Fencing guide
How tall a paling fence should be, how far apart the posts go, and what the rails, plinth and capping actually do, from a registered building practitioner.
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Get my instant estimate →Height is the first decision for a paling fence, and it drives privacy, price and paperwork.
| Height | Typical use | Privacy | Permit note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5m | Front sections and low side returns | Partial | The usual limit for a timber or steel fence within 3m of the street |
| 1.8m | The Melbourne standard for side and rear boundaries | Good | Generally no permit, unless within 3m of the street or near a corner |
| 2.0m | Extra privacy inside the permit exemption | Better | Right at the 2m limit, so the finished height matters |
| 2.1m | Two-storey neighbours, a pool or lane next door | Best | Over 2m: normally a building permit, and depending on the siting rules possibly council report and consent. A registered building surveyor confirms |
On many quotes, 1.8m describes the length of the palings. A plinth is typically 120 to 125mm tall and capping about 35 to 38mm thick, so as a rough example, 1.8m palings above a plinth finish at about 1.9 to 1.95m, and capping takes that close to 2m. That matters at the 2m permit line, so ask for the finished height in writing. Our written quotes spell it out.
Council guidance generally treats fence height as measured from natural ground level at its base to its highest point (corner fences are measured above the footpath), so the plinth, capping and any lattice on top all count. On a slope, on a retaining wall or where the ground is higher on one side, the measurement can differ, so if you are close to 2m your council or a registered building surveyor decides. Our fence permit guide covers front fences, corner blocks and pool barriers in full.
Posts carry the whole fence. There is no Australian Standard or grading requirement for fencing timber (Timber Queensland's residential fence data sheet says so), so it pays to know the published recommended practice.
Most paling fences have posts about 2.1m to 2.4m apart, centre to centre, and the rails set the limit. Timber Queensland's Technical Data Sheet 20 allows a 2.4m span only with deeper rails (100 x 38mm hardwood, 90 x 35mm treated pine), and 2.1m with smaller ones. Each rail should run across two bays with the joints staggered, so wide spacing on skinny rails is a shortcut worth asking about.
Closer spacing earns its keep on taller fences and windy sites. A 2.1m fence catches more wind than a 1.8m one, and exposed bayside suburbs like Mentone can get more of it. The data sheet only covers fences up to 1.8m and recommends professional advice for higher fences or poor soils: in practice, closer posts, bigger posts or deeper footings.
| Member | Hardwood | Treated pine |
|---|---|---|
| Intermediate posts | 100 x 75mm | 90 x 70mm |
| Corner and gate posts | 100 x 100mm | 90 x 90mm |
| Rails, posts up to 2.1m apart | 75 x 38mm | 70 x 45mm |
| Rails, posts up to 2.4m apart | 100 x 38mm | 90 x 35mm |
| Plinth | 125 x 38mm (durability class 1) | 120 x 35mm |
| Capping | 125 x 38mm | 120 x 35mm |
Typical sizes for a domestic paling fence up to 1.8m, from Timber Queensland Technical Data Sheet 20 (revised March 2014). Taller fences and exposed sites may need more.
For fences between 1.2m and 1.8m the same sheet sets posts about 600mm into the ground, in holes at least 300mm across, with gravel in the bottom for drainage and the concrete sloped away from the post to shed water. Treated pine (and any hardwood sapwood) should be at least H4 for posts and plinths and at least H3 for palings, rails and capping, while hardwood posts should be in-ground durability class 1 or 2. Post length is the finished height plus the depth in the ground, so a taller fence needs longer posts, not just longer palings.
We use hardwood posts set in concrete as standard; our hardwood vs treated pine posts guide covers the trade-offs. Gate posts carry more load than line posts, and gates are priced separately.
Three. Timber Queensland's sheet allows two rails only on paling fences up to 1.2m high; from 1.2m to 1.8m it needs three, so every standard boundary height sits in three-rail territory. The middle rail holds the palings flat as the timber dries and moves; without it, palings bow and twist. The top and bottom rails should sit within 100mm of the paling ends, and for lapped (sound) fences the sheet recommends an extra rail to cut movement and gapping.
Rail count is one of the fastest ways to compare two quotes: a two-rail 1.8m fence is cheaper because it is a lesser fence. Our guide to comparing fence quotes and paling fence cost guide cover the other line items to check.
In Melbourne the everyday paling is treated pine about 150mm wide and 12mm thick, sold in lengths that match the fence: 1.5m, 1.8m and 2.1m. Timber Queensland lists 100 x 15mm and 75 x 15mm as common sizes, and sizes vary by supplier, so check the spec on your quote. Each paling should be fixed to each rail with two galvanised or stainless steel nails.
| Type of paling fence | How it is built | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Butted (standard) | Palings fixed side by side in one layer | Value. Small gaps open up as the timber dries |
| Lapped | A second layer of palings covers the gaps in the first | Privacy that holds as the timber shrinks |
| Lapped and capped | Lapped, plus a capping board along the top | Privacy, a finished look and protected paling tops |
| With plinth | Any style above, with a kickboard along the bottom | Dogs, garden beds and damp ground |
Timber shrinks as it dries, so a butted fence that looks solid on day one can show thin gaps within months. That is normal, not a defect, and it is why Timber Queensland recommends lapping where total privacy is the goal. The full comparison is in our lapped and capped fence guide.
Enter your address, draw the fence line, and get a free online instant estimate. Your on-site measure and written quote are free, with no obligation and no deposit to book.
