Installing new fence panels

saxonrosecliff

I didn't know whether to put this in greenfingered moneysaving or here but as its more DIY and I defintely don't have green fingers I decided on here!

Some of our fence panels blew down in the wind. We are about to replace them ourselves as we are on a very tight budget. The problem is that our nextdoor neighbour's garden is higher than ours and the previous occupier of our house erected fence panels and gradually as the earth the other side has pushed against them they started to snap at the bottom. So we thought we could install gravel boards with a fence panel on top. We know nothing about this sort of thing so we are wondering whether wood gravel boards would be strong enough and how long they would last and if not what would be the best way to attach concrete gravel boards to the current wooden posts (the posts are all sturdy so there is no point removing them). Is it possible to do it using fence panel clips or is there a better way.

Thanks for your help.

keystone

I had the same problem. Neighbour built up the level of their garden against my fence. Posts rotted and so did the bottom of the panels.

No you can't fix concrete gravel boards to wooden posts easily and in any event your other posts will still rot. Take the timber posts out and use slotted concrete posts (use postfix) to take both concrete gravel boards and the panels. DIY cost me £250 total in materials to replace all posts, boards and panels for a 50 foot run.

Cheers

leveller2911

Agree with Keystone.........

moonpenny

My garden drops down quite a bit lower than next door and I have Concrete fence posts and 2 gravel boards with 4 ft wooden fence on top. Works perfectly.

ormus

my rear neighbours garden is 7ft higher than mine!
i have concrete posts and 4 concrete panels up, then a 3ft fence panel on top.

when it rains heavy, i have nightmares about a scene similar to the swimming pool one in poltergeist.

saxonrosecliff

Thanks for the help. I was hoping to keep the cost down but if the only way we can do it is concrete posts and I'll go with that.