Fence Panels in Teignmouth

Fence panels fitted in Teignmouth

Teignmouth gardens are rarely the tidy six foot squares that panels are made for. Behind the older Victorian and Edwardian terraces the boundaries were set out long before anyone sold a ready made panel, so post gaps vary, walls step in and out, and a run that looks straight from the kitchen window usually isn’t. Most of the panel work we do in town starts with measuring every bay, not just the overall length.

Odd gaps and cut panels

Where the old posts sit at awkward spacings we either move them to suit standard panels or cut panels down to fit the bay, refixing the battens so the cut edge stays strong. Moving posts usually gives the neater, longer lasting result; cutting is sometimes the better choice when a post is set against a wall, a drain or a tree root you don’t want disturbed. We’ll explain which we’d do and why before we start.

Getting panels into the garden

Plenty of Teignmouth houses have no side gate, so new panels, posts and bags of postcrete come through the house or along a rear lane, and we plan the job around that
We lay down dust sheets and carry panels on edge through hallways, and we take the old panels out the same way so nothing is left in the garden
Where a back lane is narrow or shared with neighbours we keep it clear and avoid blocking anyone’s access for long
If parking outside is tight we’ll mention it on the visit so the day runs smoothly

Red soil and damp posts

Much of the ground around Teignmouth is the red, heavy soil the area is known for. It holds water through the winter, and timber posts that were simply rammed into it are often the first thing to go, long before the panels. When we fit panels we set posts in concrete with the top sloped away from the timber, and we always use gravel boards so the bottom of each panel sits clear of wet earth. Slotted concrete posts are worth considering where a bed is always damp.

Why one panel fence rattles and another sits quiet

Snug bays: a panel forced into a tight bay bows from day one, while one dropped into a slack bay knocks against its post whenever it’s breezy. Setting each post to the panel in front of it avoids both.
Old footings: a new post wedged beside a lump of old concrete ends up off the line. We break the lump out, or shift the bay, so the run stays true.
Top line: panels follow whatever the posts do. Checking heights with a string as we go stops the row climbing and dropping along the garden.
Old panels with new ones: sizes differ between makers and across the years, so a replacement rarely drops straight into an old bay without some adjustment.

From the seafront to Higher Brimley

Teignmouth is really two places as far as a fence is concerned. Down on the flat ground by the docks and the beach, around Bitton Park Road and the streets behind the Den, plots are short and walled, and a panel often has brick or stone on both sides of it. Climb towards Higher Brimley and Coombe Vale and the problem changes: gardens fall away in levels, so each bay sits a little lower than the last and a level row of panels needs a stepped post line to match.

A six foot panel is also a solid sheet in a county that gets proper gales, and this town takes them from the sea and along the river mouth. On an exposed top boundary we talk through whether a full height solid run is the right call at all, or whether a slightly lower panel or one that lets some air through would make more sense for that spot.

Fitting day, in order

Once the bays are measured and the panels are ordered to suit, the old panels get carried out first and loaded straight onto the van, so the garden isn’t stacked with rubbish while we work. Posts then go in one at a time, each checked against the panel it will carry. Gravel boards follow, then panels, then a last look along the line from both ends before we sweep up. If something behind the old fence changes the plan, such as a rotten wall footing, we’ll stop and show you rather than carry on regardless.

What you’ll notice about each panel style

Overlap (lap) panels: thin horizontal boards with a slight stagger. They’re light enough to manhandle along a tight passage, though small gaps can open between the boards as they dry out in summer.
Tongue and groove: boards that lock into each other, so a neighbour’s patio stays out of sight all year. They’re heavier, which is worth remembering if yours is one of those long carries from the road.
Trellis top: a solid lower section with lattice above. It takes a little of the edge off a stiff breeze, and it gives a climber something to hold.
Horizontal slatted: air and a bit of daylight pass between the boards, which helps a dark yard hemmed in by walls.

