Their primary purpose is to keep the fence panel off the ground, to ensure it does not come into contact with grass, plants or the wet ground. This stops fence panels from taking on excessive moisture and helps prevent them from rotting.
It may seem that they are an extra and unnecessary cost and that your fence will work perfectly without them. While this is technically true, it is without question that gravel boards can save you money in the long run by increasing the lifespan of your fence, making it more hard-wearing.
A gravel board usually come around 150mm in height and essentially are used underneath to protect your fence from moisture damage form the wet ground, debris and insect damage to ensure that your fencing lasts as long as possible. There are two main types of gravel boards which include timber and concrete.
Their main purpose is to prevent moisture from the ground rotting your fence panels, but they also offer protection from insects or termites that might damage the fence. Properly fitted, gravel boards will prolong the life of your fence and save you the expense of repairing or replacing it as frequently.
A kickboard, sometimes known as a "rot board," is a piece of wood that's placed on the bottom of a fence and is in contact with the ground. Kickboards are typically pressure-treated. Pressure treating is a process where wood is treated so that it becomes resistant to rot, decay, and pest infestation.
Wooden Pockets for Filling in Gaps
To fill the space between the fence and the ground, use horizontal pieces of wood rather than bricks. Cut the wooden boards uniformly after measuring them. This is one of the best choices if you have a wooden fence because it will blend in flawlessly.
If there is a gap underneath your fence, you will need to use filler material to remove the problem. For example, you can put chicken wire in the gap so that the fence opens and closes freely without the gap being exposed. You could also put wood blocks in the gap or even fill it in with cement.
You can technically do without them, but there's no denying that concrete gravel boards are massively useful if you want to get the most from your fence panels. They increase the durability of your fence, potentially saving you a lot of money on maintenance in the long run.
Some people place the gravel boards directly on the soil. Others raise them a little off the soil surface.
Top tips for fitting gravel boards
Before starting, decide whether you want your gravel boards to be directly on the ground or suspended above it. Gravel boards fitted directly to the ground look aesthetically pleasing and will ensure your fences are secure below.
What is a gravel board used for? A gravel board is a wooden or concrete board usually around 140mm in height that slots under your fence panels and sits on top of the ground to help protect the fence from wet ground, insect attack and debris.
A fence with wooden panels can be safely built without the use of a gravel board.
If you looking for a traditional look or a modern brick face look we have it covered. Our panel gravel boards come in 12in and 6in and can be used to retain soil or to create a solid wall.
A gravel board is a piece of wood or concrete that goes under your fence panels and sits on top of the ground beneath. Their primary purpose is to keep the fence panel off the ground, to ensure it does not come into contact with grass, plants or the wet ground.
Set posts on a 6-inch base of ¾-inch crushed stone to encourage drainage. Then fill around posts with the soil from the holes, minus the topsoil, and packs it down every 6 inches. In sandy soil, mix in gravel so that it will pack more firmly. In clay soil, which doesn't drain well, pack only gravel around posts.
Many people wonder if it's viable to install fence posts without using concrete as an anchor and base. The answer to this question is yes, but it's not easy. If you are installing a fence in your backyard, then this might be an easier job than most projects that require concrete work.
Vinyl can be constructed as a privacy fence to create a secure boundary around your home, or as a decorative, open-picket design. Wondering about the versatility of vinyl? It's among the most versatile types of low-maintenance fencing. If your home is on a hill, vinyl can be easily cut to follow the slope of your yard.
Installing concrete gravel boards for closeboard fencing
The gravel board specifically for featherboard fencing is attached to the post with a galvanised steel cleat that pushes into the pre-drilled holes at the base of our concrete posts. Secure the gravel board to the cleat with M8x80mm or M10x80mm bolts and washers.
Measure top, middle and bottom at equal distances on your post for your three U fence clips and screw these into the post to secure. Slot in the next fence panel on top of the gravel board and into the U clips. Screw these into the post to secure. Continue this whole process until you get to the end of your fence line.
The size of a gravel board is 150mm (6″) wide and 22mm (1″) thick lengths range from 6′ (1.83m) up to 12′ (3.6m).
With a height of about 6 inches (150mm), a gravel board can legally be used with any size of fence panel. As well as increasing the height of a fence, they provide other important benefits.
In most cases a gravel board, whether timber or concrete will be around 150mm in height, 22mm thick and 1.83m long. This is so that if used together with a 1.83m (6 foot) high fence panel, the total height of fence and gravel board will be 1.98m which is under the 2m height limit for fences.
Leaving a space between the bottom of your fence and the ground allows for landscaping changes and/or growth, prevents moisture absorption from occurring, and it also makes it easier to do yard maintenance and clean up along the base of the fence.
Nail the top and bottom rails to the center-line of the first post and keep proceeding until all posts are nailed from top to bottom. Remember to follow the contours of the ground by always nailing the fence rails and follow the contours of the ground by nailing the fence rails in the same positions on the fence rails.
In five to eight years, the fence may start to lean, but it should last 10 to 15 years overall. To keep the wood from rotting, apply a wood preservative to seal it. "It's like wax on a car," Holt says. "It helps protect it from the elements, from water, from sprinklers."