Closeboard, panel, slatted or post-and-rail
Closeboard fences (also known as featheredge) are the workhorse of UK garden boundaries - vertical feather-edged boards nailed to horizontal arris rails between posts. Built properly, a closeboard fence lasts 20+ years. It's the right choice for typical residential boundaries and I build it frequently across Southport, Formby, Crosby and Ormskirk.
Panel fences (the 6x6 lap-panel or waney-edge panels you see at every DIY shop) are faster to erect and cheaper per metre, but the panels themselves are only as good as the supplier - typically 8-12 years before replacement. Useful on temporary or budget jobs but not what I'd specify for a premium property.
Slatted fences (modern, horizontal or vertical slatted panels with visible gaps) are popular in contemporary Southport gardens - they let light and air through, look architectural, and pair well with composite decking and sleeper raised beds.
Post-and-rail is the rural option - three or four rails between round or square posts, no infill - used on properties with grazing land or smallholdings in Tarleton and Banks.
Posts - the component that fails first
The life of a fence is the life of its posts. 90% of fences I'm called to replace have sound panels but rotten posts. The fix is always the same: change the post, keep the panels.
Concrete posts (H-section, slotted) are the industry-standard solution - they don't rot, they don't twist, they last indefinitely. The aesthetic isn't for everyone, but they pair particularly well with waney-edge or overlap panels.
Timber posts treated to UC4 (use class 4, rated for ground contact) are my preferred solution for closeboard and slatted fences. I use 100x100mm square-section post, 900mm deep in concrete, with a stainless post-saver sleeve at the ground line. Expected life: 20+ years.
Repairs-on-existing: when a customer calls with a sound fence but a single failed post, I'll fit a concrete spur (Metpost or similar). The spur is concreted in next to the rotten post, and the existing post is bolted to it. Cost-effective, saves removing the panels, takes a couple of hours per post.
Trellis, top caps and treatment
A 150mm lattice trellis topper on a 1.8m closeboard fence takes it to a neighbour-friendly 1.95m without blocking light, and gives climbing roses, clematis or jasmine somewhere to grow. It's the most requested add-on to a standard fence replacement.
Top caps (a rail that runs along the top of the closeboard, covering the board ends) look neater, stop water ingress into the end grain, and double the life of the fence. Worth the extra £15 per metre every time.
Treatment is worth talking about: most 'pressure-treated' timber from UK suppliers is treated to UC3 (above-ground) not UC4 (ground-contact), which is why posts rot at the ground line. I specify UC4 for posts, UC3 for boards - and top up with a preservative stain every 2-3 years to keep colour and prolong life. Osmo Country Shades is my current favourite - lasts 3 years between recoats.
