Featheredge vs Lap Panel Fencing: Which is Better?

Lap panels are the pre-built 6x6ft panels you see at every B&Q — overlapping horizontal slats inside a frame. They're the cheap-and-cheerful default for most rental properties and developer builds. Featheredge (also called close-board) is built on site from vertical tapered boards nailed to horizontal arris rails. It's heavier, more solid, and looks the part on a smarter property.

Per linear metre fully fitted with concrete posts and gravel boards:

- Lap panel: £60-£80/m - Featheredge: £85-£115/m

Featheredge is roughly 30-40% dearer. The labour is similar; the materials are heavier and the boards cost more.

Featheredge wins comfortably. A well-fitted featheredge fence with concrete posts and gravel boards will last 20-25 years easily. Lap panels typically need replacing every 8-12 years because the thinner slats warp, split and rot at the edges. Over the life of the fence, featheredge often works out cheaper.

Subjective, but most people prefer featheredge — it looks like a 'proper' fence rather than a shed wall. The vertical boards give a cleaner, more uniform finish, and you can stain it darker for a modern look. Lap panels can look fine if treated and trimmed, but they tend to show their age.

If it's a rental, a back-of-garden fence nobody sees, or you're on a tight budget — lap panels are fine. If it's the main perimeter you see from the house, the front garden, or you're planning to live there for years — go featheredge. You won't regret it.