonly installed in family gardens as an ideal choice for privacy and security, without compromising on attractiveness.

Although Featherboard is one of the most popular choices for a garden fence, it certainly isn’t the only option. Jacksons design solid panels that have the same benefits of featherboard fencing, but with modern contemporary designs. For example, the Chilham fencing range has been developed without rails to ensure it looks just as good for your neighbour as it does for you.

Decorative fencing is another popular option. Here the aim is to make a statement, help to frame your garden, or create a welcoming environment. The Canterbury Combi range features a solid tongue & groove panel with a Venetian top, making it ideal for those who want privacy but with a stylish finish.

Another option for those wanting a lighter and vibrant garden is semi-solid Venetian fence panels. The small gaps between each slat allow light and air to pass through, making them perfect for creating a lighter garden. They also make great garden dividers, screens and even one-off feature panels. The horizontal slatted panels are ideal for framing contemporary gardens, and can also create a clever visual trick of making gardens look longer.

All these options are worth considering when designing your outdoor space and making sure you select the product that is right for you and your garden.

Treated timber?

Timber treatment is crucial to ensuring your fence stands the test of time. Without treatment, timber products absorb moisture, and could last as little as just four years before the wood begins to decompose and rot, significantly impacting the appearance and stability of your garden fence. It is possible to buy domestic timber treatment paint or stain to help protect your fencing from decay, but it is recommended that this be reapplied every 2-4 years for optimum protection, depending on the timber and the treatment used. Alternatively, we recommend purchasing timber products that are treated during manufacturing as, although the initial costs can be more expensive, domestic paint and stain preservatives only treat the surface of the wood and therefore leave underground timber, such as the posts, exposed and vulnerable.

Consider additional moisture protection

As mentioned previously, moisture is the main cause of timber decomposition, and it’s worth taking extra precautions to protect against the risks of this as much as possible. We recommend ensuring none of your fence panels are in contact with the ground, to keep them away from damp soil. However, this can often leave unsightly gaps under your fence or affect the appearance of your design. A great solution to this is to add Gravel Boards to the bottom of your fence panels; not only do these do a great job of protecting the panels from decay, they also add a stylish finishing touch. You can even modify them to suit your local wildlife!

Check the guarantee

Fencing has a strong ability to frame an outdoor space, and a broken or worn fence is often the first aspect of a garden people notice. Therefore, it’s important to invest in fencing that is guaranteed to remain stable and look good for a long time. Good quality fencing will always include a guarantee. As mentioned above, timber treatment is also essential to protect the durability of a wooden fence.

Installation

An essential, yet often undervalued step when choosing your fence is ensuring that you have it installed by a professional fence erecter. You’ve taken the time to choose the right material and a beautiful design, so it makes sense to have it installed by a competent professional to a sufficient standard. Failing to do this could have a direct impact on not only the appearance of your fence, but its durability and lifespan.

Designing your garden should be a fun and stress-free process, with an opportunity for you to get creative and shape your outdoor space the way you want it. Hopefully this guide helps simplify the process of choosing and installing new garden fencing, allowing you to get on with enjoying your garden!