Aberdare has a broad mix of homes, and the boundaries round them vary just as much. A terrace may share a low wall with next door and a gate onto a rear lane. A larger older house may have a stone wall, an old hedge and a run of tired fence all on the same boundary. A newer estate home might have a builder's fence that has started to lean after a few winters.
So before choosing a style, it pays to look at what the fence has to do. This guide works through the common Aberdare situations and points to our more detailed guides where they help. For the styles we fit, see our fencing and gates page; for the town as a whole, landscaping in Aberdare.
Four questions to answer first
Answer those and the choice of style usually narrows itself down. Our guide to close board, panel or slatted fencing compares the main types in detail.
- Privacy or openness? A solid close board fence blocks the view completely; slatted or trellis-topped fencing lets light through and keeps a view of the hillside.
- How exposed is it? Higher up the valley sides the wind has more force, and a tall solid fence takes the full load.
- How wet is the ground? Posts in soil that stays wet all winter need more care to stop rot at ground level.
- What is already there? An old wall, a hedge or a neighbour's fence may be staying, and the new fence has to fit round it.
Between terraced gardens
Behind the Victorian terraces the gardens are long and narrow, so the side fences are long runs and you see a lot of them. Height is usually about privacy near the house and less so further down. A common approach is a full-height fence alongside the patio area, dropping to a lower fence or a trellis-topped panel beyond it, which stops the garden feeling like a tunnel.
Many of these gardens also slope, so the fence has to step or rake down the hill. We plan the post spacing so the steps stay even. If there is an old wall along part of the line, we check it before fixing anything to it, because a fence adds a lot of wind load to a wall that may already be holding back soil.
Around a larger older house
The bigger older properties in Aberdare often have boundaries with some character: stone walls, mature hedges, even old railings. A new fence here works best as a supporting player. Close board in a natural finish sits quietly next to stone, and a hedge can be kept and repaired rather than replaced if it is healthy.
Where a hedge has grown too wide or tall, trimming and reshaping it may be a better answer than fencing, and our tree surgery and hedge care covers that. Where an old wall has failed, our brickwork and garden walls service can rebuild it before a fence goes near it.
On newer estate plots
On the newer estates on the valley floor and lower slopes, the original fences were sometimes put up with fairly slim posts. After a few years of valley weather some begin to lean or rot at the base, and panels blow out in storms.
Replacing them is a good chance to upgrade the posts. Concrete posts with gravel boards stand up well to wet ground; treated timber posts set deep in concrete look softer and suit slatted designs. The comparison is set out in concrete posts or timber posts for a garden fence. Some estate homes also have covenants or open-plan front gardens, so check your deeds before fencing the front.
Wind, rain and making it last
Two things wear out fences in the Cynon Valley: wind loading on solid panels and water sitting at the foot of the posts. A few simple choices help with both.
- Gravel boards keep timber panels off the wet soil.
- The concrete round each post is shaped to shed water away from the timber.
- On exposed boundaries, close board on strong posts, or a slatted design that lets some wind through, copes better than a lightweight panel acting like a sail.
- A fresh coat of treatment every few years adds a lot of life to timber.
There is more in how to make a garden fence last longer and our general guide to which garden fence stands up best to Welsh wind.
Gates for lanes and drives
Many Aberdare terraces rely on the rear lane gate for bins, bikes and deliveries, so it gets heavy use. It needs strong posts, sturdy hinges and a latch that still works when the timber swells in wet weather. On a larger property the gate may be a wide driveway gate, which needs even heavier posts and hinges.
Our guide to choosing and fitting a garden gate explains the options, and you can read more about local work on our fencing in Aberdare page.
Neighbours, height and checking the rules
Agree the line and style with your neighbour before anything goes up, especially on a shared boundary. As a general guide, back garden fences up to about two metres usually do not need planning permission, but lower limits apply next to a road, and different rules can apply to listed buildings or in a conservation area. If in doubt, check with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council; we are landscapers, not planners.
If the fence is part of a bigger change to the garden, our garden makeover ideas for Aberdare homes may help. When you are ready, ask Tony and the team for a free quote.
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Questions People Ask
Can you just replace the panels and keep my old posts?
Sometimes. If the posts are sound and upright, new panels can go in. If they are rotten at ground level or leaning, replacing only the panels will not last. See fence repair or replacement.
What fence suits an exposed garden high on the valley side?
Close board on strong posts, or a slatted design that lets some wind through, usually copes better than lightweight panels. Setting the posts deep matters as much as the fence style.
Is it better to fence a boundary or plant a hedge?
It depends on how quickly you want privacy and how much upkeep you want. A fence gives an instant, tidy screen with little maintenance beyond treatment. A hedge takes years to fill in and needs trimming, but it softens the wind rather than blocking it and suits the larger, greener plots in Aberdare. Some people have both: a fence now, with a hedge planted in front of it to take over in time.
Can you remove the old fence as well?
Yes. We take down the old fence, dig out the old posts or concrete where needed and take everything away.
What affects the cost of a new fence in Aberdare?
The length and height of the run, the style, the post type, the slope, access to the boundary and whether an old fence needs removing. We explain all of this in a free quote.