Fencing in Wicklow, from the coast to the hills.
Fencing in Wicklow means building for two different places: the coastal towns of Bray, Greystones, Wicklow town and Arklow, where the wind and salt come off the sea, and the hill country inland around Blessington, Baltinglass and Rathdrum, where gardens slope and the ground is full of stone. We cover both, with the same crew pricing and building the fence.
On the Wicklow coast a fence has to cope with wind straight off the sea and salt in the air, while inland the problem is slope and stone.
We put up closeboard, panel, picket and composite fencing and gates across the county, every post concreted at least 600mm down, with galvanised fittings on the gates.
Tell us where you are and what the boundary is like. The look is free and the written quote arrives within 48 hours.
Fencing on the Wicklow coast.
Bray, Greystones, Kilcoole, Wicklow town and Arklow all face east onto the Irish Sea, and a back garden a few streets from the seafront can still take an easterly gale with nothing to break it. A fence there has to cope with sudden gusts, not only steady wind. Panels flex under a gust and work loose in their fixings over a few winters. Closeboard is built in place, with every board nailed to the rails, so it moves less and has fewer weak points.
Salt is the second issue. Metal fittings near the sea corrode faster than the same fittings in a sheltered inland garden. This is why the hinges, latches and bolts we fit to gates are galvanised, and why the gate hardware is worth looking at closely on any coastal quote, ours or anyone else's. Composite boards are another option by the coast, because there is no timber in the face to stain or treat again after a salty winter.
Slopes, stone and hillside gardens inland.
Away from the coast, Wicklow rises into the mountains, and towns like Blessington, Baltinglass, Rathdrum and Aughrim have gardens that are rarely level. A fence on a slope can be stepped, so each panel sits level and drops a little at every post, or it can follow the fall of the ground. Closeboard handles the second approach well, because the boards are fixed one by one and the bottom line can follow the ground without leaving gaps. Panels have to be stepped, and the triangle of open space under each step is filled with a gravel board.
The ground can also be hard going. In parts of the county granite and loose stone sit close to the surface, and a post hole that would be a quick dig in a Dublin garden can hit rock part of the way down. We check on the walk-around where we can, and the quote says how a hole that meets stone will be dealt with, so the day of the build does not bring a surprise. The 600mm minimum still applies. A post that is not deep enough is the first thing to fail on an exposed hillside.
Choosing a fence for a Wicklow boundary.
There is no single right fence for the county. A sheltered garden in an estate in Greystones or Newtownmountkennedy can take a panel fence perfectly well. An exposed coastal plot or a boundary halfway up a hill is a better match for closeboard on concrete posts. Picket suits a low front boundary on a cottage or terrace. Composite costs more than timber at the start but needs no staining, and that matters on a boundary that is hard to reach, such as one running along a steep bank.
- 01Closeboard for exposed coastal and hillside boundaries
- 02Panel fencing for sheltered gardens between neighbouring houses
- 03Concrete posts where the wind is strong or panels may need replacing later
- 04Gravel boards wherever the fence sits on soil or grass
- 05Side and garden gates with galvanised hinges, latch and drop bolt
Getting materials onto the site.
Hillside gardens and narrow coastal terraces both make access the part people forget. Posts, concrete, boards and panels all have to be carried from the van to the line, and on a steep garden that takes time. The old fence has to come out the same way. We look at the route on the visit and include it in the price, so nothing gets added afterwards.
Where we cover in Wicklow.
We cover the coast from Bray and Enniskerry south through Greystones, Delgany, Kilcoole, Newtownmountkennedy, Wicklow town, Rathnew and Arklow. Inland we cover Ashford, Rathdrum and Aughrim, and in the west we go over the hills to Blessington, Dunlavin and Baltinglass. If you are outside those towns, ring and ask. Looking at the boundary is free anywhere in the county.
From the call to the photos.
The same crew looks at the job, quotes it and does it. You get before and after photos when it is finished.
- First01.
Look at the line and the ground.
We measure with a tape and string line, test any posts already in place, and note the slope, the exposure and the route to carry materials in.
- Then02.
Written quote within 48 hours.
The quote names the style, height and post type, explains how the fence handles any slope, and covers access and removal of the old fence.
- Next03.
Build.
The old fence comes out. Each new post is concreted with a fall on top so water runs off, then the fence goes up stepped or following the ground as agreed.
- Last04.
Finish and clear up.
Timber gets a treatment or stain coat, gates are hung and adjusted, the old material leaves with us, and you get photos from before and after.
Where we draw the line.
We install fencing and gates on house boundaries across Wicklow. A fence is not a retaining structure, so where a bank needs holding back, that has to be dealt with before a fence goes on top, and we will say so on the visit. Walls in block or stone are landscaping work, which we can quote separately. Anything above two metres on a boundary usually needs planning permission, and we will mention it before pricing. Where the boundary line is disputed, you and your neighbour need to agree it first.
Fencing questions.
Anything else, ring 085 781 4603.
What is the best fence for a windy coastal garden in Wicklow?
On an exposed site near the sea, closeboard on concrete posts usually lasts longest, because it is built in place and has no panel joints to work loose. Galvanised fittings on the gate matter more by the coast than they do inland.
Can you put a fence up on a sloping garden?
Yes. A panel fence is stepped down the slope with gravel boards filling the gaps underneath. A closeboard fence can follow the line of the ground instead. We show you both on the walk-around.
What happens if you hit rock digging the post holes?
It happens in parts of Wicklow. We look for it on the visit, and the quote explains how a hole that meets stone will be handled, so you know the plan before work starts.
Do you cover Blessington and west Wicklow?
Yes, as well as the coast. We cover Blessington, Dunlavin, Baltinglass and the villages around them, and there is no charge for coming out to look.
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Get your job priced properly.
Tell us what needs doing and where. Free site visit, then one written price inside 48 hours, with no pressure to go ahead.