Hazel fencing

gjautos

My fence has been destroyed by the storm we've just had. So I've started looking at replacements and came across Hazel fencing. (There is also a willow product that looks similar) has anyone used this as a garden fence? It looks really good and would suit my garden, but I'm not sure how strong it would be? 

Obelixx

I think hazel fencing would be more durable than willow but both would be more porous and allow wind flow with less wind resistance than traditional fencing panels.  More attractive too.   

I speak as someone who made a fabulous willow obelisk at a willow weaving class years ago.  It did not survive its first winter outside.

gjautos

Thank you @Obelixx, better wind flow would hopefully be a good thing. And I agree they would be more attractive, I guess they could be repaired easier too? Should one or more of the Hazel sticks snap.

Lizzie27

I don't think either would last more than a couple of years.

gjautos

Lizzie27 said:

I don't think either would last more than a couple of years.

Thanks @Lizzie27. Have you used them or is that because of how they are made?

Lizzie27

@gjautos, no, I haven't used them, apart from the very flimsy rolls of willow screening.
I would imagine that their durability probably depends on how thick they are and how they are constructed. 
I think the fact that you don't often see them used as garden fences speaks for itself.

gjautos

Lizzie27 said:

@gjautos, no, I haven't used them, apart from the very flimsy rolls of willow screening.
I would imagine that their durability probably depends on how thick they are and how they are constructed. 
I think the fact that you don't often see them used as garden fences speaks for itself.

That's probably a fair point. I hadn't  thought of it like that. Maybe I'll ask a local supplier about the longevity.

Dovefromabove

Properly woven willow fencing can last for years and years … these folk do marvellous work. Better than a panel fence any day
https://www.bramptonwillows.co.uk/portfolio/ 😊 

gjautos

https://www.briantsltd.co.uk/product/hazel-hurdle-fencing-screening/

Thanks Dove. This is the one I was looking at. The company are local to me and generally very good. The panels are more than normal fence panels, but I don't mind that if they last a similar amount of time. 

Dovefromabove

The ones I linked to are built in situ and are a very different thing to the woven panels you can buy.

The only ones similar to the panels you show that I’ve ever known were used as sheep hurdles … they dried out quickly and became brittle,  and lasted just a few seasons.  The quality wasn’t great. 

I think I would go and talk to your supplier, look after the panels, ask how long they can be expected to last in your conditions, and ask for the names of satisfied customers who would be happy to show you their fences.  You really can’t tell anything about quality from a website photo.  

Obelixx

The kinds of larch lap fence panels stocked by most DIYs and GCs are easy to make in bulk from wood churned thru saw mills and assembly plants at speed.  They are not very attractive, especially if left that strange orange colour.

A good quality hazel fence can last years but, like everything else, quality is variable so go and see as many as you can in the flesh, so to speak, and don't just go by photos.