Buy Timber for Hard-Working Garden Projects and Beautiful Boundaries
From a weekend picket run to a full closeboard rebuild, quality timber is the material that turns ideas into long-lived results. East Coast Fencing supplies pressure-treated, straight, reliable timber sections chosen for British gardens: rails that hold lines, boards that sit tight, battens that keep spacing true and accessories that finish each bay with confidence. Whether you’re upgrading a couple of tired panels or framing a new garden room, specify the right sections, pair them with compatible posts, bases and fixings, and check out today—free delivery applies on orders £99+.
Why start your project with the right timber?
Good timber saves time on site and years of maintenance later. You’ll feel it in the first lift: stock that’s straight, consistently machined and properly treated so it resists rot, insects and the daily wet-dry cycles our climate dishes out. Clean arrises reduce splintering; true thicknesses mean fixings land where they should; and when you step back after installation, the skyline is calm, not wavy. Choose sections with purpose and the whole assembly—posts, rails, boards and caps—works as a system rather than a pile of parts.
Structure first: rails and posts that keep lines true
Rails are the backbone of most garden fencing. For universal, easy-fix framing, choose square rails that bite cleanly with exterior screws. Building traditional closeboard? Weather-shedding cant rails at the top protect vulnerable board ends and help water run off. Pair your rails with correctly sized fence posts—timber for a warm, all-wood look you can trim on site, or concrete for maintenance-light straightness on long runs.
Cladding choices: finding the right face for your fence
Your fence “reads” as the cladding you choose. Traditionalists love the privacy and rhythm of feather edge boards; modern schemes opt for the calm geometry of slatted screens; cottage frontages sing with picket profiles. Whatever you choose, align boards carefully, keep a consistent overlap (for feather edge) and run a taut string at the capping datum for a skyline that settles the whole garden.
Smaller sections that do big jobs
Don’t overlook the little pieces. Timber battens space slats with millimetre precision and help form neat trellis infills. They also add subtle shadow lines as light changes through the day—an inexpensive design upgrade that’s noticeable from the kitchen window.
Base protection: keep timber out of the splash zone
Ground level is where most fences fail. Keep cladding above damp soil and strimmer wear by adding protective boards: for a continuous timber look, choose wooden gravel boards; for belt-and-braces durability in busy passages, use concrete alternatives. The board becomes a sacrificial, easy-to-replace element that dramatically extends service life.
Installation sequence that pays you back
Set end and corner posts first, check them plumb in both directions, then stretch a string line for your top datum. Mark rail positions across posts before lifting the driver—consistency here saves hours later. Pre-drill near edges on dry stock to avoid splitting, align screw rows for disciplined presentation and use exterior-grade fixings throughout. If you’re concreting posts, a dependable mix from our cement products category keeps pace across long days.
Finishing touches: a “designed” look, not just installed
A simple capping rail crowns timber beautifully. Our panel capping sheds water, hides tiny height variations and ties bays together visually. Repeat the same stain across posts, boards and caps, and the boundary will read as one composed piece from the house and the street.
Timber care that fits real life
Pressure-treated sections arrive ready for the elements. If you cut to length or notch for rails, seal fresh end grain before fixing. Keep planters slightly off faces for airflow; brush away leaf build-up after winter; and refresh breathable finishes as needed. Avoid aggressive jet-washing close to joints—it forces water where you don’t want it.
Design ideas that make timber sing
Run feather edge along the boundary for privacy, then use slatted battens to create a lighter screen near a dining terrace. Crown solid bays with narrow trellis for scent and light, or flank a gate with battened panels to set a rhythm down the path. On slopes, step bays neatly and keep the base datum consistent for easy mowing.
Safety, handling and best practice
Support long lengths while cutting; lift in pairs for heavier sections; and wear eye protection around drivers and saws. Keep hardware trays sorted so finishes stay consistent—galvanised with galvanised, stainless with stainless. Little disciplines add up to a quieter fence and years of low-effort enjoyment.
Order once, build better
Choose straight, well-treated timber for rails, boards and battens; protect the base; add capping above; and assemble with exterior-grade fixings. That’s the formula for a fence that’s calm in wind, tidy to look at and easy to live with. Add your timber to basket now—East Coast Fencing includes free delivery on orders £99+ to keep projects moving.
