Closeboard Fencing Materials Breakdown

Closeboard fencing is delivered to you as a kit of parts for assembly onsite into a fence. What is in your delivery will depend on your required closeboard specification. With the exception of some of the professional fencers we supply, you should have received and accepted a quote listing all the materials required to make up the fencing you requested.

Below are the main components of a closeboard fence, with information about each item. We have also included several paragraphs of essential information, such as Fence Heights and Bay sizes.

Closeboard Standard Heights

Standard closeboard heights start at 0.9m (3′) and go up to 2.55m (8’6″). Usually, the maximum total height without Planning Permission is 1.95m or 1.0m alongside a road. However, there are many instances where these rules can be and are varied to suit individual circumstances. Generally speaking, you should be OK if you are replacing like for like.

Please check with your local Council Planning Department for guidance. (see also the section on Planning below.)

Closeboard Bay Sizes

Three standard bay sizes are available (a bay is measured as the centre of one post to the centre of the next post),  1.8m (6′), 2.4m(8′) and 3m (10′). We do not recommend exceeding 3m bays, although we do have 3.6 m rails available where there is no other choice.
For overall fence heights exceeding 1.8m (6′) the pressure from strong winds increases considerably. so we usually advise reducing the bay size to 1.8m or 2.4m.

Types of Rails used to make a Closeboard Fence

Arris rails

Arris rails are normally ended (shaped to fit into the mortise on a post). The arris ends are a little smaller than the mortise, making it much easier to cope with slight curves in the fence line or sloping ground. Tighter curves can be achieved by reducing the bay size.
Unended Arris rails are available with square ends for use with Arris Repair Brackets or for when the rails are being cut to make special bay sizes. The measurement between the posts will give the length of rail needed, then add 10cm extra. (5cm for each end to fit into the post-mortise).
Unended Arris rail can be easily ended with an adze, a small axe, or a crosscut saw. The interactive picture above identifies the component parts that make up a closeboard fence and shows arris rails that have been ended with a saw.

Square rails

Square Rails are normally screwed onto the face of wooden posts normally set at 1.8m, 2.4m or 3.0m centres. The rails are usually the sawn 38mm x 88mm used as framing timber or for Sawn Post and Rail fencing; however, you can use 100mm x 95mm Easi-edge instead for a stronger fence.

When finished, the feather edge boards run continuously for the complete length of the fence, covering up the posts. However, this method produces a much wider fence footprint than mortised posts.
To reduce the fence footprint on straight runs, both sizes of square rails can be used with DuraPost.

Square rails are OK for use on straight runs on flat ground. For fence lines that cover sloping ground or are curved, it is better to use arris rails and mortised posts.

Square rails can use mortised posts like Arris rails. However, there are restrictions on post sizes, and these posts are special orders only. If you would like to use square rails with mortised posts, please speak to a member of our Sales Team.

The number of rails required per bay for a closeboard fence

Generally, 1.2m high feather edge boards and below require two rails. 1.35m to 2.1m high featheredge has three rails; over 2.1m requires four rails. If the gap between the rails becomes too big, it increases the possibility that the featheredge boards will warp and twist. In general, more rails is better than less.

Gravel Boards

Gravel boards can be fitted at the bottom of the fence and are available in lengths to match the rails. They are usually fitted between or in front of the posts to run directly below the feather edge.
Fitting a gravel board raises the feather edge up, away from the ground. It is easier and cheaper to change one gravel board if necessary, rather than lots of featheredge with rotten bottoms.
Gravel boards are usually wooden, but for longevity, gravel boards made of concrete or composite material are also available for closeboard. 

Wooden gravel boards for closeboard are usually 150mm (6″) high and 19 to 25mm thick and are either nailed or screwed to wooden cleats on posts at each end and in the centre to the stump.
Concrete and composite gravel boards for use as part of a closeboard fence can vary slightly in height and thickness and are usually fixed with metal cleats or “U” brackets, although some composite gravel boards can be screwed like a wooden board to wooden cleats.

Gravel board Cleats.

gravel board cleats are what attach the gravel board to whatever type of post you are using. Several types are detailed below for use with different posts and gravel boards.

Wooden Cleats

Wooden cleats are small blocks of timber which are used to attach a gravel board which is being fitted between wooden posts.
The cleat is attached to the post in the correct position for mounting the gravel board horizontally directly under the vertical feather edge; then, the gravel board is attached to the cleat. The cleat should be positioned so that the gravel board is in line with the front of the post.
They can be attached using nails to the post but are best pre-drilled and secured using external wood screws.
Long cleats for attaching two or more gravel boards laid on top of each other are available if specified when ordering.