Get my instant estimate →A plinth (also called a kickboard) is a horizontal board fixed to the posts along the bottom of the fence, under the palings. It keeps paling ends off damp soil, stops soil and mulch building up against the timber, slows dogs that dig, and gives a straight bottom line on uneven ground. WoodSolutions advises stepping timber within 400mm of the ground up to H4 or class 1 hardwood, which is why a plinth is treated like a post, not a paling. It adds roughly its own height, about 120 to 125mm, to the fence.
Capping is a board fixed along the top rail, flush with the posts and palings, with its top sloped to shed water. It protects the end grain of the palings, where weathering starts, and gives a finished edge.
Lattice, slat or woven extensions on top of a paling fence are a popular way to add privacy. The total height counts, measured from the ground, so an extension that takes the fence over 2m normally needs a building permit, and the siting rules for fences over 2m apply. A dividing fence usually belongs to both neighbours, so council fact sheets advise agreeing before altering it, and the neighbour who wants the extra height normally pays the difference. An existing fence was also not built for the extra height and wind load, so its posts need to be sound first.
Start with a conversation. If that goes nowhere, your council's building department can tell you whether a permit was issued and whether the fence complies, and the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria offers free help with neighbour disputes. Local rules for our home councils are in our Kingston, Bayside and Glen Eira fence rules guide.
The Fences Act 1968 does not set a height for dividing fences. Instead, neighbours contribute equally to a "sufficient dividing fence", judged on the existing fence, how the land is used, reasonable privacy and security, and the fences common in the area. For a residential block, the Victorian Government gives a 1.8m timber paling fence as an example of what might be sufficient. If one neighbour wants something taller or more expensive, that neighbour pays the difference, unless you both agree to share it.
Our free Fencing Notice tool helps you start the formal process, and the who pays for a dividing fence guide walks through it step by step.
We build timber paling fences across Melbourne from our Heatherton base, covering south east Melbourne, the eastern suburbs, the northern suburbs and the western suburbs. Home turf includes Heatherton, Mentone and Bentleigh, and we are the local fencing contractors for Brighton and Cheltenham too. Prefer steel? See our Colorbond fencing page and Colorbond in south east Melbourne.
1.8m is the standard height for a side or rear paling fence in Melbourne, and the Victorian Government gives a 1.8m timber paling fence as an example of a sufficient residential dividing fence. 2.0m and 2.1m are common privacy upgrades. On many quotes the 1.8m describes the paling length, so with a plinth underneath the finished fence often sits closer to 1.9 to 2.0m. Ask for the finished height in writing.
Typically up to about 2.4m apart, centre to centre, and often closer. The rail size sets the limit: Timber Queensland's residential fence data sheet allows a 2.4m span only with deeper rails such as 100 x 38mm hardwood, and a 2.1m span with smaller 75 x 38mm hardwood rails. Taller fences, windy sites and poor soils suit closer spacing, bigger posts or deeper footings.
A side or rear boundary fence up to 2m generally needs no building permit in Victoria, while a timber or steel fence within 3m of the street is generally limited to 1.5m (2m on declared main roads) and a fence within 9m of a street corner to 1m above the footpath. Above those heights a building permit is normally needed, so read our fence permit guide and check with your council before building higher.
Yes, but 2.1m is over the 2m permit exemption, so it normally needs a building permit. The Building Regulations 2018 also apply siting rules to fences over 2m, covering setbacks, how much tall fence can sit on a boundary, and daylight and overshadowing for the neighbours, and some designs need council report and consent. A registered building surveyor confirms what your block needs.
Three rails for any paling fence over 1.2m tall, which covers every standard 1.8m, 2.0m and 2.1m boundary fence. Two rails are only adequate up to about 1.2m. The middle rail stops palings bowing and twisting as the timber dries, so a two-rail quote on a full-height fence is not a like-for-like price.
A plinth, or kickboard, is a horizontal board fixed to the posts along the bottom of the fence, under the palings. It keeps paling ends off damp soil, stops soil and mulch rotting the fence, slows dogs that dig, and gives a straight bottom line. It is usually about 120 to 125mm tall, so it can add roughly that much to the finished height.
Start with the free online instant estimate, then book your free, no-obligation on-site measure and written quote. We measure the line, check the slope, and confirm the finished height before anything is ordered. Measures need 24 hours' notice, and there is no deposit to book. Gates are priced separately, old fence removal is itemised on your quote, and vegetation removal and plant protection are not included.
Get my instant estimate → Book a free measure Call 0433 938 540General information only, current at October 2026. Heights, spacings and sizes above are typical figures from published industry guidance, not a specification for your property; soil, wind, slope and height all change the right answer. Permit and siting rules come from the Building Regulations 2018, planning schemes and title restrictions such as covenants, so confirm your block with your local council or a registered building surveyor. For a disagreement with a neighbour, check with the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria.
Sources: Fencing in Victoria (vic.gov.au); the Fences Act 1968 (Vic); the Building Regulations 2018 (Vic), Part 5 fence siting rules (regulations 89 to 96) and Schedule 3 permit exemptions; the Building and Plumbing Commission's Practice Note BP 01: When is a building permit required; Frankston City Council's fencing legislation fact sheet; Timber Queensland Technical Data Sheet 20, Residential Timber Fences (revised March 2014); WoodSolutions, Preservative treatments and use classes; Before You Dig Australia; the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria. This guide is general information, not legal advice.