Spaced Fencing: the Pros and Cons

Putting up wooden spaced fencing is a great way to mark out your property. It has a different look to block fencing and has advantages and disadvantages.

Spaced fencing refers to fencing styles that have spaced out vertical strips, known as pales, with gaps in between. These include picket and palisade fencing.

Keep reading to find out about the pros and cons of wooden spaced fencing and whether it would be suitable for your home.

Pros

Lets natural light through

A great advantage to picket and palisade fencing is that they let natural light through. Plenty of daylight in your garden can make a big positive difference to your plants and your well-being. Using spaced fencing instead of block fencing will increase the amount of natural light you get in your garden.

Keeps children and animals safe and secure

Spaced fencing also provides a good level of security. Most designs position the vertical pales close enough together to prevent pets or children slipping through them. So if you get spaced fencing you can control who and what gets in and out of your garden.

Easy to customise

Spaced fencing comes in several styles and is easy to customise. Pales have rounded or pointed tops and are available in different heights. Wooden spaced fencing can also be stained or painted, so comes in a range of colours.

Unobtrusive way to mark boundaries

Spaced fencing is a great way to mark out boundaries in an unobtrusive way. Lots of people put up fencing to enhance security or privacy. But if you just want to mark where your property ends and your neighbour’s begins, putting up spaced fencing is a simple, easy and attractive way to do it.

Cons

Limited security

Spaced fencing does have its disadvantages. One of these is that it doesn’t do much to increase your security, especially compared to block fencing.

Spaced fencing may be good for keeping children and animals in or out but is unlikely to deter intruders unless it’s very high. It also makes it easier for people to see into your home, which could increase the chances of someone breaking in.

Reduced privacy

Spaced fencing also provides less privacy than block fencing. It doesn’t act as a visual block, so if you’re going to put up spaced fencing you need to be happy with the idea that neighbours and passers-by can see into your property.

So spaced fencing has a range of pros and cons. If you’re looking for an attractive and unobtrusive way to mark out your property, palisade or picket fencing could be for you.

Price

Approx. £10-£50 per sq m

Installation time

1-3 days


Advantages and disadvantages
  • Lets natural light through
  • Keeps children and animals safe and secure
  • Easy to customise
  • Subtle way to mark boundaries
  • Limited security
  • Reduced privacy