Suggestions for new fence?

[Roger465]

My fence is possibly getting on for 30 years old now, and is beginning to crumble, so I’m going to have to replace it. The wall has 5 fence sections like this in it, so there’s quite a lot to do…

At the moment, they’re kind of double-sided affairs – hopefully you can see it in the photo, but the outer face is curved at the top, while the inner one is flat, for some reason.

I’m assuming it has two faces so that it looks good from either side, but I’m not sure how important this is to me… would you just build single-sided frames, or go to all the bother of double-sided again?

Or any other, different suggestions?

Thanks as always

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Is this separating neighbouring gardens, or your garden from a road

 

[Mike13]

It is a "hit and miss" fence to keep the privacy but still to allow winds to pass through a bit, they tend to not blow over in storms.

 

[Roger465]

Is this separating neighbouring gardens, or your garden from a road

Garden from the road. The picture is taken from the footpath outside.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Personally I'd make it good to the outer side.

Unless it's very windy and needs to be hit and miss style

 

[Notch7]

I would replace the outside at the height of the inside straight fence and do it straight but cut a 45 degree corner where it reaches the brick piers

 

[aveatry]

Did you move in originally cause I think what has happened is that the house builders put the curved top one in facing the street then an owner in the past has put up a second one but just attached planks to the curved ones horizontal battens/frame over the gaps so it is not a "hit and miss" fence as such
Thoughts are - are you actually allowed to do anything with outside section

 

[aveatry]

I would do the same again but straight. If you have the nice side facing your garden then the frame and middle section will be a good foothold for someone to climb over so doubling up with planks on both sides stops this and your property looks nice from the street too

 

[Roger465]

Did you move in originally cause I think what has happened is that the house builders put the curved top one in facing the street then an owner in the past has put up a second one but just attached planks to the curved ones horizontal battens/frame over the gaps so it is not a "hit and miss" fence as such
Thoughts are - are you actually allowed to do anything with outside section

No, the house was built in 1994, but I didn't move in till 2017. However, other houses in the street have the same double-sided setup. Hhmmm hadn't thought whether Planning might have anything to say about a fence

I would do the same again but straight. If you have the nice side facing your garden then the frame and middle section will be a good foothold for someone to climb over so doubling up with planks on both sides stops this and your property looks nice from the street too

Yes the more I think about it, I reckon straight is the way to go, and I'm not bothered about the nice side facing inwards.

One thign I have noticed is that one or two of the other houses have used fewer, wider timbers for replacements - like twice the width of mine, or more (must measure some of them) which might be less fiddly to do... but they have cut the top of each timber rounded rather than flat. Would this have to be done laboriously with my 35-year-old Black & Decker jigsaw, or is there an easier way?

Or a new, more powerful jigsaw... don't know much about them I have to say...

 

[Roger465]

This is my old thing, bought in 1989 with my first house:

BD538SE Black Handled Corded 240V 350w​

It's given amazing service over the years, but struggles a bit with bigger jobs!

 

[Notch7]

but they have cut the top of each timber rounded rather than flat.

roughly cut with a jigsaw then use a router with a ball bearing guide and clamp a template on (which you can use to pencil mark the shape for jigsawing

if you use a jigsaw to cut the rounds they will end up all wonky -as a jigsaw goes around a bend it naturally deflects and you end up with an angled wonky cut

 

[Roger465]

roughly cut with a jigsaw then use a router with a ball bearing guide and clamp a template on (which you can use to pencil mark the shape for jigsawing

if you use a jigsaw to cut the rounds they will end up all wonky -as a jigsaw goes around a bend it naturally deflects and you end up with an angled wonky cut

Think I'll keep them straight!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Think I'll keep them straight!

Rounded tops, or angled, help prevent rainwater settling on the flat tops and helps in reducing the rot.

 

[aveatry]

Think I'll keep them straight!

 

[JohnD]

You said crumbling.

Do you mean rot? What part?