DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi guys, I'm proposing to erect a fence using wooden panels and concrete posts & gravel boards. The ground is level and is covered with soil. My question is... how many inches above ground level should the tops of the gravel boards be, to maximise the lifespan of the panels by keeping them as dry as possible? Is there an accepted norm, or does it boil down to a choice between protecting the panels (by sitting the gravel boards on the ground, thus raising the panels well above the ground) or hiding the gravel boards by sinking them into the ground?

you can bury them in the ground or double them up, it does not matter they wont rot

Hi, and thanks for the reply. But I'm not worried about about concrete gravel boards rotting - I'm worried about protecting the panels, and whether sinking the gravel boards will shorten their lives. To put it another way - how far above ground level should the bottom edge of the panels be?

Normally you would leave a 75 - 100 mm gap between the ground and the cladding if no gravel boards are used (generally applies to steel palisade, feather edge and close board fences).

If you have 6 or 12 inch gravel boards to put between slotted posts then the entire gravel board rests on ground level - you would dig in one end on a slope generally and step the fence down the slope.