Are Slatted Fence Panels Right For You?
A popular look in UK gardens, slatted fences offer a stylish border for your outdoor space, with a unique design that allows cracks of light to pass through. When looking for slatted fence panels, there’ll be a few options to choose from in terms of design and materials.
What Are Slatted Fence Panels?
A slatted fence is one constructed from horizontal slatted boards, with visible gaps between each board. The boards will be attached to vertical posts, and can vary in terms of dimensions and other features. Slatted fence panels will typically be made from timber, but there are several other materials that can be used.
Slatted fence panels are considered a stylish and modern option within a garden, making them a popular choice for contemporary UK houses.
Types of Contemporary Slatted Fence Panels
When looking to purchase slatted fence panels, there are a couple of different options available to you:
- Single Slatted: This will likely be the more common design of a slatted fence, with one single line of horizontal panels with clear gaps between them. This is the more cost-effective of the two main choices, and will still offer a good level of protection, and reasonable strength as long as the vertical posts are properly installed.
- Double Slatted: While the gaps between each panel will continue, a double-slatted fence will have two sets of panels, installed at non-matching heights to ensure that the fence offers a stylish slatted look while offering true privacy. This will be a more costly option.
- Vertical Slatted: While less common, vertical slatted fence panels are also available, with tall vertical posts and smaller horizontal posts joining them. This can also offer a great look for a garden, though can perhaps raise a few issues around privacy.
Slatted Panel Material Options
When looking to purchase slatted fence panels, whether that’s for a personal project or in a role as a landscaper, you will have more material options than just wood:
- Wooden: Pressure-treated wood is the primary material used to make contemporary fences across the UK, and the same is true for slatted designs. Wood offers a great look that blends with natural surroundings well. It can have issues with age depending on how carefully it is maintained. It is also rarely the strongest choice, particularly if opting for a single-slatted design.
- Composite: Composite slatted fence panels will be made from a combination of plastic and wood elements, bringing several key benefits. Composite panels are very durable, and will require low maintenance to maintain their looks over many years. While some prefer the look of real wood, composite panels are a great modern option to consider.
- Metal: While perhaps less well known, metal fencing is also a great choice for UK gardens. Slatted metal panels will offer great security and strength, and require little maintenance over time, typically coated to offer great weather performance without rusting.
Some may choose to paint their slatted fence panels, or opt for a composite or metal fence option that comes in a non-standard colour choice. A black slatted fence can be a great modern look for a reserved city garden. Similarly grey as a colour choice can be a fantastic look for a commercial garden, such as one surrounding an office building.
The size of your slatted fence panels will vary, with lengths of 3ft, 4ft, 5ft, 6ft, and 7ft available. Some composite or metal options will come as larger premade fence panels, so can be sold in 6ft x 6ft sizes or other options.
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FAQs
How do you maintain slatted wooden fence panels?
You’ll be looking to clean all outdoor wooden elements regularly, using mild soap and water to remove dirt and other elements. Fence panels will typically come with a preservative for external wood but this will need to be reapplied, with staining or exterior paint as another alternative option. It’s also a good idea to avoid getting excess water on fences, so don’t place a sprinkler next to your fence, which could damage it over time.
Do slatted fence panels damage security?
The slatted design, when in its single-layer variation, will have small gaps between each panel, which will be less private than overlapping panels within a traditional fence. Whether this is too much is a personal choice each homeowner will have to make.