Beams & Timber

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The easiest way to start is by drawing a fence layout plan, it doesn’t need to be to scale or detailed. Simply draw lines showing distances between fixed points such as ends, gateways, changes in direction etc. We can then calculate what you need and provide you with an exact quote. For budgeting purposes, we can give you indicative per-meter rates. This will help you determine the post and rail combination that fits your desired look and budget. Please complete the enquiry form, and we will get back to you with further details which you can reply to attaching your fencing plan.

Our lead times vary depending on the materials required. Our most popular styles we try to keep in stock, although often we have been unable to keep up with demand for the product to have in stock.

Also depends on our current workload and forward orders we already have on the books. Please contact us and once we know the materials required we will be able to give you an indication.

We supply to all areas of New Zealand. The majority is in the North Island due to high freight costs to deliver to the South Island.
There are multiple variables that effect the cost per metre of the fence. These include size of fence posts used, no. of rails, rail size & length, finished height of fence, fence layout etc. Please contact us to work out your fence specifications / layout and we can provide you with an exact cost for the materials required.

Our posts come in 125mm x 125mm, 150mm x 150mm, 200mm x 200mm, 250mm x 250mm, 300mm x 300mm and 400mm x 400mm. We also have our 1 rail, 2 rail, 3 rail and 4 rail options. Rail sizes are 150mm x 50mm and 200mm x 50mm which come in both 1.8m and 2.0m lengths. You can download the catalogue here, which shows all the options available. We also provide custom options, please discuss with us today.

It depends on the number of rails used, standardly our 1 rail system is 0.6m out of ground, 2 rail system is 0.9m out of ground and the 3 & 4 rail system 1.2m out of ground. Some people may install the posts further into the ground, reducing the gap under the bottom rail and the finished height. We also have custom options available, please talk to us today so we can help your vision become a reality.

This varies depending on the post size and rail length used. The rail rebates go 35mm into the post, so the post size will effect the post centre. Please see a table below for our commonly used options, if what you have in mind is outside of this please contact us to discuss.

Post Centres Table
Post Size Used Rail Length Used
1.8m 2.0m
125mm x 125mm 1.85m 2.05m
150mm x 150mm 1.88m 2.08m
200mm x 200mm 1.93m 2.13m
250mm x 250mm 1.98m 2.18m
300mm x 300mm 2.02m 2.22m

Yes we do, however we recommend using rail lengths not longer than 2.0m. There are two main reasons – you are more likely to have issues with rails twisting or warping the longer the length you use and also gives the fence more of a stretched out look when using 2.4m rails for example.

We mainly use longer rails only when a fence section required is slightly longer than can be achieved using 1.8m or 2.0m rails, in this case we will use a longer rail just for that section rather than two short sections. We don’t recommend using longer rails for the entire fence and our guarantee does not cover the rails in this instance.

It depends on the no. of rails used. You can see the specifications of each in our catalogue or under the related no. of rails page under Intelock Fencing on the website.

Yes the fence posts are CCA H4 treated for in ground contact and the rails are CCA H3.2 treated for above ground protection.

Treatment levels required varies with the use of the timber. For timber that is put in or on the ground then you will need an H4 treatment i.e. the posts. For timber used in an outdoor situation but not in contact with the ground then you need an H3.2 treatment i.e. the rails

To simplify timber grading the top grade of timber is called ‘clears’ followed by No 1 grade, No 2 grade, Merch grade and finally the lowest grade, is box grade. Our timber used to produce the fence is from both clears and the top end of No 1 grade compared to a normal post and rail fence which is a merch grade. The grades differ visually (i.e. in the number and size of knots) and strength/movement wise (because of the knots and the age of the trees that the timber is milled from)

Usually, no fixings are required for the rails in the post. In some cases it may pay to put one screw under the rail into the post i.e. if a rail has been adjusted to come into the post on an angle or attached to a gate post for stability.

Yes you can make onsite adjustments to the rail rebate and the end of the rail to enter the post at most angle’s.

Absolutely, as above, on site adjustments need to be made to the rail rebate and end of the rail. With the adjustments you should be able to handle any slope or undulating ground easily.

You sure can, as long as the curve your intending to do isn’t too tight, you can form nice curves in the fence line. A trick for install is to lay down something on the ground to map out the curve to follow, for example some flexible piping with some rigidity like Alkathene.

No, the rail rebate is 35mm deep. Other companies go right through the post, however this does weaken the post quite a bit and usually means there needs to be a greater gap allowance required for the rails to slide through the post, causing the finish to not be as refined. Further some find it more difficult to install when the rebate goes right through the post, especially when dealing with slopes or curves.

You can easily paint or stain our fences, gates or bollards. We usually recommend to wait at least 2 – 3 months after install to give time for the timber to settle in before painting or staining. If you wish to do prior to install, we would recommend letting the posts dry to 25% moisture content or lower before applying.

We would also recommend using paint or stain that is designed for purpose and contains elemental protection (i.e. helps prevent moss or similar build up on the fence).

Short answer, no. This is for 2 reasons, firstly post ramming bruises the timber, disfiguring the posts and sometimes splitting the timber open, where water can get in and start to rot the post. Secondly the posts must be placed precisely in position for the rails to slot in and give a good straight line. We recommend a post hole borer (min 200mm auger for the 125 x 125 posts) and backfill, hand ramming soil around the post. Alternatively holes can be hand dug.

