How to make a paling fence – Portland Bay Holiday Park

Getting ready for the upcoming holiday season, Portland Bay Holiday Park have been doing lots of work upgrading the gardens and entrance to the park.  This week  a new front paling fence was completed.

Victorians tend to use 150mm and/or 100mm x 12mm thick treated pine palings whilst South Australians prefer 17mm thick palings.   The thinner the paling the more likely to warp or cup in hot summer weather.

This job used hardwood F8 100 x 100 2.7 posts and hardwood 75 x 50 4.8 rails, all treated to hazard level H4 – which is for use outside, in ground.  The hardwood was used for extra strength and the treatment will provide high fungal decay and termite protection.  The palings used were 100mm x 17mm 2.1 high and overlapped on each edge.  The overlapping will prevent gaps occurring when the timber contracts and expands as weather conditions change.

Timber is a natural product and when exposed to the rain, wind and sun it can warp, twist, cup and split.  However if the timber is securely fixed with good galvanized fixings, proper spacing of the posts and the palings overlapped these problems can be eliminated and your fence will last for years to come.  The use of fence capping also ensures integrity, decreases weather damage and looks great.

CCA treated timber will weather naturally when exposed to the elements, eventually from its pale green colour to a pleasing driftwood grey.

View more photos of landscaping, fencing &  improvements you can do these holidays on our facebook page.

by Tammy Whitehead, Whiteheads Timber Sales Portland