Timber has been the default choice for UK garden fences for generations. Composite fencing — made from wood plastic composite (WPC) — costs more upfront. So is it actually worth it? This guide does the honest comparison.
The Short Answer
If you're staying in your property for more than five years: yes, composite fencing is almost always worth it. If you need a cheap temporary fix for two years: timber is probably fine. For anyone else, the numbers strongly favour composite once you look beyond the initial purchase price.
Upfront Cost: Timber Wins
There's no point pretending otherwise. A basic 6ft timber lap panel costs £30–£60 supply-only. A comparable composite panel costs £90–£150. For a typical 10-panel garden fence run, that's roughly £300–£600 for timber versus £900–£1,500 for composite on materials alone.
That gap is real — but it's only part of the picture.
The 10-Year Cost: Composite Wins
Timber fencing isn't a one-time cost. It needs:
- Annual or biannual treatment — stain or preservative, roughly £40–£80 per application for an average garden
- Occasional repairs — broken panels, rotten posts, storm damage
- Full replacement every 7–10 years — even well-maintained timber fencing deteriorates in the UK climate
Add those up over 10 years: £400–£800 in treatments, plus likely one full replacement, and your cheap timber fence has cost £1,200–£2,000 or more. A composite fence installed in year one is still going strong — with a maintenance bill of approximately zero.
Performance in UK Weather
This is where composite pulls clearly ahead. The UK's wet winters, freeze-thaw cycles and UV in summer are brutal on timber. Composite WPC fencing is:
- Fully waterproof — will not absorb moisture, rot or swell
- UV-stabilised — colour holds without fading like untreated wood
- Frost-resistant — will not crack or split in cold temperatures
- Wind-resistant — rigid panels don't warp or bow like timber boards
Maintenance: No Contest
Composite wins outright. Once installed, a WPC fence requires nothing more than an occasional clean with soapy water. No painting. No staining. No annual treatments. No replacing individual rotten panels.
For busy homeowners — which is most of us — the time saving alone is significant. An annual fence treatment typically takes a weekend and costs money in materials. Over 10 years, that's 10 lost weekends.
Appearance Over Time
New timber looks great. The problem is keeping it looking that way. Without treatment, timber greys and deteriorates quickly in the UK. Composite fencing holds its colour far better, though some slight weathering in the first few months is normal as the material settles.
Screen With Envy's WPC panels are available in black, dove grey and cream — all colour-fast and consistent over time.
When Timber Is Still the Right Choice
Composite isn't right for everyone. Timber makes sense when:
- You need a very low upfront cost and won't be at the property long-term
- You're renting and can't justify the investment
- You need an odd size that's difficult to cut composite to
- You prefer a very traditional aesthetic that composite can't replicate
The Verdict
For long-term homeowners who want a fence that looks great and stays that way, composite wins on every metric that matters over a 10-year period: total cost, performance, appearance and time saved. The higher day-one price is the only point in timber's favour.