Which fencing material is right for you?

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February 14, 2023

Once, when it came to fencing, timber was the only choice. Today, we’re in a very different position, with a wide range of materials available on the market.

In fencing, like virtually every other sector, we’re faced with more choice than ever.

On the materials front, classics like timber are still very much in evidence – but today, thanks to constant improvements in technology, we’re presented with a growing array of alternatives that offer better performance and longevity, without compromising on aesthetics.

Here are four great options currently available.

WPC

One of the leading twenty-first century fencing materials is Wood-Plastic Composite – or WPC for short.

First invented in Italy in the 1960s, WPC does what it says on the tin – it mixes ground wood particles and heated thermoplastic resin.

The reason WPC is such a fantastic material is that it manages to deliver the timeless aesthetics of timber, without the drawbacks – the need for constant upkeep most prominently of all.

WPC has quickly become a leading material in the decking sector, as well as becoming popular for fencing, cladding and more.

It's stronger than wood, longer-lasting, and virtually maintenance free – boasting resistance to fire, UV damage and splinters.

At Brundle, our Rinato™ range of Wood Plastic Composite fencing has become highly popular.

Rinato™ WPC fencing boards are made of 60% FSC-certified recycled wood and 40% plastics, meaning they’re more sustainable than many alternatives.

They’re virtually maintenance free – without the need for the time-consuming regular painting most timber products require.

They’re highly resistant to weathering and UV damage – and perhaps most importantly, they’re extremely quick and easy to assemble, thanks to their tongue and groove boards.

Available in four colours, birch, chestnut, ebony and twilight grey, the boards come in standard fence heights of 1.8m with 1.8m post centres, and a choice of concrete-in or bolt-down posts. However, both posts and boards can be cut to size.

Polymer

Rinato™ is also available in versatile, sustainable polymer.

Rinato™ Polymer acoustic boards are manufactured from old recycled plastic bottles and household waste.

They’re not just 100% recycled, but 100% recyclable too.

As well as being environmentally friendly, the boards are low maintenance and incredibly durable, meaning they’ll continue to offer outstanding performance for years after being installed.

These boards are UV resistant and their solid construction, with no wood content, means they won't absorb water, and will deflect unwanted noise, which is why they are often used alongside busy roads and railway tracks.

Available in two ranges, two lengths and a choice of seven great colours, the boards are easy to install with a lightweight and versatile steel post system.

This allows for the tongue and groove boards to slide down between the posts, and then be secured with a simple extrusion which is screwed in place. This allows for the quick, cost-effective installation for metres of fencing.

Aluminium

Aluminium was once a material you’d associate with sleek commercial buildings and high-end windows and doors – but now, the style and strength that's made it so popular in other sectors is seeing it increasingly adopted elsewhere, too.

In recent years, it's been incorporated in a whole range of fencing and other home improvement solutions.

The characteristics that make it so popular in other sectors also make it perfect for outdoor applications – it's extremely robust, simple to maintain, very lightweight and offers an excellent weight to strength ratio.

Marano® is F.H. Brundle's range of robust, easy to maintain aluminium fencing.

Extremely quick and simple to install, Marano® fencing products can be fixed to virtually any post and incorporated into steel gate frames.

Available in a range of finishes and colours, with a choice of 6 contemporary styles, it includes decorative laser cut screens which can be incorporated in several ways.

The range also offers long-lasting, low maintenance, easy to work with solutions that produce stunning results that will last for years to come.

Sandwich panels

However, we’re also seeing rising popularity for fences made of a combination of different materials – like the sandwich panels supplied by Kingspan, which combine a rigid polyurethane foam core with aluminium posts and finishing profile.

F.H. Brundle's Kingspan fencing is lightweight, easy to handle, and quick and simple to install.

Its sturdy double-sided panels, available in Anthracite Deep Matt RAL 7016, are smooth on one side and ribbed on the other.

Available in heights of 488mm or 610mm, the system only requires a post every 2.5m, meaning far less groundwork is required than alternative composite solutions.

The aluminium concrete-in or bolt-down posts have been specially designed to make installation extremely straightforward. Gravel boards provide a level base for the fence panels to rest on.

What's more, they’re highly weather resistant, with a heavy gauge coated steel skin, that allows them to be used up to 1km from the coast.

They’ve also been wind pressure tested to 120 km/h, UV tested and come with a 10-year anti-corrosion warranty.

Speak to F.H. Brundle

In the years to come, we can expect further exciting advances in materials technology, producing options that are even more stylish, robust and easy to fit and maintain than the ones we have at the moment.

In the meantime, thousands of architects and self-builders around the country are already benefitting from the strength and stability of WPC and aluminium, among other alternatives – and if you’re interested in joining them, we’d be delighted to help. Give us a call on 01708 398048 today!

For more information visit www.fhbrundle.co.uk .

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