Wire or timber fencing: which suits your block?
They're not really a straight contest, they're built for different jobs. Here's how we'd talk it through on site.
People sometimes ask us to compare wire and timber like it's a straight contest, but they're really built for different jobs. The right one comes down to what you're trying to get out of the fence. Here's how we'd talk it through on site.
Timber (paling and batten)
Best when you want privacy. Timber closes the block off. Paling and batten run solid or near-solid, so you don't see through them and neither do the neighbours or the street. If the goal is a private backyard, timber's the natural pick.
The look: warm, classic, suits most homes. It can be stained or painted to whatever finish you want, and hardwood batten in particular is the one people notice.
Worth knowing: it's a natural material, so it weathers and will generally want more upkeep over its life than steel or wire. Built properly with deep posts and good materials, it lasts a long way. Built cheap, it doesn't.
Wire (and mesh)
Best when you want to keep the view and the openness. Wire sits back into the landscape instead of walling it off. On a coastal or bush block where the whole point is the outlook, wire lets you mark the boundary without losing what you're looking at. It's also the practical choice for larger or rural-style blocks and for keeping animals in or out.
The look: low-key and unobtrusive. It doesn't dominate the way a solid fence does, which is exactly what some people want.
Worth knowing: it gives you next to no privacy, that's the trade-off for the open feel. If you want the view and some screening, that's where mixing materials comes in.
So which one?
Rough guide from what we build around Anglesea and the coast:
- Want a private, closed-off backyard? Timber.
- Want to keep the view, the openness, or fence a bigger or rural block? Wire.
- Want to keep animals contained without walling everything off? Wire, often with extra height or buried mesh (that's our pet-proofing work).
- Want a bit of both? We build mixed-material fences, for example wire with a timber screen where you need privacy, open wire where you want the view.
There's no "better" here, they're just for different jobs. Tell us what you're after and we'll point you at what actually suits your place.
Where we fit in
We'll come and measure up, talk through what suits your block and your budget, and give you a fixed quote. Call us on 0422 258 131, or have a look through our gallery to see both wire and timber in the flesh.