Closeboard fencing

Closeboard, sometimes called featheredge, is built on site: posts, three horizontal rails, then overlapping vertical boards nailed to the rails. Because every board is fixed individually rather than slotted in as a panel, it copes far better with strong gusts. That makes it the usual recommendation for exposed gardens in Meads, along the seafront roads and in Sovereign Harbour.

What it costs in Eastbourne

Typically £165 to £255 per panel width (about £90 to £140 per metre), supplied and fitted at around 1.8m high. A typical back garden takes one to two days.

Getting it right on the coast

• Ask for concrete posts or posts set in concrete; timber posts are the usual weak point after a gale
• A concrete or treated gravel board along the bottom keeps the boards off wet ground
• Galvanised or stainless nails resist the salty air better than bright steel
• Boards should overlap by at least 25mm so gaps do not open as the timber shrinks

Good and less good

• Very strong and long lasting, often 20 years or more with treatment
• Repairs are easy: a split board can be swapped on its own
• Costs more and takes longer to fit than panels

Common questions

Is closeboard worth it over panels near the sea?

Usually yes for exposed gardens. Panels can lift out of their slots in a gale, while closeboard is fixed board by board.

Do I need planning for a 1.8m closeboard fence?

Not normally, unless it is next to a road or in an area with extra controls such as Park Close. See our Eastbourne fence rules.