How many feather-edge boards for a closeboard fence?

Materials checklist

• Fence posts75 x 75mm x 2.4m when height + 600mm is 2.4m or less; otherwise 100 x 100mm x 3m.
• Arris railsTriangular rails between the posts: 3 per bay over 1.2m high, 2 below.
• Feather-edge boards100mm boards overlapping 25mm, about 13.3 per metre.
• Gravel boardsOne per bay at the bottom, so the boards stay off the soil.
• PostcreteOne bag per 75mm post.
• Exterior screws or galvanised nailsOne per board at each rail, plus screws for rails and gravel boards.
• Fence treatment (optional)Pressure-treated timber does not strictly need it. About 6 m² per 2.5L tin on rough-sawn boards, 2 coats.

You'll also need

• Arris rail brackets (2 per rail) if the posts are not morticed
• Post caps and a capping rail
• Spade or post-hole digger, spirit level, string line
• A spacer cut from a 75mm offcut

Step by step

1. Set out the lineRun a string line and mark post positions every 1.83m.
2. Set the postsDig 600mm holes and set each post plumb in Postcrete.
3. Fit rails and gravel boardsFix the arris rails between the posts and a gravel board at the bottom of each bay.
4. Fix the boardsFit feather-edge boards with each thick edge overlapping the thin edge of the last board by 25mm, using a spacer to keep the overlap even.
5. FinishFit post caps and a capping rail if you are using one, then treat the timber if you want a colour.

Tips from the manufacturers

• Make a spacer from a 75mm offcut so every board overlaps by the same 25mm. Check with a level every few boards.
• Fix each board once at each rail, near its thick edge, so the fixing misses the board underneath. That lets the timber move without splitting.
• Feather-edge boards in our list are 1.65m long, which suits a 1.8m fence on a 150mm gravel board. Taller fences need longer boards.
• Ronseal quotes about 4 to 6 m² per litre per coat for Fence Life Plus on rough-sawn timber, so allow about 6 m² per 2.5L tin for two coats.

Mistakes to avoid

• Spacing boards at 120mm (wider than the board), which leaves gaps and leaves you about 35% short on boards.
• Using 2 arris rails on a fence over 1.2m high, which lets the boards bow.
• Nailing through both overlapping boards, so they split as the timber moves.
• Building over 2m high (or 1m next to a road) without planning permission.

Frequently asked questions

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