Closeboard & Feather Edge Fencing

A more robust, built-in-place alternative to pre-made fence panels

Closeboard fencing, built from overlapping vertical feather-edge boards nailed onto horizontal arris rails between posts, is a more robust and generally longer-lasting alternative to a pre-made panel fence, though it takes longer to install because it's built in place rather than fitted as pre-made sections.

Where a panel fence arrives as a pre-manufactured unit simply fitted between posts, closeboard fencing is built up in place, board by board: vertical feather-edge boards, tapered from thick to thin along their width, are nailed onto horizontal arris rails that run between the posts, each board overlapping the previous one by a set amount to give a continuous, gap-free screen with no visible joints or seams the way a panel fence sometimes shows at its post fixings. This method of construction is inherently stronger than a pre-made panel — because each board is individually fixed rather than relying on a single panel frame, damage to one board can be replaced individually without disturbing the whole run, and the overall structure tends to hold up better under sustained wind loading, which makes it a common choice for exposed or particularly long boundary runs where fence longevity matters more than speed of installation. As with any timber fence, posts set correctly in concrete are the foundation the whole structure depends on, and a gravel board at the base keeps the vertical boards clear of ground contact. It's a more labour-intensive installation than fitting pre-made panels, which is reflected in the time it takes on site, but the result is a noticeably more solid, durable boundary fence.