Feather Edge Fencing Installation: Vertical and Horizontal Patterns, Overlap Detail and Weathering Considerations

Quick Answer: Feather edge (also called close board) fencing uses tapered softwood pales — typically 100mm × 22mm tapered to 6mm — overlapped by 12–25mm and fixed to two or three horizontal arris rails between posts. Vertical feather edge is the dominant UK pattern (per BS 1722-5) for boundaries up to 2m. Horizontal feather edge is a modern variation, fitted with the taper running horizontally, lapped boards sitting on rails — more decorative, slightly less robust against wind. All timber should be pressure-treated to BS 8417 Use Class 4 (in-ground) and Use Class 3 (above-ground). Service life with correct specification and concrete gravel boards is 20–25 years before pale replacement.

Summary

Feather edge is a profile, not a fencing system on its own. The pales are sawn with one edge thicker than the other so they overlap neatly without the visible gaps of square-edged boards. In a vertical feather edge fence (the traditional UK garden boundary), the pales run up-and-down with the thick edge facing one direction; the next pale's thin edge laps over it. In a horizontal feather edge fence (a more contemporary look), the pales run side-to-side and the taper creates a shadow line that gives modern boundary fences an attractive linear character.

Both patterns share the same timber specification, treatment requirements and post-and-rail substructure. The differences are in rail spacing, fixing pattern and weathering exposure. This article covers both, with a focus on the install decisions that determine whether the fence weathers to a graceful silver over 20 years or warps and fails in five.

For posts and ground works, see concrete post gravel boards and fence post installation depth. The pale-and-rail specification overlaps significantly with timber close board fencing — this article focuses on the feather-edge profile itself and the horizontal pattern variation.

Key Facts

• BS 1722-5 — Specification for close-boarded fences (covers vertical feather edge)
• Pale dimensions — 100mm × 22mm tapered to 6mm; sometimes 125mm × 22mm for larger fences
• Pale species — pressure-treated European spruce or Scandinavian redwood
• Pale overlap — minimum 12mm, typical 25mm; larger overlap = less open joint risk
• Arris rail dimensions — 75mm × 50mm (triangular cross-section) or 100mm × 50mm
• Number of rails — 2 rails up to 1.5m; 3 rails for 1.8m+
• Post centres — 1.83m typical for 6ft panels; 1.8m for close board with morticed posts
• Top capping rail — 75mm × 25mm with weather drip detail; protects pale end-grain
• Bottom rail / gravel board — concrete (1830mm × 150mm × 50mm) or pressure-treated softwood (150mm × 25mm)
• Pale fixings — 50–65mm galvanised lost-head ring shank nails; or A2/A4 stainless 4mm × 50mm screws
• Pressure treatment — Tanalith E / Wolmanit CX; UC4 for in-ground posts, UC3 for above-ground pales/rails
• Service life — 20–25 years pales, 15–20 years rails, 40+ years concrete posts and gravel boards
• Horizontal feather edge rail spacing — additional intermediate rails at 600mm centres (vs 800–900mm for vertical pales) to support the longer span
• Wind load — Both patterns are largely solid; less wind-resistant than slatted designs; consider stronger posts in exposed locations
• Maximum height without planning — 2m above ground (non-highway); 1m above ground adjacent to highway

Quick Reference Table

Detailed Guidance

Vertical feather edge — the traditional UK pattern

This is the standard UK garden boundary. Pales run vertically, fixed to horizontal arris rails. The thicker edge of each pale faces outward (typically into the neighbour's garden) and the thin edge of the next pale laps over.

Setting out:

• Decide on overlap (12mm minimum, 25mm typical)
• Calculate pales needed per bay: (Bay width - first pale width) / (pale exposed width) + 1
  • Example: 1.83m bay, 100mm pales, 25mm overlap → exposed width 75mm → ~24 pales per bay
• Start at one end and check overlap consistency every 4–5 pales

Fixing pattern:

• 2 nails per pale per rail (one at each visible edge)
• Fixings into the thick edge of the pale; the thin lapped edge over the next pale is caught by the next pale's nailing
• 50mm or 65mm galvanised ring-shank nails

Capping:

• 75mm × 25mm capping rail; cut a 10mm weather drip on the outside edge
• Mitre joints at corners; nail to top of each pale (single fixing centred)

Horizontal feather edge — the contemporary variation

Horizontal feather edge has become popular in urban gardens since 2015. Pales lap horizontally, taper running side-to-side, fixed to vertical battens between posts.

Substructure differs:

• Vertical battens (typically 50mm × 38mm or 75mm × 50mm) fixed to the inside face of each post
• Battens at 600mm centres maximum across the bay
• For 1.83m bays this means 2 intermediate battens + 2 at the posts = 4 vertical supports

Pale fixing:

• Start at the bottom; each pale laps over the one below by 25mm
• Fix each pale at every batten
• 65mm ring-shank or 4mm × 60mm screws (stainless)
• Top course finished with capping or weather-cut

Horizontal feather edge looks more modern but uses 10–15% more timber per square metre because of the increased lap and more substantial supports. Cost difference is typically £8–12/m² above vertical.

