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Design ideas to liven up colourbond fence/retaining wall

This long 10-metre corridor is beige overload! It’s perfect for a spot of backyard cricket after Christmas lunch but I’d love to be able to use it all year round and add some life and character to the space. I am looking for suggestions to pretty up the area, especially the dominant 10m long stretch of colourbond fence. I’m not much of a gardener, so was thinking of the following low maintenance options:

- Unreal trellis installation

- Decorative panels

- Bamboo panels

Anyone have any better ideas?

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Decorating

Landscaping

Fencing and Screening

Comments

EricL

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Tine. It's great to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about how to liven up your Colourbond fence.

Adding features and enhancements to a fence line is a great way to give it a fresh new look. The items you mentioned like Bamboo, Un-real trellis, and Matrix panels are perfect examples of coverings you can use for your upgrade. Giving your fence line a fresh new look depends on what you want to achieve. Were you after a specific look and feel? Are you planning to put outdoor furniture in that area as a relaxation/reading retreat?

Here is a handy step-by-step guide: How to design your outdoor room

Here is a link for ideas and inspiration: Top 10 most popular fence projects

Here are some amazing fence projects our Workshop members have shared.

Let me tag our experienced members @Adam_W and @craftyhopper for their recommendations.

If you need more advice or information, please let us know.

Eric

Tine

Hi @ProjectPete and @MitchellMc I’m a rookie, and your tips have been great for my first attempt at a DIY project! I’m attempting to attach an Unreal Hedge Trellis to my colourbond fence. I’ve got the H3 timber boards and Tek screws ready to go.
I need your advice to figure out exactly where the screws should go through the fence. I’ve marked a red dot in the attached photo where I was thinking of placing the screw, but I’m concerned that the curved inside of the colourbond fence (visible in the side angle picture with a red line where the screw would be visible) will mean there are gaps between the screw going through the different layers of the colourbond fence. What is the best spot on the fence to insert the screw/s? Is it okay if the screw is visible where the red line is?

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/16682#Comment_16682

Hi @Tine,

You'll only need to screw through the two layers of steel and not into that angled section. Select a Tek screw that is only 15-20mm longer than your H3 timber boards. The screw will go through the board, the vertical post and then the bottom rail. The two layers of steel will easily support your board and Unreal Hedge. There's no need to screw through the sheet as well.

Regarding the best location to mount the timber, it might be an idea to screw it into the bottom rail instead of the post. If you screw it into the post, the timber will be raised above the bottom rail. However, if you screw it into the bottom rail, you could fix it at several locations along the length of the timber. Just remember to screw into the bottom rail in the areas where the sheet contours away from it. Otherwise, your screws will penetrate the other side of the fence. I've marked a red dot where you can screw and a red box with an X where you shouldn't.

Hopefully, @ProjectPete can jump into the discussion and give his thoughts as well.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Tine

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/70927#Comment_70927

Brilliant thanks @MitchellMc! I’ll give it a go 🤞

Tine

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/70927#Comment_70927

Hi @MitchellMc follow up question… there’s still a gap (marked with a red line in below photo) between the fence and the timber board where your suggesting screw mounting location is. What am I doing wrong?

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/98680#Comment_98680

HI @Tine

Thank you for posting the photo update. It seems the timber is just a bit longer than the gap between posts. I suggest cutting a half lap cut into the timber so that it sits inside between the posts. Let me tag my colleague @MitchellMc and see if he has other ideas for mounting the timber. It's great that you've started your fence project. Any updates while installing it would be much appreciated.

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing your new fence cover.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/98680#Comment_98680

Hi @Tine,

My intention was that the timber be cut to length to fit in between the posts. It will then sit flat against the bottom rail instead of creating this gap you've experienced. Alternatively, you can just screw through it as is or into the posts. Don't do the screws up too tightly or they will start pulling the timber towards the bottom rail or stripping out of the steel.

Mitchell

Tine

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/116098#Comment_116098

Thanks Mitch. I might look at getting the boards cut to size at Bunnings then. They are in a location that gets very windy, so I want to make sure they stay as secure as possible through storms etc.

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