Fence Panels Supplied and Fitted in Devon

Panel fencing that goes up quickly and stays up

Panel fencing uses ready-made sections slotted or fixed between posts. It is the fastest way to give a garden a clean new boundary, and when the posts are right it is easy to look after: if a storm ever takes a section out, a single panel can be swapped without rebuilding the run.

Who it suits

Level or gently sloping gardens with straightforward runs
Homeowners who want a neat result with less time on site
Replacing an old panel fence where the layout already works
Gardens where future panel swaps need to be simple

At a glance

Typical job: often a single day for a standard garden
Included: survey, posts, panels, gravel boards, capping if wanted, clear-up and waste removal
Choices: lap, square trellis-topped, slatted and other panel styles
Price: given after a free site visit

Where panel fences go wrong

Most failed panel fences we see did not fail at the panel. They failed at the post: too shallow, rotted at ground level, or the wrong size for the slot. On windy coastal plots a panel acts like a sail, so we pay most attention to the posts and the base, and we keep the panel off the ground so it doesn’t wick up water and rot from the bottom.

Panels that sit tight, and panels that rattle

The panel itself: thin laths on a light frame split and curl within a few seasons. Look at the frame thickness and how the laths overlap before you judge on looks alone.
The treatment: dip-treated panels are the orange ones you see at the budget end, and they fade and want regular coats. Pressure-treated timber costs more and holds up for longer without the same attention.
The fit: a panel should sit snug without being forced. One that moves in its fixings knocks in every gust, and that constant movement is what loosens the post next to it.
The short bay: runs rarely finish on an exact panel width. A cut-down panel needs its frame rebuilt on the cut side, not just a sawn edge left to fall apart.

Panels on Devon’s steep plots and narrow streets

A full height panel is roughly three square metres of flat timber, so an exposed run catches far more wind than the same fence with gaps in it. On plots looking straight out to sea, or on a ridge inland, that’s a good reason to weigh up a sturdier style before settling on panels. In a sheltered town garden, panels are often the sensible, tidy answer.

Access is the other thing to check here. Standard panels are about 1.8m wide and don’t bend, and many terraced homes in Newton Abbot, Exeter and Dawlish have no side passage. If everything has to go through your hallway or down a tight back lane, tell us early, because it changes how the job gets planned. Steep gardens add steps at every post, so counting those on the visit tells you how the finished line will really look.

Getting your panels in, step by step

Site visit to measure the run and agree the panel style
Written quote
Old fence down and away, new posts set to the line
Gravel boards and panels fitted, checked for level
Clear-up and a final look round with you

What people ask about panels

Panels or close board?

Panels are quicker and simpler to maintain; close board copes better with slopes and exposed spots. If you’re unsure, we’ll show you both on the visit and explain the trade-off for your garden.

Can you reuse my existing posts?

Sometimes. If they are sound, straight and the right size, we’ll say so. If they are soft at the base, reusing them just moves the problem down the road.

Do you fit panels on a slope?

Yes. Panels are stepped down the slope, with gravel boards filling the gaps underneath so the line still looks tidy.

Will a six foot panel on a gravel board break the height limit?

Normally not. A 1.83m panel on a 150mm board comes to just under two metres, the usual limit away from a road. Add trellis or a taller board and you can go over, so measure the whole height from the ground.

What happens when the last gap is narrower than a panel?

The panel gets cut to size and its frame rebuilt on that side, so it looks like the others and stays strong. Most runs need this somewhere.

Can panels come through my house?

If there’s no other way in, usually yes, with care. Measure your hall and the turns first, or we’ll do that on the visit and agree how to protect the floors.

Putting panels up near the coast? Our notes on fence panels in Dawlish and fence panels in Teignmouth cover the wind, the slopes and the soil in each town.

Got a tired run of panels to replace? Drop us a line saying how many there are or how far the run goes, and a picture of the posts if you can, since those decide whether they stay. If you’re on the coast, we’ve written about Dawlish and Teignmouth too.