UK Fence Panel Buying Habits 2021–2025

We analysed four years of data, it’s clear British gardens aren’t fenced by fashion alone—they’re shaped by practicality, budget and a growing appetite for good-looking privacy. This post distils our category-level sales since 2021 into percentages, never raw counts, to protect commercially sensitive information while giving you real market signals you can act on.

Two moments reshaped the market: first, the arrival of decorative fence panels in 2023; second, the summer-2024 launch of waney lap fence panels. Together, those introductions piled meaningful share pressure onto the long-time favourite—closeboard fence panels—without dislodging it from the top spot. Meanwhile, picket fence panels have quietly held a consistent niche for front gardens and internal zoning.

How to read this post (and why we use percentages)

We report each category’s share of fence panel purchases by year, 2021 to 2025. Because we never publish raw volumes, statements such as “closeboard holds a majority share in 2025” are based on proportions of total category sales, not counts. Where helpful, we compare categories using ratios (e.g., “closeboard is ~2.4× waney lap in the latest period”).

What changed between 2021 and 2025?

• Closeboard stayed No.1 but ceded share to new, design-led and value-led entrants. It remains the backbone of privacy fencing in the UK.
• Decorative panels (launched 2023) sprinted from zero to a solid double-digit share by 2025, reflecting the boom in outdoor rooms and terrace screening.
• Waney lap (launched summer 2024) jumped quickly to a low-twenties share by 2025, underlining how many projects now value cost-per-metre without sacrificing privacy.
• Picket held a mid-teens share overall, anchored by planning-friendly heights and kerb appeal at the front of properties.

2025 snapshot: the market as it stands

To ground the trendlines, here’s the latest full-year picture expressed purely as category shares. (Remember: percentages of all fence panel purchases, not volumes.)

Four short stories: how each category evolved since 2021

1) Closeboard: the constant that keeps earning its place

Across 2021–2025, closeboard never stopped being the first choice for privacy. Even as new styles arrived, it held a majority share in 2025. Why? Overlapping feather edge boards shed wind well, privacy is instant, and individual boards can be replaced if damaged. For exposed plots and open aspects, closeboard remains the “install once, sleep easy” option—especially when mounted on concrete posts and concrete gravel boards to keep timber up off damp ground.

2025 ratios that explain behaviour: closeboard is roughly 2.4× as popular as waney lap, 3.8× picket, and 4.8× decorative. That tells you even design-led gardens still want solid privacy somewhere on the plot—typically along rear boundaries.

2) Decorative: the design boom that started in 2023

When decorative panels arrived in 2023, the effect was immediate: homeowners wanted structured screening that preserved daylight and airflow. In two seasons they reached a solid double-digit share. The biggest wins have been on patios and side returns, where slatted, double-slatted and lattice designs add rhythm, texture and neighbour-friendly light.

Buyer pattern: customers often run decorative at eye-level areas—terraces, dining spaces, front sections—and then switch to closeboard at the back for full screening. The pairing balances kerb appeal with privacy.

3) Waney lap: a fast-growing value segment since summer 2024

Launched mid-2024, waney lap vaulted into a low-twenties share by 2025. The driver is simple: long runs on sensible budgets. In the data we see waney lap chosen for rental properties, plots with deep rear boundaries and family gardens where value per metre matters. Many customers upgrade the supporting system—concrete posts, gravel boards, rapid-set post mix—to gain longevity while keeping the panel cost modest.

4) Picket: the evergreen choice for charm and sightlines

Picket holds steady across the period, living in a mid-teens band overall by 2025. At lower heights, it keeps streetscapes open, helps with drive visibility and reads beautifully with cottage or coastal planting. It’s also a favourite for internal zoning—play areas, kitchen gardens and path edges—where airflow and friendliness trump privacy.