When the fence faces a rear lane

Quite a few older Teignmouth terraces finish at a shared lane, so the panels aren’t just a line between two gardens. They’re your back wall, with bins, delivery vans and passers-by on the other side. Scuffs from a bin or a reversing car tend to land low down, which makes a sturdy gravel board more useful here than it might be elsewhere. Have a think about whether the gate sits where you actually want it too, since the job of replacing the panels is the natural moment to move it.

Clearing the line before we arrive

A little preparation makes fitting day quicker and saves your plants some damage. Lift pots and furniture a good stride back from the fence. Untie or cut back whichever climbers should stay, and decide what you’re happy to lose, because a mature rose rarely survives being peeled off an old panel without a hard prune. Anything fixed to the old fence, like solar lights, hooks or a washing line bracket, is easier for you to take down in advance. And if the only way through is your hallway, moving the coats and the bike makes life easier for everyone.

The first year with new panels

New timber moves as it settles. Expect the boards to look bright for a season before they begin to mellow, and don’t be alarmed by the odd hairline split or a little weeping of treatment where the panel was cut. If you’d like a colour on them, give the wood a dry spell and read the tin first, because some stains don’t take well on freshly treated timber. Walk along the row after the first big blow of winter and press each panel gently. Anything that knocks or shifts is much simpler to deal with at that stage than after it has worked loose for months.

Fence panels in Teignmouth: questions

Can you fit panels to my existing posts?

Yes, if they’re upright, solid at ground level and at a spacing that works. We push and check each one on the visit. Sound posts can stay, which keeps the cost of the job down, and any we’re not happy with get replaced.

My garden is a rental or holiday let. Can you work around guests?

We can usually fit a straightforward panel replacement into a single day between bookings. Tell us your changeover days when you enquire and we’ll try to book around them.

Which panel style suits a small town garden?

For a small, overlooked garden a solid panel with a short trellis top gives privacy without feeling closed in. Horizontal slatted panels look more modern and let a little light through. We bring samples and photos of finished jobs so you can choose on the day.

Do you take the old fence away?

Yes. The old panels, posts and any broken concrete are removed and taken away, and the garden is swept before we leave.

A storm blew my panels out but the posts are fine. Why?

Usually the panels were slack in their bays, or the clips and battens holding them had rusted or rotted. Sound posts can often stay, as long as the bays still suit the new panels. Send us a photo and we’ll tell you what we can see.

Can you change only the two that came down?

Normally, yes. New timber will look brighter than its neighbours for a while, and an older panel size may need a little adapting, but swapping a couple of panels may be all it takes.

My fence backs onto a neighbour. What should I sort out first?

Speak to them ahead of booking, especially if it isn’t clear whose fence it is. Your deeds may show this, though not always. Access from their side can make the job easier too, so it’s worth asking.

How do I work out how many panels I need?

Measure the run in a straight line and divide by the panel width, which is commonly about 1.83 metres, or six feet, plus a post each time. It’ll only be a first guess, because older Teignmouth plots rarely measure up neatly. We check every bay on the visit, so don’t order anything on that sum alone.

Which face goes towards the neighbour?

Nothing in law says which way, though many people put the better face towards the neighbour as a courtesy. If you and they can agree, that’s the end of it. On panels with the same look from both sides, the question mostly goes away.

Can panels be fixed onto an old garden wall?

Sometimes. It comes down to whether that wall is sound and how much wind it would be asked to resist, since all that flat board pushes hard on whatever holds it. Short, old brickwork with crumbling mortar is rarely a good base. Often the better route is posts set just behind it, and we’d look at that with you.

Panels needed for a Teignmouth, Shaldon or Bishopsteignton garden? Drop us a message saying roughly how many bays, and add photos of the fence and the route in from the road; we’ll then book a time to come and measure. For more, see our fence panel options, how close board fencing works in Teignmouth, or the main fencing in Teignmouth page.

Comparing styles? Our Teignmouth hit and miss page covers a boundary that’s equally smart from both gardens, and Teignmouth slatted screens give a cleaner, more modern finish.