Garden Fence Installation
A well-built garden fence provides privacy, improves security and enhances the appearance of your property. Whether you're replacing an old boundary, repairing storm damage or installing a completely new fence, choosing quality materials and installing them correctly will make all the difference to how long your fence lasts.
At Brockley Builders, I provide professional garden fence installation throughout South East London. Every fence is carefully planned around your property, using quality materials and proven installation methods to create a fence that's straight, secure and built to withstand the British weather.
Choosing the Right Fence
Every garden is different, so choosing the right fencing depends on your requirements, budget and the level of privacy you're looking for.
Garden fences are commonly installed at heights of 3ft, 4ft, 5ft and 6ft, with each offering different benefits. One of the most popular choices is a 5ft solid fence with a 1ft decorative trellis topper, creating a 6ft boundary that provides excellent privacy while allowing climbing plants to grow naturally and letting extra light and airflow into the garden.
Whether you're looking for closeboard fencing, overlap panels, feather edge fencing or decorative trellis fencing, I'll help you choose the most suitable option for your property.
Quality Materials Make a Better Fence
Not all fencing materials are the same.
One of the biggest differences is whether the timber is dip treated or pressure treated.
Dip-treated fencing is a more economical option but requires regular maintenance to keep it protected from the weather.
Pressure-treated fencing has preservative forced deep into the timber under pressure, providing much greater protection against moisture, fungal decay and insect attack. Although it costs more initially, it generally lasts much longer and requires less maintenance over its lifetime.
The quality of the fence panels also makes a significant difference. Better-quality panels have stronger frames, thicker timber and more horizontal support rails, making them more resistant to twisting, warping and strong winds.
I always explain the different options available so you can choose a fence that offers the best balance between durability, appearance and budget.
Professional Fence Installation
A strong fence starts with proper installation.
The fence posts form the foundation of the entire structure, so choosing the correct size is essential. For fences over 4ft high, I generally recommend using 100mm × 100mm pressure-treated timber posts, as they provide greater strength and stability than smaller posts.
Each post is installed to the correct depth, with approximately one-third of the post below ground, helping to create a solid foundation that resists movement over time.
To secure the posts, I use quality Postcrete or quick-setting concrete, ensuring every post is accurately levelled, aligned and checked before the concrete sets. Taking the time to set out the fence correctly from the beginning helps achieve a straight, professional finish.
Where timber posts are used, I also fit protective post barrier sleeves around the buried section of the post. This helps reduce moisture contact where timber is most vulnerable to rot, extending the lifespan of the installation.
What you need to know about Garden Fence Installations
Another detail that's often overlooked is allowing timber to move naturally. Wood expands and contracts throughout the year as temperatures and moisture levels change, so I leave a small expansion gap of approximately 3mm on each side of every fence panel. This prevents the panels from becoming tightly wedged between the posts during wet weather, reduces unnecessary stress on the fence and makes future panel replacement much easier if required. The small clearance also allows a little airflow around the edges of the panels, helping to reduce pressure on the fence during strong winds.
To protect the bottom of the fence, I recommend installing timber or concrete gravel boards. These raise the fence panels clear of the ground, protecting them from damp soil, standing water and garden debris, helping to prevent premature rot and extending the life of the fence.
Every installation is completed using galvanised or exterior-grade screws, brackets and fixings, providing long-lasting corrosion resistance and ensuring every component works together to create a fence that's built to last.
Let’s Work Together
Get in touch so we can start working together.