Is there any chance this will lead to rails dropping out? Absolutely 100% NO, we send our rails out dry and due to the way we slowly and carefully air dry our premium rails, they shrink approx. 1mm over 1800mm (.0005%) so shrinkage is very minor thus eliminating concerns about rails dropping out. When correctly installed with rails housed in the rebates they cannot possibly fall out. Air drying gives the most stable rail compared to kiln dried rails. We are not aware of any other fencing supplier who air dries their rails.

Yes we have matching gates available in the same high quality timber. We have a range of gate styles and in most cases can build to your design. Standard sizes are available as well as custom made gates to suit your entrance way. Gates can be hung on our feature posts of 200mm sq,250mm sq and 300mm sq to really make a statement.

Standardly our posts go 600mm into the ground. When hanging gates, we recommend going a minimum of 1200mm into the ground but, this can vary depending on the out of ground height required. The minimum recommended post size / length required is determined by the weight of the gate being hung. For our gates we use style / length as a guide. Please see the below table as a guide.

Recommended Minimum Post Size Table
Recommended Minimum Post Size
250mm x 250mm x 3.0m Double Gate Set – Kerikeri
250mm x 250mm x 2.7m Double Gate Set – Kinloch, Tauranga, Cromwell
250mm x 250mm x 2.4m Single Gates – Walton, Hastings, Napier, Russell, Christchurch, Taupo
200mm x 200mm x 2.4m Double Gate Sets – Russell, Christchurch, Waiheke
200mm x 200mm x 2.1m Double Gate Sets – Matakana, Paihia
150mm x 150mm x 2.4m Gates 1.5m or less

Yes, our gates can easily be automated. Usually either by an arm that swings the hung gate off the gudgeons or sliding on a track. We are currently working on some kitset solutions which will be available through us in the near future, alternatively you can contact gate automation suppliers. We may be able to provide a contact in your area.

Yes we have a supplier who produces and interlock fence using round posts and rails, it looks awesome too. Contact us for post size options and prices.

This is due to the movement of timber when exposed to outdoor conditions such as sun and rain. It is natural for there to be some movement of the timber but this movement can be minimized. . This begins with the quality of the log being milled, the age of the tree (the younger the tree the less dense the wood and the more it is prone to twisting- we only mill logs with a minimum age of 27 years), the part of the log that the rails are milled from is carefully chosen, in addition the way the timber is dried and stored can all affect this movement. When manufacturing the BTD Interlock Fence we endeavour to do everything possible to minimize warping and twisting in the timber. Therefore we cannot guarantee that the timber will not move, we can only guarantee that we have done everything in our power to minimize this natural movement. We are constantly pleased to see our fences which have been up for some cases for 11+ years, still looking true and straight since the day they were installed.

What you will need to do is, say 4 bays out from the end of your fence, trim off the rails to make the last 4-5 bays fit. This makes the change in the multiple virtually unnoticeable and so much better than a wee short section on the end of the fence. If unsure then contact us and we can help you to sort this out.

We just supply the materials as a kitset, ready to be installed. We have a list of installers who have worked with our product before and may be able to supply details for a recommended installer in your area.

There is a large variation in fence install costs, could be as low as roughly $30/lm or over $100/lm+. Install method, fence layout and install conditions such as ground composition, ground contour, different angles, if posts are earth rammed or concreted etc can all considerably effect install costs. We recommend to get at least 2 – 3 quotes from installer’s in your area, they will usually always want to do a site visit to check the conditions and fencing plan.

Absolutely, we have around 40% of our customers who do self install. Posts come all pre-routered and rails all cut to length, so you simply need to install the posts and slot the rails in. Please see the link for our install guide here.

No, we do not recommend the use of concrete around the posts. This just adds extra costs to the job. We believe that ramming back around the soil or possibly using sand as your back fill, particularly on heavy soils, is the best way to keep the post from moving. The sand filters down after rain and makes the post nice and tight in the hole.

In saying the above, usually gate posts are concreted in.

Checking is a natural occurrence in timber, where the timber splits due to different parts of the timber drying at different rates. It doesn’t effect the structural integrity of the post, just a visual effect, some prefer the rustic look it gives. Some checking will occur and is more prevalent in the larger posts, most evident in 200mm x 200mm posts, then 250mm x 250mm, then 300mm x 300mm. Some may occur in 150mm x 150mm and 125mm x 125mm posts, however it occurs a lot less than larger posts. Usually more noticeable in summer or during long periods of hot dry weather.

We think comparing our fence to a normal post and rail fence is like comparing a mini to a Mercedes. Firstly we mill the timber used for our fence from a high quality log which gives a high quality No 1 grade (grades explained above). Higher quality means a stronger more visually appealing looking fence that will last longer and look good for a very long time. With our fence we also bevel the tops of the post and router the holes for the rails, again this detail makes for a more visually appealing fence. The rails are docked to length so there is no wastage and no need for a chainsaw or nails. We are very proud of our fence and believe no other fence can match us in terms of wood quality. See testimonials from our satisfied customers.

Yes by all means. We just try to get you the best price possible but if you have a contact in the trucking business then we are more than pleased to allow you to arrange your freight and pay your contact directly. Alternatively we are happy to load your trailer if you wish to collect from us.