Fence Panels - Advice Sought.....

[gbb]

I have the same'ish problem. The laths at the bottom rot out yet they're 90% free of any contacy with anything else, and they dont get peed on or touched by the dog.
The average panel is only dipped so protection is minimal. You supplier should be able to get them pressure treated which will help enormously.
Dont buy from DIY shops, they're often minimal materials, never last as long anyway.
My last panels have been on 10 years and I just replaced them. TBF they were overdue and looked a mess. I dont know what iS a good life for cheap panels TBF.

 

[TissoT]

Tile batten (they are pressure treated) from a timber Yard/B+Q ....Nail it to the bottom of the panel
It will last longer than the frame that the panel is made out of ...

 

[Cycleops]

I'd forgotten that people in the UK like to use wooden fence panels, seems rather quaint now. We have a 2m high concrete wall here with a metre high electric fence on top!

 

[Basil.B]

Got two new panels to put up. Given each side of the panels two coatings of creosote. Going to leave a gap of about an inch from the floor when I fix them.

 

[Ian H]

There are creosote-like products available, spirit-based and smelling like creosote. Far better than water-based stuff. Two brand names I know are Creoseal and Creocote. Paint the bottom of the panels beforehand. As suggested, an air-gap will help.

 

[Thomk]

Tile batten (they are pressure treated) from a timber Yard/B+Q ....Nail it to the bottom of the panel
It will last longer than the frame that the panel is made out of ...

This is a good idea. You could also put a strip of damp membrane in between the lath and the panels. If the lath ever rots just take it off the panel and replace it with a new strip.

BTW you don't need an extra gravel board and it won't do you any good. If you haven't ordered them save your money and buy bike stuff instead

 

[TissoT]

There are creosote-like products available, spirit-based and smelling like creosote. Far better than water-based stuff. Two brand names I know are Creoseal and Creocote. Paint the bottom of the panels beforehand. As suggested, an air-gap will help.

This is a good idea. You could also put a strip of damp membrane in between the lath and the panels. If the lath ever rots just take it off the panel and replace it with a new strip.

BTW you don't need an extra gravel board and it won't do you any good. If you haven't ordered them save your money and buy bike stuff instead

This method has been done and tested ....(joiner)
You could use a strip of DPC trapped under the batten/fence panel !

 

[smokeysmoo]

Going to leave a gap of about an inch from the floor when I fix them.

How are you going to achieve the gap though?

 

[smokeysmoo]

BTW you don't need an extra gravel board and it won't do you any good. If you haven't ordered them save your money and buy bike stuff instead

The gravel boards are F.O.C. The reason for adding an extra one is so that when the dog bangs his paws on them it won't damage them, whereas when he does it now the fence panels are getting worse.

I should explain, there is a public footpath that runs down the back of our house, and when our dog is outside and hears anyone going past he runs to the fence and puts his front paws on it.

 

[Ludwig]

Why not put a chainlink fence and plant it with a variety of things to make a traditional style and it it much more wildlife friendly. You can plant things like hazel, ash sycamore, holly, oak, willow much which you can transplant from self seeded seedlings. You can even plat things like raspberries, elderberries damsons etc. Birds like things with berries particulary red berries. The concrete posts and panel fences are very bland and not really good for wildlife but you can plant stuff along them to soften the look.

 

[Ludwig]

Why not put a chainlink fence and plant it with a variety of things to make a traditional style and it it much more wildlife friendly. You can plant things like hazel, ash sycamore, holly, oak, willow much which you can transplant from self seeded seedlings. You can even plat things like raspberries, elderberries damsons etc. Birds like things with berries particulary red berries. The concrete posts and panel fences are very bland and not really good for wildlife but you can plant stuff along them to soften the look.

 

[Ludwig]

Why not put a chainlink fence and plant it with a variety of things to make a traditional style and it it much more wildlife friendly. You can plant things like hazel, ash sycamore, holly, oak, willow much which you can transplant from self seeded seedlings. You can even plat things like raspberries, elderberries damsons etc. Birds like things with berries particulary red berries. The concrete posts and panel fences are very bland and not really good for wildlife but you can plant stuff along them to soften the look.

 

[Thomk]

Or 3 chainlink fences if you like...

 

[smokeysmoo]

Why not put a chainlink fence and plant it with a variety of things to make a traditional style and it it much more wildlife friendly. You can plant things like hazel, ash sycamore, holly, oak, willow much which you can transplant from self seeded seedlings. You can even plat things like raspberries, elderberries damsons etc. Birds like things with berries particulary red berries. The concrete posts and panel fences are very bland and not really good for wildlife but you can plant stuff along them to soften the look.

I agree it would be very nice, (in time), but security is high on my agenda so I don't have time to wait for things to grow. I need to be able to take the old fence down and erect a new one within a day, hence simply slotting new panels in is the easy option.

 

[ayceejay]

If the run is not too long, therefore expensive you could have the fence built in situ using a more durable material, that would be cedar here, Also you could try having the timber overlap the gravel board a couple of inches so that surface water runs off