How to Install Artificial Hedge Panels
How to Install Artificial Hedge Panels
Artificial hedge panels are designed for easy DIY fitting: they clip together and fix to almost any surface. This guide covers the core method, then exactly how to fix to each surface: timber fences, wire mesh and railings, balconies, brick and render, indoor walls and freestanding frames.
✓ No specialist tools
✓ Every surface covered
✓ Clip-together panels
✓ DIY in an afternoon
Jump to your surface
Timber fenceWire mesh & railingsBalconyBrick & renderIndoor wallFreestanding screenExtendable trellis
How artificial hedge panels fit together
Every panel has a flexible mesh backing with male and female connectors along each edge. Panels clip into their neighbours to build a continuous surface, then the whole thing fixes to your chosen surface. If you can use a pair of scissors and cable ties, you can fit them.
Our panels come in two sizes: 50cm × 50cm panels (4 cover 1m²) and larger 1m × 1m panels (1m² each). Larger panels cover an area faster with fewer joins; smaller 50cm panels are easier to handle and better for fiddly areas and balconies.
What you'll need
| Tool / material | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Tape measure | Measuring the area and working out quantity |
| Strong scissors or secateurs | Trimming panels to fit edges, posts and corners |
| Cable ties (UV-resistant) | Fixing to wire mesh, chain-link, railings and wall mesh |
| U-nails (galvanised) | Fixing panels to timber fences and battens |
| Drill, plugs, screws & timber battens | Building a fixing frame on brick, render or indoor walls. Battens are easy to buy from any local timber merchant. |
| Galvanised mesh | The surface you tie panels to on a wall frame |
| Gloves & a helper | Comfort and handling longer runs |
Tip: work out your quantity first
Work row by row: panels across (width ÷ panel width, rounded up) times rows (height ÷ panel height, rounded up). A 3.6m x 1.8m fence takes 8 panels across and 4 rows, so 32 panels. The artificial hedge calculator does it for you.
Step-by-step installation
The core method is the same wherever you are fitting. Only the fixing step changes by surface (covered next).
Check the surface is sound
Whatever you fix to carries the panels and the wind load on them. Make sure fences are stable, posts are firm and walls are sound before you begin. Fix or reinforce anything loose now.
Plan your layout
Work out where panels will sit and which way the foliage lies. Keep every panel facing the same way for a uniform look.
Clip panels together
Connect panels edge to edge using the connectors on the mesh backing. Build larger sections on the ground first: it is quicker to fix a few joined panels than many single ones.
Fix to your surface
Attach using the method for your surface below. Work from one corner, keep the top edge level (a string line helps) and fix along every edge and at regular points across the panel so nothing sags or lifts in the wind.
Join panels seamlessly
There is no need to stagger or offset the joins. The connectors lock neighbouring panels together so the foliage meets with no visible line between them.
Trim to fit
At edges, corners, posts and around obstacles, trim panels with strong scissors or secateurs, cutting through the mesh from the back. The foliage springs over to hide the cut line, and a trimmed panel holds together just as well.
Finish and fluff
Tuck the foliage along the edges so no backing shows, and gently fluff the leaves to even up the surface. Fill any thin areas with offcuts.
Panels clip edge to edge via the connectors on the mesh backing, then fix to your surface.
Fixing by surface
Timber fence
Fix with: galvanised U-nails.
Hold the joined panels against the fence and fix through the mesh backing into the timber with U-nails along the top, bottom and sides, then at regular points across the panel. Fix into the rails and posts where you can, as they hold best. See how to cover a fence for a full fence walkthrough.
Wire mesh, chain-link and railings
Fix with: UV-resistant cable ties.
Thread cable ties through the panel backing and around the wire or railing, pull them tight and snip off the tails. This is the quickest method of all, and it works the same on chain-link, weld mesh, metal railings and garden trellis.
Balcony railings
Fix with: UV-resistant cable ties.
Clip panels into a strip the length of each run, tie the top corners first, then tie along every edge and at regular points across the panel. Balconies are more exposed to wind, so use more ties than you would on a garden fence. 50cm panels are easiest to carry and cut to railing height. See balcony privacy screens.
Brick, block, stone or rendered walls
Fix with: a batten-and-mesh frame, then cable ties.
You cannot fix panels directly to masonry. Build a simple frame instead:
Fix timber battens to the wall
Screw treated timber battens horizontally across the wall using wall plugs, spaced roughly every 40–60cm. These hold the mesh off the wall and give you something to fix into.
Attach galvanised mesh
Stretch galvanised mesh across the battens and staple or screw it in place, creating an even fixing surface over the whole area.
Cable-tie the panels
Clip your panels together, then cable-tie them to the mesh, trimming to fit as normal.
See artificial hedge walls for which panels suit a wall best.
Indoor walls
Fix with: a batten-and-mesh frame, as for masonry.
Use the same frame method on plaster or plasterboard walls, fixing the battens with fixings suited to your wall. The frame keeps the panels off the decoration and makes them easy to take down later.
Freestanding screen
Fix with: cable ties or U-nails to a framed mesh panel.
Build a simple timber frame with mesh infill, fix it securely into the ground or to posts, then attach the panels to the mesh as above.
Extendable hedge trellis
Fix with: cable ties or screws, depending on the surface.
Pull the trellis out to the length you need, then tie it to railings or mesh, or fix it to a fence or battens through the willow frame. It folds back up for storage. See the extendable hedge trellis range.
Fire-classified panels
The B-s3, d0 classification of our Garden Hedge and Tropic Garden panels applies when they are mechanically fixed (not glued) to a non-combustible A1 or A2 substrate, fitted without joints as tested. If your project needs a fire classification, talk to us before you fit. See fire ratings explained.
Looking after them once fitted
There is almost nothing to do. The foliage is UV-stabilised PE, tested by SGS to ASTM G154 for 5,000 hours of UV exposure. An occasional rinse with the hose clears dust and pollen, and a gentle brush by hand lifts any flattened leaves. Check the fixings after strong winds. There is no watering, feeding or trimming, and every panel carries a 3-year warranty.
Need a hand working out what you need?
Tell us your area and surface and we will recommend the right panels and quantity, and send you a tailored quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need any special tools to install hedge panels?
No. For most jobs you only need scissors or secateurs, cable ties, and either U-nails (timber) or a drill (walls).
How do the panels join together?
Each panel has male and female connectors along the edges of its mesh backing. They clip into neighbouring panels to form a continuous, seamless surface, then the joined panels fix to your fence, wall or frame.
Can I cut the panels to fit?
Yes. Trim them with strong scissors or secateurs, cutting through the mesh from the back. The foliage springs back over the cut so the edge stays hidden.
How do I fit panels to a brick wall?
Screw timber battens to the wall, attach galvanised mesh across them, then cable-tie the panels to the mesh. This gives a strong, even surface without drilling dozens of holes.
Can I glue artificial hedge panels?
We recommend mechanical fixings (cable ties, U-nails or a batten frame). On our fire-classified panels, the classification only applies when they are mechanically fixed, not glued.
How long does installation take?
Most domestic jobs take an afternoon. Clipping panels into larger sections on the ground first, then fixing them, is quicker than fitting individual panels.
Do they need any maintenance after fitting?
Barely any: an occasional rinse to clear dust, and a check of the fixings after storms. No watering, feeding or trimming.
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