Timber Fencing in Coomera

A fence that is rotting at the posts can be rebuilt to last, but replacing only the palings will not do it. The posts carry the whole fence. Once their bases go soft, every rail and paling above them is pulled out of line.

A proper rebuild starts by finding where the damage sits. Sometimes only a few posts have failed and the rails and palings can stay. Other times the whole run has weakened and a full replacement is the sounder choice.

The result you are after is a fence that stands straight, keeps the dog and kids in, and gives you privacy from the neighbours.

Rot starts where timber meets the ground. Water sits against the post, the wood stays damp, and fungus slowly softens it from the base up. On sloping blocks around Upper Coomera, runoff after a summer storm collects at the post bases on the low side of the yard, and clay ground drains slowly, so the timber can stay wet for days.

A post that was set in soil alone, or in a hole that traps water, usually fails sooner than one set in concrete with good drainage. Timber that was never treated for ground contact fails sooner again.

The usual signs are a fence that rocks when pushed, palings that pull away from the rails, and a post you can dig a screwdriver into.

Treated pine is the practical choice for many backyard fences. It takes paint or stain well, costs less upfront and is treated to resist termites and decay when it is the right grade for outdoor use.

Hardwood is denser and has a richer natural colour. It suits a fence you want to keep for a long time, and it is the usual pick for hardwood batten screens, where the timber stays on show.

Neither is termite-proof in the absolute sense. Treatment and good detailing lower the risk, and keeping timber off wet soil helps both.

Deeper posts and a drained base hold up better in clay. The fencer sets the depth for your block and fence height. Taller fences and sloping runs put more load on each post, so they need more in the ground.

Clay swells when wet and shrinks when dry. That can push a shallow post out of line. A layer of gravel under the post lets water drain away from the timber.

Concrete around the post locks it in place. It is left to cure before the rails take any weight.

Paling fences give full privacy when the boards sit tight together. Lapped or butted palings, a capping rail and a bottom plinth are the usual ways to finish them neatly.

Batten screens work on gap width. Narrow gaps block most of the view while still letting some air through, and wider gaps pass more breeze and light but show more of the yard. Where you need total privacy, a solid paling fence is the better match.

Fences of 2 m or under are generally accepted development in Queensland, subject to siting rules. A fence over 2 m above natural ground needs building approval from a certifier. The fencer measures the run and the height, and the certifier makes the decision.

If the fence sits on a shared boundary, Queensland's dividing fence rules cover how the cost is shared with your neighbour. Plain talk over the fence usually makes this easier, and a written price gives both sides the same numbers.

A good fencer gives you a written price before work begins and says what it covers. When the call comes, ask how the posts will be set, which timber grade will be used and whether removing the old fence is in the price.

When you are ready, put the fence type, the length and what stands there now in the message box.