Gravel boards not only complete the look of your fencing, they also protect any wooden fencing from rot and premature decay so ensure the correct gravel board is installed.
Installing timber gravel boards
Timber gravel boards always look good and when pressure-treated gravel boards are extra long-lasting. Boards for fence panels are installed using cleats. Cleats are a small block of wood measuring approximately 150mm x 50x25mm. The cleat is first nailed to the post at the required depth from the face of the post. This is usually about 22mm to allow the gravel board to be flush with the face of the post, but this is down to preference. The gravel board is then nailed onto the face of the cleat, completing the installation.
Timber gravel boards for closeboard fence are installed using drilled cleats. Drilled cleats are a small block of wood measuring approximately 150mm x 50x25mm with two holes one above the other drilled through. The cleat is first bolted onto the concrete post.
The suggested bolt for this would be M8/M10 x 180mm if a cleat is being attached on both sides of the post. If only one cleat is being attached then a M8/M10 x 160mm is suggested.
Installing concrete gravel boards
If you’re opting for concrete gravel boards, they look good when fixing fence panels between matching concrete posts. The huge plus point is that they will last, and protect wooden fencing, for decades. And they only need a quick wash down to keep algae off every year or so. When installing concrete gravel boards that are used with panel fencing are simply slotted into the slotted posts.
Concrete gravel boards that are used with concrete morticed posts for closeboard fencing are attached using two pin push-in cleats. The cleats simply slot into the post using two holes located near the bottom of the post and then the gravel board is simply bolted onto cleats, usually using M8x80 or M10x80 bolts and appropriate washers.
Some concrete posts have three holes, this allows the option to move the position of the gravel board on the fence post. This, however, may mean that an ‘odd’ size of featheredge is required, which we may not stock. This will also have an effect on the distance between the bottom arris rail and the gravel board. Other concrete posts have four holes which allows the option of using two gravel boards if required.
Because of the length of the gravel board, the centre is supported by a centre stump, which is attached by a coach screw and washer through a hole in the gravel board. The centre stump also attaches to the bottom arris rail, giving the whole structure rigidity. This is attached simply by nailing through the centre stump into the arris rail.
