Whilst composite fencing may initially prove expensive up against its standard timber cousin, things look a bit different after you do the sums.

Lets pretend your garden has 10no 1.8m x 1.8m timber fence panels. And lets say you are going to paint both sides thoroughly. Each panel is 6.48m2 in total for both sides. for 10 panels that is 64.80m2.

Lets use Ronseal Fence Life pain as the example – currently around £2.40 a litre. Each litre covers 6m2 approx. We are going to need 11 litres to cover the 64.80m2 of 10 panels. That’s £26.40. Great, not too bad.

But how many times have you been able to get away with 1 coat on a tired fence? Reviews for this paint suggest 3 coats are needed. So now the cost is £79.20

This paint is good for 5 years protection, but I think we all know you will be repainting it again before that. Lets say we get 4 years out of the first effort. Composite Fencing has a 20 year guarantee on its colour. So in that time you will have had to repaint your fence 5 times. We are now at £396.

What about time? If painting by brush it could take 10mins per side of a panel, 20 mins to do both sides. We have 10 panels so thats 200 mins in total, plus a tea break of course! And remember, we will probably have to do 3 coats, that 600mins, 10 hours! Minimum wage is £8.91…… Whats your time worth?

10 hours each 4 years on the fence. 50 hours in the lifetime of a Composite Fence Panel. £445 of labour, plus £396 of paint and a bit more for brushes, buckets, sheets and biscuits, you don’t have much change from £900.

We haven’t even mentioned the fact that the timber panel was only guaranteed for 10 years, so will need replacing once more in the lifetime of the composite fencing panels!

Whats a composite fence cost to maintain?

£0 on paint and labour, simply hose down the grass clippings and pigeon poop.

Makes you think doesn’t it!

Have a look at out complete Composite Fencing range here for more info.

Prices correct as of July 2021.