Fencing in Penarth
Close board fencing
Close board on concrete or deep-set posts is the solid option for Penarth gardens that need full privacy, and it copes far better with a gale than lightweight panels do.
A fence in Penarth has to deal with the Bristol Channel. On the streets nearest the cliffs and the esplanade, gales come in off the water with nothing to slow them down, and the air carries enough salt to dull metal fittings and grey timber faster than it would a few miles inland. A tall, solid run that would be fine in a sheltered suburb can rock loose here within a couple of winters.
T J Landscapes builds fences and gates in Penarth with that in mind: deeper posts, designs that let some wind through where the plot is exposed, and fittings chosen to cope with the sea air. Tony and the team give free quotes and straight advice. For the wider picture of our work in the town, visit our Penarth landscaping page, or get in touch to arrange a visit.
Our six kinds of fencing, looked at through the Penarth wind. The further back from the sea front, the more choice you have.
Close board on concrete or deep-set posts is the solid option for Penarth gardens that need full privacy, and it copes far better with a gale than lightweight panels do.
Heavy-duty framed panels can work in the more sheltered streets of Penarth, but we steer clients away from thin overlap panels anywhere that catches the wind off the Channel.
Slatted and hit and miss fencing is often the best fit on exposed Penarth plots, because gaps between the boards let the wind through and take strain off the posts.
Gates on a windy Penarth plot need strong hanging posts, a solid frame and a latch that holds, or they spend the winter banging.
Big villa gardens in Penarth can have long rear boundaries, and we often mix a fence run with a hedge that will take the edge off the wind as it grows.
After a storm, many Penarth fences need only a snapped post or a blown panel putting back, and we will check whether the rest of the run is still sound.
A solid fence behaves like a sail. Every square of board takes the full push of the wind and passes it down to the posts, and in Penarth the strongest gusts tend to come at the worst time: wet winter weather, when the ground around the posts is soft. That is why so many fences here lean after a storm rather than snap.
On the most exposed plots we usually suggest one of three things. Slatted or hit and miss boards that let some air through. Close board on concrete posts, set deeper than usual. Or a lower fence with a hedge or shrub belt behind it to take the worst of the wind. Our local guide, fencing that survives sea winds in Penarth, goes into the choices in more depth, and which garden fence stands up best to Welsh wind covers the general principles.
Salt air is hard on the small parts of a fence. Cheap nails and brackets can rust and stain the boards, and gate hinges can stiffen within a few seasons. We use corrosion-resistant fixings and ironmongery on Penarth jobs, and we keep an eye on details such as the gap under a gate and the fall on the concrete around each post so water and salt spray drain away.
We build for the weather the town actually gets, and we are honest about what will last.
Post depth, board spacing and fence height are chosen for how exposed your plot is, not taken from a standard sheet.
Fixings, hinges and latches picked to cope with salt air, and concrete shaped to shed water from the posts.
Styles and finishes that sit well beside a period villa, old walls and mature trees.
Many of the big houses in Penarth have long gardens, old brick or stone walls and mature trees along the edges. A fence here should sit comfortably with all of that. Close board stained a soft colour, a neat slatted screen near a terrace, or a traditional timber gate usually looks more at home beside a period house than bright orange panels.
Where an old wall forms part of the boundary, we check its condition before any fence is fixed near it. Some parts of Penarth are conservation areas, so check with the Vale of Glamorgan Council before changing a front boundary or putting up anything tall beside the road. If a boundary is overgrown with ivy or old shrubs, a garden clearance first gives us a clean line to work to.
Some Penarth gardens look out over the water, and nobody wants to fence that off. A lower boundary with a slatted screen just around the sitting area gives shelter where you need it and leaves the view open elsewhere. It works especially well beside a raised deck, and our page on garden decking in Penarth covers building one on an exposed plot. A well-placed screen can also be paired with a new patio in Penarth to make a sheltered corner for sitting out.
Real reviews from homeowners across Penarth — rated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 69 reviews and 10/10 on Checkatrade.
“Had my patio done by the company and could not be happier. Top quality work done and quickly too.”
“I was pleased to find Tony and his lads were absolutely great! Tony responded quickly & was very polite.”
“We were delighted with the work and materials, which were of very high quality. Tony and team helped us.”
Local and practical guides to help you plan the work.
One team for the whole garden, so a single visit can price everything you have in mind.
We cover Penarth and the towns around it. Choose another area below.
T J Landscapes South Wales
24 Conway Road, Pontypool
Torfaen, NP4 6HL
We cover homes right across South Wales, from Cardiff and the coast up to the valleys and the Brecon Beacons.
Probably not, if it was thin panelling on shallow posts. We would look at why it failed and suggest something that suits the exposure, such as slatted boards or close board on concrete posts.
With narrow gaps, or with boards on both sides in a hit and miss pattern, it screens well from most angles while still letting the wind through. We can show you the spacing before we start.
Keep soil and plants off the boards, treat the timber every few years and make sure fittings are not rusting. How to make a garden fence last longer has a simple routine.
The length and height of the fence, the style, the posts, whether an old fence needs removing, access to the garden, and any extra depth needed on an exposed plot. We give free quotes after a visit.
It depends on the height, the location and whether the house is in a conservation area. Please check with the Vale of Glamorgan Council before changing a boundary that faces the road.
Let us know roughly where in Penarth you are, how exposed the garden is and how long the boundary is. Photos of any storm damage are useful.