Comparisons
New Fencing Designs: Garden Fence Ideas That Work
The best new fencing design is the one that suits what the fence has to do: solid closeboard or tongue and groove for privacy, horizontal slats or hit and miss for a modern look that lets wind through, a trellis top for height with light, and picket or railings for a front garden.
Most people start looking at fence designs because the old fence has blown over or rotted, and it is a good moment to rethink the boundary rather than simply replace like for like. The same run of garden can look very different in horizontal slats, traditional feather edge or a solid panel with a trellis top, and each behaves differently in wind, sun and shade.
This guide walks through the fence designs we build most often across London and Hertfordshire, what each is good at, and the practical points that should shape the choice before the style does.
Start with what the fence has to do
Before picking a look, be clear about the job. Is it privacy from a neighbour's window, keeping a dog in, screening a bin store, or simply marking a front boundary? Is the garden exposed to strong wind? Is the ground level or does it fall away? Answers to those questions narrow the designs quickly, and a fence that looks right but fights its site is the one that ends up leaning.
Traditional closeboard
Overlapping vertical feather edge boards on rails between posts. It is the classic English garden fence: solid, private, strong and easy to repair a board at a time. It follows slopes well because each board is fixed individually, and on concrete posts with a gravel board it keeps the timber off the ground.
Horizontal slatted and hit and miss
Horizontal slats are the design most people have in mind when they ask for something modern. Spacing the boards lets a little light and air through and softens the look. Hit and miss alternates boards on each side of the rail, so the fence looks the same from both gardens and filters wind rather than blocking it, which makes it a good neighbourly and exposed-site choice.
Tongue and groove and solid panels
Tongue and groove boards lock together into a smooth, solid face with no gaps, giving the most private finish. Solid fence panels give a similar effect quickly on a straight, level run. Both catch the full force of the wind, so posts and bases matter more than usual.
Trellis tops for height with light
A trellis topper adds height and privacy without the boxed-in feeling of a taller solid fence, and gives climbers something to grow on. Remember the trellis counts towards the total height when it comes to the height rules for your garden.
Composite, picket and metal
Composite fencing gives a clean, low maintenance face in a range of colours. Picket fencing and metal railings suit front gardens, where lower heights are normal and you usually want to see out. Where a garden needs a gate, it is worth designing the gate at the same time so it matches the run.
- Composite boards for low maintenance
- Picket for low front boundaries
- Metal railings for a period or estate look
- Matching side gates designed with the fence
Practical points that shape the design
Height rules: in most back gardens a fence can be up to 2m without planning permission, lower next to a road. Slopes: closeboard and slats can step or follow the ground, panels step. Wind: filtered designs cope better on open sites. Which side faces you: hit and miss and double sided designs look good from both gardens. We go through all of this on the free site visit.
Frequently asked
What is the most popular new fence design?
Horizontal slatted fencing is the most requested modern look, while closeboard remains the most common traditional choice.
Which fence design is best for privacy?
Tongue and groove or closeboard give the most privacy because there are no gaps between boards.
Which fence design is best in windy gardens?
Designs that let some air through, such as hit and miss or spaced slats, cope better than solid panels on exposed sites.
Can I mix designs along one boundary?
Yes. A solid section by a patio and slats or trellis elsewhere is common, as long as the posts and heights are planned together.
Want this priced properly for your garden?
Free site visit across London and Hertfordshire, a written specification, and a fixed price. No obligation.