Choosing Timber Fencing for a Christchurch Backyard
· Tuffery’s Fence and decks, Christchurch NZ
Most Christchurch backyards end up with one of three timber fences: full paling for privacy, picket for street-facing charm, or post-and-rail where openness suits the site. Each is the right answer somewhere — the trick is matching the fence to what the boundary actually has to do.
Start with the job. Back and side boundaries usually need privacy and pet-proofing, which means close-boarded palings with minimal gaps. Front boundaries face the street, where councils, neighbours and kerb appeal all have a say — lower heights and open styles like pickets keep sightlines friendly. Corner sections get both briefs at once, and that is where a stepped design (paling down the sides, picket across the front) earns its keep.
Height is the next decision, and it is worth thinking about in terms of use rather than maximums. A fence high enough to block the neighbour's upstairs window may also shade your winter veges; a lower fence keeps the sun but not the privacy. Walk the section at different times of day before deciding — the nor'wester that funnels down your street matters as much as the view.
Timber and finish follow. Treated pine palings are the local standard: affordable, available, and proven in Canterbury conditions. Finish is where longevity is won or lost — stain penetrates and is easy to recoat, paint films look crisp but demand prep when they fail. Either way, the bottom of the palings must stay clear of soil and mulch, because ground contact rots even treated timber faster than anything else above it.
Posts deserve more thought than they usually get. They carry the whole fence through every southerly, so depth, diameter and drainage at ground level decide whether the line is straight in ten years. If you take one piece of contractor advice from this guide, make it this: never economise on posts.
Gates are fences too — or at least, they fail like fences. Budget for proper gate posts and hardware matched to the gate's width and weight, and make sure the swing clears paths, gardens and the rubbish bins' weekly route. A beautiful fence with a gate that drags is a job half done.
If you are weighing a new boundary, read about timber and paling fencing and fence repairs to see where your current fence sits — then bring photos and measurements via the contact page.
Need a hand with it?
Tuffery’s Fence and decks serves Christchurch, New Zealand, Monday to Sunday, 9 AM to 5 PM — see the services or get in touch.