Closeboard vs lap fence panels: which should you choose?
The two most common fence styles I fit in SW London are closeboard (sometimes called featheredge) and lap panel. They look similar from a distance but they’re very different jobs to build, and they age very differently. Here’s how to choose between them.
What they are
Closeboard is built from individual vertical featheredge boards nailed onto horizontal arris rails between concrete posts. It’s not panels; it’s a fence built in situ.
Lap panels are pre-made 6 foot by 6 foot timber panels (overlapping horizontal slats) that slot into the channels of concrete posts. The panels are made in a factory and slotted in on site.
The honest comparison
| Closeboard | Lap panels |
|---|---|
| Stronger in wind | Less wind-resistant |
| Lasts 10-15 years for the boards (longer with maintenance) | Panels last 5-10 years before warping |
| Boards can be replaced individually | Panels usually replaced as a whole unit |
| Quote roughly 30 to 50 percent more than lap | Cheapest fence option that’s actually decent |
| Slightly slower to install | Faster to install (a 20m run in a day is achievable) |
| Better for exposed gardens | Fine for sheltered gardens |
| Looks more substantial | Looks neat and uniform |
When closeboard wins
If your garden gets the prevailing wind, closeboard is the right answer. Lap panels flex against the posts in strong wind and that flex eventually cracks the panel where it meets the post slot. Closeboard, because each board is fixed independently to the rails, has nowhere to fail in this way.
If a single board ever rots or is damaged, you can swap it out for a few pounds. Replacing a whole 6x6 lap panel is more disruptive and more expensive.
When lap panels win
If the budget is tight, lap panels go up faster and use less material. A 20 metre lap fence is meaningfully cheaper than 20 metres of closeboard.
If you’re replacing a fence between two friendly neighbours and a sheltered boundary, lap panels are perfectly good. Plenty of fences in Teddington and around have lasted ten years without an issue.
What I always recommend regardless of fence type
These are non-negotiable on every fence I fit:
- Concrete posts, never wooden posts. Wooden posts in the ground rot at the base in five to seven years and fail in a storm.
- Concrete gravel boards at the bottom. They take all the soil contact, so the wooden boards above them don’t.
- Cap rails along the top. They protect the end grain of the boards from rain.
These three things turn a fence that lasts seven years into a fence that lasts twenty.
Costs
Fitted, with concrete posts and concrete gravel boards, in SW London 2026:
- Lap panel, 1.8m: £100 to £130 per linear metre
- Closeboard, 1.8m: £135 to £175 per linear metre
A typical 20 metre rear-garden fence is therefore £2,000 to £2,600 in lap or £2,700 to £3,500 in closeboard.
What about hit-and-miss, slatted, or solid horizontal?
These are options too. Hit-and-miss boards (alternating front and back) gives a contemporary look and lets some wind through without losing privacy. Solid horizontal slatted fencing has had a moment in the last few years; it looks great but it’s the most expensive option and the slats can flex. Picket fencing for front gardens is its own thing again. I’m happy to talk through any of those if you have something specific in mind.
To recap
- Sheltered, budget conscious, simple boundary: lap panels.
- Exposed boundary, longer-term spend, want it to look more substantial: closeboard.
- In doubt: closeboard. The extra cost spread over 15 to 20 years is small.
For a quote on either, see the fencing page or get in touch.