Fence styles
Treated pine, hardwood or cypress; butted, lapped or capped. What each paling fence type is, how long it lasts and what it costs in Melbourne.
Timber durability is rated in four classes under Australian Standard AS 5604. WoodSolutions summarises them as: Class 1 lasts more than 40 years above ground, Class 2 lasts 15 to 40 years, Class 3 lasts 7 to 15 years and Class 4 lasts under 7 years. Palings sit above ground, so their class above ground is what counts; posts sit in the ground, which is far harder on timber.
| Paling | What it is | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Treated pine | Radiata pine pressure treated against decay and termites; palings and rails are treated to H3, posts to H4 | The most common and affordable paling in Melbourne; takes paint or stain well once weathered |
| Hardwood | Eucalypt palings; Timber Queensland's fence data sheet calls for Class 1 or 2 timber above ground | A heavier, harder wearing fence; ask for the species and durability class, as they vary |
| White cypress | An Australian native softwood; WoodSolutions rates its heartwood above 40 years above ground and resistant to termites | A natural look without treatment; the paler sapwood is far less durable, so heartwood matters |
Treated pine palings in Melbourne are mostly 12mm thick and 100mm or 150mm wide. Bunnings sells 150 x 12mm palings in 1.5m, 1.8m and 2.1m lengths, and 100 x 12mm in 1.8m, which line up with the common fence heights. Wider palings mean fewer boards and nails; narrower ones give a finer look. Fences over 2m high need a building permit in Victoria, so most boundary fences are 1.8m or 2.0m. Our guide to paling fence height and post spacing covers the rules.
| Style | How it is built | Privacy |
|---|---|---|
| Butted (plain) | Palings nailed edge to edge on the rails, one layer | Good at first; timber shrinks, so small gaps can open over time |
| Lapped | A second layer of palings nailed over the gaps of the first | Full privacy; Timber Queensland recommends lapping where total privacy is needed |
| Lapped and capped | Lapped palings plus a capping board along the top, often with a trim rail | Full privacy and a finished look; the capping keeps rain off the end grain |
Capping is worth more than looks: WoodSolutions notes that a cap on top reduces how much moisture the timber soaks up, and the paling tops are where rot often starts. Our lapped and capped guide goes into the detail and the price difference.
Palings are only as good as the frame. Timber Queensland's data sheet calls for three rails on fences over 1.2m up to 1.8m, two hot dipped galvanised or stainless nails per paling per rail, and post holes at least 600mm deep for a fence of that height. WoodSolutions suggests about 700mm deep for a 1.8m fence, with the footing about a third of the post height. We set every post in concrete, and our posts are hardwood as standard; see hardwood vs treated pine posts.
A properly built 1.8 m timber paling fence costs at least $189 a metre to deliver in Melbourne, GST included, per the Melbourne Fence Cost Index (November 2026). That specification uses treated pine palings on hardwood posts set in concrete, with three rails and a plinth. Hardwood or cypress palings and lapped and capped styles cost more. Quotes well below $189 a metre usually leave something out: cheaper treated pine posts, no GST, no registered builder or no written warranty. The index is a minimum, not our price. Our paling fence cost guide explains what moves the number, and the free online instant estimate prices your own boundary.
We build paling fences across Heatherton, Cheltenham, Mentone, Bentleigh, Brighton, Sandringham, Glen Waverley, Dandenong, Frankston, Cranbourne and the rest of Melbourne, with a free on-site measure and written quote.
A treated pine paling fence about 1.8m high, with palings butted or lapped on three rails. It is the most affordable timber fence and takes paint or stain well once the timber has weathered.
Durable hardwood and white cypress heartwood both rate above 40 years above ground for the best classes, per WoodSolutions. Treated pine palings are treated to H3 against decay and termites. The posts usually fail before the palings, so post choice matters most.
Butted palings sit edge to edge in one layer, so small gaps can open as the timber shrinks. Lapped palings add a second layer over the gaps for full privacy. Capping adds a board along the top that keeps rain off the end grain.
Treated pine palings in Melbourne are mostly 12mm thick and 100mm or 150mm wide, sold in lengths such as 1.5m, 1.8m and 2.1m to suit common fence heights.
A properly built 1.8 m timber paling fence costs at least $189 a metre to deliver in Melbourne, GST included, per the Melbourne Fence Cost Index (November 2026). Hardwood palings and lapped and capped styles cost more. The index is a minimum, not a quote; the free online instant estimate prices your own boundary.
Yes. Hardwood posts set in concrete are standard on every timber fence we build, because the posts carry the fence and sit in the ground where rot starts.
Start with a free online instant estimate: draw your boundary on a satellite map and see a figure in about 2 minutes. Then book a free, no-obligation on-site measure and written quote. We need 24 hours' notice and there is no deposit to book.
Get my instant estimate → Call (03) 4328 3068General information only, current at November 2026. Price ranges are from the published third-party guides named above and change over time; they are not Expanse Fencing prices. Sources: WoodSolutions, natural durability ratings; WoodSolutions, fencing; WoodSolutions, white cypress; Timber Queensland Technical Data Sheet 20, Residential Timber Fences (March 2014); Bunnings, 150 x 12mm treated pine paling; What's The Damage (timber paling Melbourne, November 2026); The Quote Yard (fencing VIC, April 2026).