Pale selection and treatment

Specification:

• Species — Scandinavian redwood (Pinus sylvestris) or European spruce; both planeable, both take treatment well
• Treatment — Tanalith E (copper-based) or Wolmanit CX (copper-azole); both BS 8417 Use Class 3 compliant
• Avoid — cheap "low pressure" treated softwood; the treatment penetrates only the outer 2–3mm and fails fast where the timber is cut or drilled

Pre-treated profiled pales are sold ready-to-fix at most builders' merchants. Check the treatment certificate — reputable suppliers stamp UC3 or UC4 on the wood.

Gravel boards: timber vs concrete

The fence-life decision:

• Pressure-treated timber gravel board — 150mm × 25mm; cheap (~£8 per 1.83m length); but rots faster than the pales above because it is in ground contact. Replace every 12–15 years.
• Concrete gravel board — 1830mm × 150mm × 50mm; £20–30 each; eliminates the in-ground rot point. Replace at 40+ years.

For a 25-year design life, concrete is the clear winner. The upfront cost difference pays back the first time a timber gravel board needs replacement.

Capping and weathering

Without a capping rail:

• End-grain at the top of each pale absorbs water
• Pales cup, splay outwards, and the top of the fence breaks line
• Pale fixings at the top loosen

With a 75mm × 25mm capping rail (single piece running along the top, mitred at corners):

• End-grain is protected
• Water drip cut sheds rain away from pale faces
• Top of fence holds line for the full service life

For premium specs, double-cap with a small projecting moulded cover. Adds £3–5/m and looks better on architect-led residential projects.

Joints, corners and step-downs

Corners:

• Use a corner post with slots on both adjacent faces
• Pales meet at the corner; either lap by 25mm with a corner pale that overlaps both faces, OR mitre and butt-fix

Step-downs (where ground slopes):

• Stepped fences are easier to build and look tidier on UK plot sizes
• Step at each bay; capping rail steps with the fence
• Concrete gravel boards step at the bay junction

Raked fences (where pales follow the slope):

• Pales remain vertical; rails follow the slope
• Capping rail also follows the slope
• More attractive for long runs but tricky on rising ground over 1:10

Sealing and finishing

Pressure-treated pales weather naturally to a silver-grey within 12–18 months. Customers often dislike this and want a stain or paint. Options:

• Breathable wood treatment (Sadolin, Cuprinol Garden Shades, Sikkens) — slows weathering; reapply every 2–3 years
• Solid stain (Cuprinol Garden Shades opaque) — colour-fast; reapply every 3–4 years
• Paint — never recommended on rough-sawn softwood; flakes within 2 years
• Bare timber — fastest weathering to grey; lowest maintenance; longest life because no surface film cracks

For fencing contractors, advise the customer of the trade-off: stained fences look better short-term but require ongoing maintenance; bare timber is the lowest-maintenance choice over 20+ years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much overlap do I need on feather edge pales?

Minimum 12mm; recommended 25mm. Less than 12mm and joints open when the timber shrinks in summer. More than 25mm wastes timber.

Is horizontal feather edge less strong than vertical?

Marginally. The pale-to-batten fixing depends on the batten spacing — horizontal needs more closely-spaced supports (600mm vs 800–900mm for vertical pale rails). With correct batten spacing, the difference is negligible.

Should I leave a gap at the bottom of the fence for drainage?

Yes — 50mm minimum between the underside of the bottom pale and the ground (with concrete gravel board, this is automatic). Without the gap, water wicks up the pales and rots them from the base.

Can I install feather edge over an existing fence?

In principle yes, but the new fence will inherit the alignment problems of the old one. Better practice: remove the old fence, set new concrete posts, build new. Half-measures look the same in three years.

What's the best fixing for pales — nails or screws?

Both work; stainless screws are easier to remove for repair. Ring-shank galvanised nails are quicker for new install. Avoid plain wire nails — they back out as the timber dries.

How do I stop the bottom of the fence rotting?

Concrete gravel board + 50mm pale clearance + UC4 in-ground posts. The biggest single cause of fence failure is timber-to-soil contact.

Regulations & Standards

• BS 1722-5 — Specification for close-boarded fences and wooden palisade fences

• BS 8417 — Preservation of wood — Code of practice

• BS EN 350 — Durability of wood

• BS EN ISO 1461 — Hot dip galvanised coatings on iron and steel

• Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 — Class A Schedule 2 (height limits)

• CDM Regulations 2015 — applies to commercial fencing projects

• Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 — relevant where fencing affects nesting habitat (delay works to avoid bird nesting season for hedge replacement)

• BSI — BS 1722-5 — close-boarded fence specification

• Wood Protection Association — Use Classes and treatments

• Planning Portal — Fences and gates — height limits

• TRADA — Timber Fence Specification — design guidance

• British Standards — BS EN 350 — durability classification

• timber close board fencing — adjacent term, broader installation context

• concrete post gravel boards — long-life post substructure

• fence post installation depth — post setting depths

• trellis and panel fencing — alternative panel-based systems

• planning permission fences walls — height limits and consents