When it comes to installing a new fence in your garden, there are now plenty of options to choose from. Gone are the days when traditional wooden fences, often thin timber panels needing regular staining and painting, were your only choice. These older styles can be prone to wind damage and may look untidy over time if not properly maintained.
Composite fencing is a contemporary fence style and a great alternative to traditional timber fencing, with its combination of recycled plastic and wood fibres making for a strong, attractive option when looking to replace or install your new garden fencing.
In this article, we take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of composite fencing, as well as how it's manufactured and installed.
Article Contents
- What is composite fencing?
- Benefits of composite fencing
- Drawbacks of composite fencing
- Installation advice
- Composite fencing transformations
QUICK SUMMARY
| Composite Fencing | Wooden Fencing | |
| Colours Available | Five Contemporary Colours | Natural Wood / Wood Stain |
| Maintenance | Low | High |
| Durability | High | Low |
| Environmentally Friendly | Yes | No |
WHAT IS COMPOSITE FENCING?
Composite fencing is manufactured from 60% recycled hardwood fibres and 40% recycled plastics, combining the best of both wood and PVC/vinyl fencing to create a stronger, longer-lasting and more durable product that is environmentally friendly.
It is available in a range of five colours and, unlike wooden fences, can withstand harsh weather conditions and is rot, splinter and insect-resistant.
COMPOSITE FENCING PROS
DURABILITY
The nature of the materials that make up Cladco composite fence boards (60% recycled wood fibres and 40% recycled plastic) makes Composite fencing an extremely durable material, especially compared to other fencing options. When installed alongside our Composite fence panel posts, composite fencing can withstand extreme weather conditions like high winds.
The plastic component within composite materials also means that insects, such as woodworm and carpenter bees, will not burrow into the product, making it longer-lasting (in excess of 30 years' lifespan in normal weather conditions) and stronger than wood.
LOW MAINTENANCE
Composite fencing materials are naturally low maintenance. The plastic elements within the material make composite products rot and mould-resistant, therefore requiring very little upkeep. Traditional wooden fencing, on the other hand, requires regular sanding, painting and sealing to maintain its condition year in and year out.
AESTHETICS
The Cladco Signature composite fencing panel is available in five attractive colours, matching those in our Signature composite decking range—from contemporary charcoal to the more natural, wood-like tones of teak. This allows you to create a consistent, coordinated look throughout your garden. Whatever colour you opt for, the Cladco Signature composite fencing range comes complete with matching coloured composite fencing posts and post caps, for a seamless design - or, mix and match for a contrasting finish.
Our ProFence range is our other composite fence style, which features a polymer-capped layer to help provide even greater resistance against staining and mould, has exceptional UV and fade resistance and enhanced durability. ProFence is available in all standard colours within the Cladco ProRange, including platinum, quartz and burnt oak.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Cladco’s composite fencing boards are environmentally friendly, being manufactured from 100% recycled materials - 60% reclaimed wood chips from FSC® approved forests and 40% recycled plastics. This helps reduce plastic and wood waste from going to landfills, and instead reuses it within Cladco composite products.
The FSC® certification available with our products means that all real wood used meets the highest environmental and social standards.
COMPOSITE FENCING CONS
COST
The initial price of composite fencing is higher than that of a wood fence of a similar design; however, the long-lasting (30+ years if properly looked after) and low-upkeep properties of composite fencing materials mean that these upfront costs are far outweighed in the long run. You will save money on replacements as well as time and expenses on additional paint/sealant/sanding products for maintaining.
INSTALLATION RISKS
When installing composite fencing, it is essential to take into consideration that panels can expand and contract with temperature changes. This thermal expansion means that between each composite panel, there needs to be a gap of at least 5mm to prevent overcrowding during warm spells.
OTHER
As with any material exposed to direct sunlight, some natural weathering may occur over time. To maintain colour consistency, we recommend purchasing all the composite fence panels needed for your project at the same time. To help ensure you can accurately calculate how many panels you will require at the outset of your project, why not use our helpful composite fencing calculator?
Before installation, lay out the panels to ensure a balanced colour tone across the whole of your fencing.
INSTALLATION STEPS
1) Prepare your area by removing any stones, debris or hazardous material. Dig the fence post holes to 25% of the post height. The fence posts must be a maximum of 1.8m apart to ensure they can support the fence panels. Run a piece of string from the first post to the last post to make sure they are positioned square to each other. Use a spirit level to ensure each post is 100% level before adding postcrete to secure it in place. (see fig.1 below)
2) If using the slot-between method, cut up to four channels per post to allow your composite fence panels to slot into one another (see fig.2 below)
3) Simply slide the composite fence panels into the grooves of the posts, ensuring the panels are slotted into place securely and are level.
4) Finish your fence posts with fence post caps. Fence panels can be finished with Cladco fencing rails for added protection. Rails can be cut down to size using straight cut tin snips and slotted onto the top of the panels for a neat edge.
For more information and alternative installation methods, take a look at our composite fencing installation guide.
Most composite fencing products can also be installed as a split rail fence.
Case study: A composite fencing transformation
The example below demonstrates just how easy it is to transform your outdoor space with composite fencing. This Cladco customer has used our Signature composite fencing panels and posts in the colour charcoal to conceal their old wooden fencing, adding a more aesthetically pleasing parameter to their garden.
The composite panels and posts work together to increase longevity and will require fewer replacements in the long run in comparison to almost any other fencing material, such as wood.
The addition of green foliage along the top of the panels makes for a contemporary and well-put-together privacy fence.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a scratch-resistant, long-lasting garden fence that is available in a selection of matching colours, choose composite fencing.
Despite its initial cost being higher than that of a wooden fence, the 30+ year lifespan and low-maintenance properties of a composite fence far outweigh this. You will save time and money in the long run, with no need to replace, sand, seal and paint your composite fence year after year.
