Black weatherboard

More and more people are choosing a garden wall over a regular fence; there’s no potential for prying eyes, and the noise-insulation is much better, offering greater privacy. In this video, the focus is on building a closed fence, or garden wall, using so-called weatherboards, which measure 1.9 x 19.5 centimetres. These boards are great for creating a garden partition, cladding a shed, or building a canopy wall.

The project in this episode of Gadero TV is a garden wall that uses feather edge rebate: a stackable form of weatherboard. The boards in this clip have been spray-painted in black. The advantage of spray-painting is that the boards retain their colour, unlike immersion-coated boards, which tend to flake and lose their colour quickly. The deep black colour contrasts beautifully with the greenery of the garden for a charming and sophisticated feel.

Building a garden wall

We recommend using sturdy posts (such as 7 by 7 centimetre Azobe hardwood). A garden wall or fully sealed fence is more susceptible to high winds, making a sturdy foundation important. For more installation tips, go to the weatherboard page.

Weatherboard can be installed in various ways. We recommend starting at the bottom, with the thickest side facing down. The boards can be screwed down by a single screw at the top of each board, or two screws per board. For a 2-screw join, install one at a quarter and the second at three quarters of the width of the board.

It is important to observe some space between the boards - about 2 to 3 millimetres of interspace between boards lets the wood expand and contract as it needs to. This expansion and contraction happens as a result of changes in temperature and humidity.

Our final recommendation is to touch up the short ends of the boards with a black wood staining agent, and then treat the fence in full with the same agent. This will enhance the eye-catching look of the fence while enhancing its durability.

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