Frequently Asked Questions

If your Question isn’t shown below then please feel free to contact your local branch via email or telephone. All our contact details can be found on our Branch Locator page.

One of our branch team will respond ASAP.

Please note our branch opening times if you are shopping online, as our branch team will respond to your questions.

Website & Ordering Advice

Yes under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2015 law you have the legal right to cancel your order from the moment it is placed until 14 days from the day you received it. If you have received your order, we will be happy to provide a refund or exchange provided it is in fully re-saleable condition & hasn’t been used in any way. Some exclusions apply e.g. Postmix, Cement, reclaimed sleepers & made to order or ‘special’ purchased items. We may have to charge a collection fee, equal to any delivery charge previously paid, along with a restocking charge up to a maximum of 15% of the value of the returned goods. More details are available at Terms and Conditions

You can call your local branch who will check for you or our website will show if a product is in stock when you click on it. Please note this confirms we have the item at 1 of our branches & may need an extra 3 to 5 days to transfer it to your local branch.

Please see Privacy Notice

Yes, when we take your payment over the phone our sales team will not record or capture any of your sensitive payment details. Our website is secured by Astra & uses an SSL security certificate. This certificate encrypts all communications between you & our website so it cannot be intercepted. All our online payments are secured off our website by EVO & Cardsteam.

It is possible that your card may have been declined due to an incorrect secondary security answer or possibly the order value is higher than your balance or limit. If you still having problems with your online order after a couple of attempts, please contact your local branch at Branch Locator

Delivery & Collection

Within our branch catchment area if you spend over £500 you qualify for free delivery.

Possibly. Our website will confirm if you are out of our delivery area. No payment will be taken but you can still send us your order & we will confirm if we can deliver to you & how much it will cost.

Generally we only deliver to the kerb side or driveway entrance. However, if it’s safe to do so we can sometimes delivery to a requested location. Please enquire when you place your order.

Each of our branches has 4 delivery zones with different prices for each. You can see these zones at Branch Locator

Yes just select this option at Checkout or when you place your order over the phone. Our delivery team will then confirm when your order is ready for collection. Remember you’ll need a vehicle capable of carrying your order!

Product & Timber Advice

Yes, each of our branches has a small workshop offering timber cutting, post mortising & post weathering services. Please contact your local branch at Branch Locator

Yes please see our range of bespoke gates at Bespoke Gates & send us an enquiry on the range you are interested in. Please note you will need to supply accurate measurements & we cannot check these for you.

Whilst our pressure-treated timber shouldn’t require any further treatment you can often paint stain or clean our timber products subject to manufacturer guidelines – please see Woodcare

Knots are present where branches have been cut from the tree before it is peeled and sawn. Knots should be expected on finished products.

Yes, timber used for garden applications is a natural product and will therefore be susceptible to movement and weathering as it seasons. It may develop small splits or warp when it dries. All of this is natural and is not a fault.

Yes please see A Guide To Fencing Terms for Our Guide to Fencing Terms. We have also included an ‘Also known as’ section against certain products on our website.

Yes, in most cases a reinforced concrete repair spur installed next to the leaning fence post or posts will allow you to straighten the fence panel & will last for many years.

A quality garden shed will have many of the following features; pressure treated timber, the roof AND floor machined from 25mm tongue & groove timber not chipboard, heavy duty mineral roof felt, toughened safety glass windows, galvanised hinges & fixings, extra thick framing (35mm x 44mm) & 15mm shiplap

In most cases, you should install concrete or wooden fence posts 2ft or 0.6m into the ground. We recommend gate posts are installed 3ft or 0.9m into the ground

This will vary depending on the size of the hole & type of ground but 1.5 bags should be enough for a single wooden fence post & 2 bags are recommended for a single concrete fence post. Gate posts require a deeper hole, so you should allow at least 3 bags per gate post.

This is a timber that has been treated in a vacuum with the latest generation TANALITH wood preservative. This renowned preservative gives a proven, outstanding performance, particularly for timbers intended for use in ground contact applications. All our in-ground products are graded at the higher British Standard classification of HC4/UC4 making them suitable to be in permanent contact with the ground outside, e.g. timber fence posts.

