Fed up with looking at ugly concrete posts and concrete gravel boards and boring fence panels? We have some great ideas about how you can hide them without having to go to the great expense of removing or replacing them.
Concrete is a cheap and versatile material but attractive it isn’t – and, as anyone who’s ever lived in a post-war property will know, once it’s used, there’s very little that can be done to improve the look.
The fence in the picture below is attached to a concrete post and gravel board fence with wooden closeboard panels. Our Cedar Fencing completely hides this old fence, the change is staggering. Best of all this can be achieved without removing your old fence!
If you’ve ever attempted to break up concrete, you’ll understand all too well that it’s no easy feat. So, if you can’t break it, do the next best thing and hide it behind beautiful cedar panelling – you’ll be amazed at how effective this can be.
So if you want to disguise unsightly concrete posts, gravel boards – or both – here is your guide to how best to do this.
Your first job will be to attach horizontal battens in three rows top middle and bottom of the existing fence. These battens can be fixed into place by screwing into the concrete post with a plug and screw. This allows access to the old panels if they need to be changed in the future.
Next, attach our slatted Cedar fence panels to these horizontal battens with the fixing screws provided. The panels have vertical rear supports on the rear, we recommend fixing through the front of this vertical batten as it keeps the screws hidden between the gaps in the panel.
Our Cedar slatted panels are designed to abut each other completely hiding the ugly fence behind. If you supply us the length of your existing fence we can make the cedar panels the exact size you need to hide it completely from view.
How to attach a wooden fence to existing concrete fence posts?
There are, of course, some other things that you need to bear in mind before you begin.
1. Always use good quality materials
It’s always important to use strong, durable wood for your fence if you want it to brave the elements of our unpredictable weather. However, this becomes even more vital when you’re building around an existing structure, such as concrete posts.
At Contemporary Fencing, we only use Western Red Cedar which, as well as being naturally resistant to rot, decay and pests, creates a beautiful finish for your garden fencing.
2. Keep a minimal gap between fence panels
Obviously, your primary goal with installing a fence is to hide the concrete gravel boards behind it. Think carefully about the design of fence panels.
Here at Contemporary Fencing, we normally allow a 7mm gap between panels which provides a shadow line between each piece of cedar, showcasing the colour variation of the wood. To ensure that none of the original concrete is peeking through, we use a square-edged panel which provides more enclosure than a bevel-edged.
3. Ensure everything is installed securely
For a job like this, it might be worth bringing in the experts. However, if you want to install your fence yourself, it’s absolutely vital that you fit the panels correctly around the existing concrete structure.
Your fence panels and capping rails need to be cut to fit the space exactly, so enlist a specialist to do this. At Contemporary Fencing, we build all of our fences to order, according to your exact specifications, at our joinery workshop in Whitstable. We believe that a well-fitted fence, hand-crafted from quality materials, will stand the test of time. So, with one of our fences, you’ll quickly forget that the concrete was ever there.
