What are gravel boards?
Gravel boards for fencing are boards generally 140-150mm in height that are placed on the ground, underneath fence panels. They are available as concrete gravel boards or wooden gravel boards.
What are gravel boards used for?
The main purpose of a gravel board is to keep a distance between a timber fence panel and the ground beneath the fence. By ensuring the fence panel does not come into contact with damp or wet grass or soil, the gravel board will help to reduce the risk of moisture penetration into the fence panels, thus reducing the risk to the timber of rotting.
Are gravel boards essential?
Essential, maybe not, but recommended, definitely! A gravel board will prolong the life of your timber fence, saving money in the long term. From an aesthetic point of view, they give a neater appearance to a finished fence by filling the gap between fence panel and ground, and they will provide some protection against damage from gardening tools and lawnmowers!
Timber gravel boards
- Timber gravel boards represent a cost effective way to improve the durability and life span of a fence.
- A timber board will blend seamlessly with fencing panels, providing a traditional look to any garden. They work particularly well with decorative fence panels.
- Pressure treated timber gravel boards, manufactured from sustainably sourced timber, are environmentally-friendly.
- Timber gravel boards will eventually rot but with a regular maintenance schedule, will last for several years. When they do need to be replaced, it will be cheaper than replacing the entire fence.
Concrete gravel boards
- Concrete gravel boards are strong and durable.
- They are completely rot-resistant and, once installed, they require no ongoing maintenance.
- Ideally suited to windy or exposed areas where they will withstand the harshest of conditions.
- Concrete gravel boards are heavy and should never be installed without help.
How to install timber gravel boards
Installing timber gravel boards is straightforward, with the boards being attached to the fence post using small blocks of timber – known as cleats – which are nailed to the fence posts. The gravel boards are simply nailed to the cleats.
How to install concrete fence posts and gravel boards
Concrete gravel boards should always be used in conjunction with concrete fence posts, which are available as recessed posts or slotted posts. Recessed concrete posts feature pre-formed holes that the gravel boards are bolted into. Concrete slotted posts are supplied as intermediate posts for use midway along a fence run, end posts and corner posts. Gravel boards are simply inserted into the slots. Our article How to build a fence with concrete posts and gravel boards has more detailed information.
Gravel boards from Witham Timber
At Witham Timber, all our timber fencing products are produced sustainably, and our timber gravel boards are available in 10mm or 150mm widths. Our concrete fencing products have been steel reinforced for extra strength and the concrete gravel boards are available in an assortment of widths, heights and finishes to suit every style of fence and garden. We supply smooth and rock-faced gravel boards for use with slotted posts and 3m boards to fit recessed posts.
The fencing section of our blog has lots of useful articles and our sales team is always available to help via email at sales@withamtimber.co.uk or during business hours by telephone on 01205 359188.