Quick answer: Hit and miss fence cladding is a slatted timber fence design where boards are fixed alternately on opposite sides of the fence rails, leaving a gap between each board on the front face. The result is full visual privacy with airflow that survives high winds — making it the modern choice for exposed gardens and contemporary fence panels. Boards typically 100mm or 125mm wide × 22mm thick, supplied in 2.4m or 3.6m lengths.
Hit and miss fence cladding boards from Nottage Timber Merchants — slatted timber fencing for contemporary garden boundaries. Treated softwood, cedar, and chestnut options. Trade and retail pricing, fast delivery across South Wales.
What is hit and miss fence cladding?
Hit and miss cladding is a fencing technique where slatted boards are fixed alternately on the front and back faces of horizontal rails. From any single viewing angle the gaps appear closed (giving privacy), but air can pass through the gaps between boards.
This makes it different from standard close-board or feather-edge fencing in three key ways:
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Wind resistance — air passes through, so wind loads are dramatically reduced. Hit and miss survives storms that flatten solid panels.
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Privacy with light — full visual privacy from a perpendicular angle, but daylight passes through, so neither garden feels boxed in.
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Modern aesthetic — clean horizontal slats fit contemporary garden design, especially with cedar or thermowood for natural colour.
Hit and miss cladding sizes
| Board width |
Thickness |
Standard lengths |
Best for |
| 100mm |
22mm |
2.4m, 3.6m |
Tight slat detail, modern look |
| 125mm |
22mm |
2.4m, 3.6m |
Standard hit and miss panels |
| 150mm |
22mm |
2.4m, 3.6m |
Wider slats, fewer fixings |
Boards are supplied planed and rounded for a clean finish. Standard fixing is to 47x100mm rails between fence posts at 1.8m centres.
Timber options for hit and miss fencing
Treated softwood — the standard, cost-effective choice for UK gardens. Pressure-treated for 15-year ground contact. Will silver-grey with age unless oiled annually.
Western Red Cedar — naturally durable, beautiful red-brown colour, dimensionally stable. Premium choice for design-led projects. Will weather to silver-grey gracefully.
Chestnut — sweet chestnut is naturally durable and hard-wearing, popular for rural and traditional installations.
Thermowood — heat-treated softwood with extended durability and a darker tone. Mid-priced alternative to cedar.
How to fit hit and miss cladding
- Set fence posts at 1.8m centres (or 1.83m for standard 6ft rail sections). Use 100x100mm posts for stability.
- Fix three or four horizontal rails between posts (47x100mm or 47x75mm).
- Fix the first board to the front face of the rails, flush to the post.
- Skip a gap roughly the width of the board, then fix the next front-face board.
- From the back face, fix boards to cover the front-face gaps — staggered so each gap is closed visually.
- Use stainless steel or galvanised ring-shank nails or screws — bright steel will rust and stain the boards.
FAQ
Is hit and miss fencing private?
Yes — when boards overlap correctly there is no direct line of sight through the fence. You only see the gaps if you're at a sharp angle to the fence line.
Does hit and miss fencing let wind through?
Yes — and this is the main advantage. Solid fence panels act like sails in high winds and frequently blow over. Hit and miss lets air through the slats, dramatically reducing wind load and survival rate in storms.
How tall can a hit and miss fence be?
Standard heights are 1.8m (6ft) or 2.0m (6'6"). UK planning rules generally allow up to 2m without planning permission, except next to highways where 1m is the limit.
Is hit and miss cladding more expensive than close-board?
Per linear metre, slightly yes — you use roughly 50% more boards because they cover both faces. But the wind resistance means fewer fence repairs, so total cost over 10 years is often lower.
Browse the rest of our timber cladding range, or see our fence panels and fence posts for a complete fencing system.