The process involves placing the timber into a treatment vessel using a vacuum & hydraulic pressure to force the TANALITH preservative deep into the structure of the timber. The resulting timber such as garden fence panels or timber fence posts often has performance warranties of up to 15 years.

The decking boards are made from residues of engineered oak flooring combined with recycled hard plastic such as shampoo bottles, meaning it is a wonderfully eco-friendly alternative to timber.

Composite decking won’t split or rot whilst being designed to look exactly like the wood you would use to build your deck.

Chestnut products have a durable rating: i.e., last 20+ years with ground contact. Most fencing is softwood: this has a perishable rating, i.e., 2-5 years' life. All good fencing companies should offer pressure-treated timber but only the highest quality merchants offer HC4/UC4 class timber. This is one of the highest British Standard classifications & ensures the timber is suitable to be in permanent contact with the ground outside, e.g. timber fence posts or decking joists. This classification extends the product's life to 10 - 15 years.

All Challenge Fencing in-ground timber is classified as HC4/UC4.

Most of our timber products are pressure treated against rot and decay.

It is recommended however, that you apply an appropriate treatment or preservative at regular intervals to maintain the condition of your product. We have a range of suitable treatments in the branches. Search under Woodcare.

Installation

No we only supply fencing, decking & gate materials. However, each of our branches has a list of recommended independent installers you can contact for a quote. Please see Branch Locator

We’ve published a guide here on How To Install Fence Panels & How to Install Featheredge Fencing

If you need any further help, please visit Company Information or contact your local branch sales team who are always happy to offer advice & help. Contact them at Branch Locator

Most fence panels are 6ft (72") wide, or 1.83metres (1830mm). Posts are either 75mm or 100mm wide, so each unit with 2 x fence posts is 1.930metres wide. Therefore, if your fence was 100 meters long, you would need approximately 52 fence panels.

Have you thought of ballast and cement or Post Mix to set your posts in the ground? What about nails, screws or other relevant fixings? Postcaps finish off a post or you can have them specially shaped. Have you thought of putting trellis on top for additional privacy?

A fencer’s graft: that is a long-handled, thin-headed spade for digging deep 2ft 6" x 6" holes. A saw, hammer and a wheelbarrow mostly for mixing the cement and ballast.

Avoid using a post. Try using a wallplate 4"x2" or 3"x2", or something that is 1.5" thick. The best and quickest method of fitting is a masonry nail or an appropriate wall fixing available from our branches.

Not likely. If the total Garden Building Area is less than 50% of your garden plot and does not have a high point higher than 2.5m. This is a guide only, you should always consult your local planning regulations.

It is recommended, preferably the same size as the shed. Otherwise, paving slabs, or wooden bearers or timber that is treated could be used.

A shed usually rots at ground level first, so it is there that you need to look after it first. A concrete base will therefore help preserve your shed.

You can use a post support system. Better to dig a small hole (min. 2ft deep) and set the posts in concrete. While the fence is setting, you can adjust the fence to ensure it is level. We suggest using spirit levels and a string line along the top of the fence for best results. Remember, the eye usually looks at the top of the fence. It is best to get this right first time. Otherwise, you will be looking at an uneven fence horizon for the next decade.

Front of houses have permission from the council for up to 1.0 meter in height, sides and back of houses of up to 2.0 meters in height.

These are the average boundary regulations found at your local council offices. You should always check your local council regulations as they vary from borough to borough.

This will be written in the deeds of the house purchase. You should have a copy of this. If not, try the solicitor who acted for you on the purchase of the house. If you have no joy there, then try the Land Registry.

Alternatively, it is worth putting the question to your neighbour: good neighbourly diplomacy can work wonders. If you are willing to pay for some or all of a neighbour's fence, you may have a say in the design of it.

A rule of thumb is if the framework is on your side, then in most cases the fence belongs to you, or as you are looking out the back of your house to the bottom fence, the left fence is your responsibility!

Trade Customers

Please apply using the form on this page Trade Account

We offer approved Trade Customers an agreed discount on all their orders which increases as you place additional business with us. You are also offered access to our online Trade Portal where you can manage your account, pay your balance & place orders ex VAT & inclusive of your agreed discount.

Yes if you are approved following a credit check.

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