Metal Cleats

Metal Cleats are used with concrete posts. They can attach concrete, composite and wooden gravel boards.
The metal cleat consists of a plate with holes and two 50mm (2″) long round pins sticking out on one side. Through the hole in the plate is a bolt with large washers.
The two pins fit into precast holes in concrete mortised posts. The gravel board is clamped to the metal cleat at each end with the large washers and the bolt. Once the gravel board is clamped in position, the metal cleat pins cannot come out of the concrete post.
We also have a metal cleat with an extended plate and extra holes for fixing two gravel boards, one over the other.

Brackets for attaching concrete gravel boards to wooden posts

Although not really a cleat, these metal brackets serve a similar purpose: they hold the gravel board in line with the fence above. In addition, the “U” shaped brackets enable concrete gravel boards to be used with wooden posts.

Centre Stump.

A wooden centre stump is positioned vertically in the centre of the bay. It is connected to the bottom rail and the gravel board before going into the ground. The centre stump’s purpose is to help support the middle of the bay and to keep the middle of the gravel board in line with the fence above it.
It is nailed or screwed to the bottom rail and the gravel board. A coat of wood preserver or bitumen paint on the bottom end that touches the soil is a good idea. For use with Arris rails, it will have a 45-degree angled top.

Closeboard Capping

You can fit a capping rail over the feather edge boards to finish the fence. Fitting capping serves two purposes: it improves the fence’s overall look and offers some protection for the top of the feather edge. Closeboard capping is generally nailed to a supporting counter rail and looks best when set into a slight up-stand on the post tops. See how the capping rail on the interactive closeboard diagram above runs into the posts just below the post-top weather. Running the capping over the tops of posts will not look good unless the fence is perfectly level and straight.
If you have capping, our team will normally automatically allow for an up-stand on the posts.

For those using DurPost, a metal capping rail is available in colours to match the posts.

Counter Rail

The Counter rail is fitted to a closeboard fence to support either a capping rail or trellis and runs between posts level with the top of the feather edge boards. There are two sizes of counter rail used for closeboard fencing 50mm nail-on and 75mm mortised in.
50mm(2″) x 32mm (1.25″) is attached by nailing to the post with a 75mm nail and then with a 50mm nail through every 3rd or 4th Feather Edge Board.
75mm(3″) x 32mm (1.25″) is located into an extra mortise in the post and then fixed with a 50mm nail through every 3rd or 4th Feather Edge Board. Our workshop will add the mortise for this size counter rail to your posts when your order is processed.

Feather Edge Boards.

Feather edge boards used for closeboard are usually 100mm(4″) or 125mm (5″). We supply 100mm as it is less prone to twisting and splitting.
Our feather edge is basically a 100mm x 22mm board cut diagonally to make two feather edge boards,
 The Featheredge board is fixed vertically with an overlap of approximately 20mm. Please do not be tempted to reduce the overlap as the feather edge will shrink during dry spells, and you may find that gaps open up between the featheredge.
The boards are attached to the rails using 50mm galvanised nails—one nail, per rail, per board. Try not to nail through both boards. The idea is for the nails to just miss the back feather edge board, which allows it to slide freely behind the front board as the timber expands and contracts during the annual weathering cycle.

To calculate the number of boards required when using a 100mm wide feather edge, multiply the number of meters by 12.7 or the number of feet by 3.8 (38 boards per 3m bay). It is best to always allow for a few spares, although if we have worked out the quantities for you as part of a quote, spares will have been included.

Trellis

Trellis is a good way of having a higher fence without feeling so closed in. For example, a 1.5 meter high closeboard fence plus 300mm tall trellis or 1.2 meters plus 600mm trellis are both very popular in residential areas.

We make a longer trellis for combining with closeboard fencing in our workshops. Crestala’s square trellis (both standard and close space) for fitting into a closeboard fence is made a little longer than the fence bay sizes so that you can cut it down to fit precisely between the posts. Crestala diamond and curved top trellis are very difficult to cut down on site, and we recommend that it is made to the actual bay sizes measured after the closeboard portion of the fence has been erected.

If you have ordered a trellis to be included in your fence, then the mortising will have been adjusted to allow room at the top of the post for the trellis to be fitted directly over the feather edge boards. A nail-on or mortised-in Counter rail will be included in your fence kit, which should be fitted level with the top of the feather edge. See the Counter rail section above for more details.
The trellis is fixed with 75mm screws or nails through the battens to both the posts and the counter rail to hold it securely in position. It is best to predrill first to avoid splitting the battens.

Closeboard Panels Note:

As an alternative to closeboard in kit form, ready-made Closeboard Panels are also available.
Our Crestala Closeboard panels are stronger than standard fence panels and offer an easier way to have the look and strength of a closeboarded fence that is delivered fully assembled and ready to fix between your posts.  Crestala Closeboard Panels can be used with our plain square Treated Softwood Posts, or for a longer life expectancy, check out our DuraPost or Slotted Concrete Posts.

As with all types of fencing panels, our closeboard panels are best sitting on a gravel board.