Why the 2025 mix looks the way it does

• Privacy is non-negotiable for most rear boundaries, which preserves closeboard’s majority share even as fashion moves on.
• Design now matters everywhere else: decorative satisfies the demand for attractive, light-friendly screening around seating and dining areas.
• Cost-per-metre is under scrutiny: waney lap’s fast adoption reflects careful spending without giving up privacy.
• Neighbourliness at the front: picket balances character with good sightlines across driveways and paths.

Practical spec patterns we see again and again

• 5-foot panel + 12″ gravel board ≈ 6-foot line: a popular way to hit privacy height while lifting timber clear of splashback.
• Concrete chassis, timber face: concrete posts and concrete gravel boards for longevity; timber panels for warmth and easy replacement.
• Mixed runs: decorative where you live and lounge; closeboard where you need full screening.
• Capping counts: panel capping tidies the line and sheds water, which buyers notice in reviews and repeat purchases.

Choosing by outcome (not just by popularity)

Interpreting year-by-year behaviour (2021→2025)

2021–2022: With only closeboard and picket in the mix, the picture is straightforward: closeboard dominates private rear boundaries, picket supports lower-height or decorative frontages. Shares are stable year-on-year, a sign of mature, repeat-purchase behaviour.

2023: Decorative arrives and immediately captures share from both categories—but mainly from closeboard in spaces where full privacy isn’t essential (terraces, side returns). The buyer isn’t abandoning privacy overall; they’re relocating it to the parts of the plot that need it most, and choosing lighter looks where they live outside.

2024: Waney lap launches mid-year and cannibalises closeboard on longer runs where budget matters. Because the launch is late in the cycle, its share is already meaningful by year-end—an early signal of stronger adoption to come.

2025: With a full year on the shelf, waney lap reaches a low-twenties share, decorative retains a double-digit position, picket remains mid-teens, and closeboard still commands a majority. The market has diversified, but the fundamentals (privacy, longevity, value) continue to steer decisions.

Five buying patterns to copy from the data

1. Split your run by function: decorative where you sit and socialise; closeboard where you sleep and store.
2. Protect the base, whatever the panel: invest in concrete posts and gravel boards. Panels can be swapped later; groundworks can’t.
3. Use toppers to balance light and height: achieve privacy bands with trellis toppers rather than raising full-height solid sections everywhere.
4. Right-size the height: a common, data-visible pattern is 5-foot panels plus 12″ boards to reach ~1.8 m while keeping timber off wet ground.
5. Think serviceability: slotted concrete systems let you swap damaged panels after storms without dismantling the line—a reason they appear frequently in multi-item orders.

If you’re speccing for 2026 projects, here’s the playbook

• Default to closeboard for rear boundaries that face weather or footpaths. It’s still the UK’s top performer on privacy and wind.
• Use waney lap strategically to extend long runs on sensible budgets—especially where you can maximise longevity with concrete chassis elements.
• Layer decorative in the social parts of the garden for modern lines and airflow, or to meet neighbourly expectations on light.
• Finish fronts with picket when sightlines matter. Pair with matching picket gates to keep rhythm and scale consistent.

Quick links to shop the trends

• Fence Panels (All) – browse by style and height.
• Closeboard Fence Panels – majority-share privacy favourite.
• Waney Lap Fence Panels – value-led choice for long runs.
• Decorative Fence Panels – slatted, hit-and-miss, lattice and more.
• Picket Fence Panels – welcoming front-of-plot classic.
• Concrete Fence Posts & Concrete Gravel Boards – the long-life chassis most buyers choose.

Methodology (percentages, not volumes)

We analysed category-level sales from 2021 through 2025, reporting the proportion of total fence panel purchases taken by each category in each year. Decorative panels were introduced in 2023, waney lap in summer 2024, so earlier years show no share for those categories. Current-year shares reflect a full recent 12-month window. We never publish raw counts; all figures are presented as percentages to protect commercially sensitive data.

Need help turning data into a shopping list? Tell us your finished height, run length, exposure and look—our team will translate these trends into a complete, fit-for-purpose specification with posts, plinths, panels and finishing touches that last.