Fencing guide
How it compares with standard palings, what published guides say it costs, and when it's worth paying for.
The styles differ in how the palings meet and what happens at the top.
| Style | How the palings sit | Privacy as timber shrinks | Look | Timber used | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butted (standard) | Edge to edge, one row | Thin gaps can open as palings dry | Plain; paling tops exposed | Least | Side and back boundaries on a budget |
| Capped only | Butted, with capping along the top | Gaps can still open | Straight, finished top | A little more | A tidier look for less |
| Lapped | Overlapping, in one row or two staggered rows | Overlap hides shrinkage gaps | Textured, with shadow lines | More palings | Where privacy matters |
| Lapped and capped | Lapped, plus capping and often a trim board | Stays closed | Finished, premium look | Most | Street-facing and entertaining areas |
Why gaps appear: timber shrinks and swells as its moisture content changes (WoodSolutions), and palings are often still drying when they go up. Timber Queensland's fencing guidance recommends lapped palings where full privacy is wanted.
The capping is a board fixed along the top, over the paling and post tops, often with a narrower trim board just below it. It does two jobs.
The plinth at ground level keeps paling ends off the soil and closes the gap underneath for pets. For heights and post spacing, see our paling fence height and post spacing guide.
Standard lapped and capped is single-sided: one neighbour gets the finished face and the other sees the posts and rails. A double-sided fence puts palings on both faces of the rails, with capping across the full width, so neither side sees the frame.
We don't publish a per-metre rate, because the right number depends on your boundary. Here is what one published market guide says.
| Style | Published installed range (Melbourne, per metre) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 1.8m treated pine paling | $84 to $115 | What's The Damage, Oct 2026 |
| Paling with exposed posts and capping | $105 to $145 | What's The Damage, Oct 2026 |
| Lapped and capped | $135 to $180 | What's The Damage, Oct 2026 |
| Hardwood palings and posts | $170 to $200 | What's The Damage, Oct 2026 |
| Removal of the existing fence (extra) | $15 to $40 | What's The Damage, Oct 2026 |
Market ranges, not our prices. Supply-and-install for a straightforward run on flat ground with clear access. The source doesn't state whether GST is included, so check that on every quote you compare.
A published range describes an easy job at a basic spec. A quote above it isn't automatically a rip-off, and one at the bottom isn't automatically a bargain. The difference is mostly hidden once the fence is up: posts, footings, rails and how the capping is fixed. We build on hardwood posts set in concrete with three rails, under a registered building practitioner, and that costs more than a basic build. See how to compare fence quotes and the paling fence cost guide.
Enter your address, draw the fence line, and get a free online instant estimate (GST inclusive). Pick lapped and capped, choose 1.8m, 2.0m or 2.1m, and tell it what's there now so removal shows as its own line. Your on-site measure and written quote are free, with no obligation and no deposit to book.
Get my instant estimate →| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No see-through gaps as the timber shrinks | Costs more than a butted fence |
| Finished top line and better street appeal | More timber surface to paint or stain |
| Capping helps protect the paling ends from rain | Heavier, so posts and footings matter more |
| A closed face and plinth suit dogs and small pets | Capping must be fixed properly to the top rail or it can lift and twist |
| A neater fence for the neighbour (fully, if double-sided) | Not needed on every back boundary |
On a shared boundary, the Fences Act 1968 (Vic) means neighbours generally share the cost of a sufficient dividing fence. The Victorian Government's guidance says that for homes, "a sufficient dividing fence might be a 1.8 metre timber paling fence".
It's worth it when the fence is seen, privacy matters, or you're staying put. Check:
Weighing timber against steel? See Colorbond vs timber or our Colorbond fencing page.
Matching lapped and capped gates are available, priced separately and quoted at the free on-site measure. Lapped gates are heavier, so the posts, hinges and bracing need to suit. See our gates page.
We build lapped and capped fences across Melbourne, with most of our work in the south-east near our Heatherton base, plus the eastern suburbs, western suburbs and northern suburbs. Close to home: Heatherton, Mentone, Bentleigh, Hampton and fencing contractors in Brighton.
Lapped and capped is a style of timber paling fence. The palings overlap (lapped), so no see-through gaps open up as the timber dries and shrinks, and a capping board runs along the top (capped) to cover the paling ends. It is the step up from a standard butted fence, where the palings sit edge to edge.
A capped fence has a capping board fixed along the top, over the paling ends and post tops. It helps protect that end grain from rain and gives a straight, finished line. A fence can be capped without being lapped, but in Melbourne the two usually go together.
As a market guide, What's The Damage (Melbourne, October 2026) puts lapped and capped at roughly $135 to $180 per metre installed, against about $84 to $115 for a standard 1.8m treated pine paling fence, for a simple job. Height, posts, double-sided builds, old fence removal, slope, access and gates all move the real price.
Yes. A double-sided fence has palings on both faces of the rails with capping over the top, so neither neighbour sees the posts and rails. It uses more timber and is heavier, so posts and footings matter more. It costs more again than single-sided and is usually priced at the on-site measure.
Not necessarily. In Victoria, neighbours generally share the cost of a sufficient dividing fence, and official guidance gives a 1.8 metre timber paling fence as an example for homes. Whoever wants a higher standard usually pays the difference, unless you both agree to share it. If you can't agree, the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria offers free mediation.
Sometimes, if the top rail sits at the right height and the frame is still sound. On an ageing fence you are putting new timber on an old frame, so a replacement is usually better value. We build new fences rather than retrofit old ones, so a lapped and capped replacement is what we can quote.
Draw your fence line for a free online instant estimate with the lapped and capped option, then book your free, no-obligation on-site measure and written quote. No deposit to book; measures need 24 hours' notice. Vegetation removal and plant protection are not included.
Get my instant estimate → Call 0433 938 540General information only, current at October 2026. Cost-sharing and fence position rules come from the Fences Act 1968 (Vic) and Victorian Government guidance; check with your council or the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria before you act.
Sources: What's The Damage, Timber paling fence cost in Melbourne (October 2026, market ranges); Victorian Government, Fencing in Victoria; Fences Act 1968 (Vic); WoodSolutions, Moisture Guide; Timber Queensland, Technical Data Sheet 20: Residential Timber Fences (2014). This guide is general information, not legal advice.