Choice of Garden Fencing?

[amethyst]

I am wanting to replace fencing in the garden on one side.  However, I would like the standard type of 5-6ft Wooden Panels, but is it possible not to have the concrete support joints inbetween each panel?

I appreciate that concrete support probably lasts longer, but is there another alternate way, and as anyone had an alternative to concrete support joints, and happy with their choice?

Hoping for some ideas of your experience.

Many thanks

amethyst

[ed_blackadder_1]

We have wooden panels along the back of our garden and they have wooden posts between, these are concreted in but we have used the long spikes before, these are just banged into the ground. The ones we used were 24 inches long.  They were more than sufficient for 6 foot tall panels.  Our choice of fencing though is the feather boarding which is sturdy and private, we have just put some of this fencing in along the side of the garden it is expensive but seems to last a lot longer than the panels (depending on how much you pay for the panels)

[saasher2012]

I was gonna say wooden posts, the only trouble with concreting them in is if they rot you then have the problem of having to dig everything up & starting again. Unfortunately modern wooden posts are in the main purchased from abroad now & don't seem to last as long , but if you can get home produced pressure treated timber they are as good as any, I'm being a bit picky here cos my ex was a fencing contractor & prided himself & his staff on fence erection without resorting to using concrete.

[ed_blackadder_1]

We get our posts from the local sawmills, agree about concreting, the bottoms rot, we have had to replace 3 at the back, real pain to get rid of concrete, but in the front it would be easy as you can actually see a ball of concrete where the rain has washed away the soil so when the time comes to change we should be able to just pick up the ball and get rid.

[saasher2012]

lol. You'll have biceps like Superman Ed!.

[ed_blackadder_1]

Oh no not me, OH does the landscaping, I do the gardening, strangely enough I get an awful lot more gardening done than he does landscaping, always the wrong weather!

[saasher2012]

lol. Smart fella you've got ! Bet the weathers always right when he wants to go Shooting?. lol.
Bless im!

[ed_blackadder_1]

Oh yes, and fishing. ha ha

[saasher2012]

Yep! Smart cookie !!.& they don't seem to realise we are on to em do they?. lol.

[amethyst]

I want to say a huge THANK YOU to every single one of you who helped by replying, and offering such good, useful and helpful advice.  This is very much appreciated, and gives me ideas that I was not aware of before.

Grateful thanks,

amethyst

[stroppy*cow]

I don't know if you can still get them, but in the back garden they cemented hollow metal sockets into place. The posts just slide into the sockets and a couple of carriage bolts go through. When the wooden posts break the bolts are removed, the stump of the post is removed (can be fiddly) and a new post is dropped into place.

I far prefer the wooden posts.

[saasher2012]

Yes I think you still can get them & they are a better alternative than concrete , but I think as in all things today it's the cost of these things.

[chickengrandma-2008]

Yes you can still get them, that's what we've got.

[chips-and-brown-gravy]

Are you thinking of Metposts - these things

http://www.metpost.co.uk/mp_prod_selection.html

We use the ordinary ones that hammer into the soil rather than concreting them in - not cheap - about £7 each but absolutely brillant and quick to install.

[ed_blackadder_1]

The spikes that we buy are the same only without the cement, if the post rots you undo the bold take out old post and put in new one.

Exactly not cheap we needed 12 of them and the wooden posts were £12 each. ouch, then the panels on top of that, anything between £15 and £80. Sadly not a cheap job to do, not to mention having to paint them every year.

[ginap.123]

I love fence painting, very therapeutic. just waiting for my fencing contractors to finish so that I can start slapping paint on

[saasher2012]

Oooh dear! Your gonna hate me for this but treated timber should never be painted it can't breathe & can rot even quicker! Sorry!

[chips-and-brown-gravy]

Blimey Ed, I don't know where you shop but I paid £7.25 each for mine last year at an independant garden centre, and they were for 4" thick posts.

[guardpig]

Well our fence posts finally gave up the ghost(some of them).  Treated wood posts concreted in, closeboard fence, odd slap of creosote - lasted a good 20 year.  Have a picture of a very dimunitive son with a hammer bigger than him helping his Dad put it up LOL.

[ed_blackadder_1]

8 foot posts Chips at Wickes £16.49 or if you buy 8 they are £14 each, that is their price now. They were cheaper at the sawmills.