Composite wood slats

At the heart of a composite panel, there is what we call composite slats. While the purpose of a composite fence is identical to that of a rigid panel fence, namely to delineate and secure, the structure of these two fences is quite different. On the one hand, you have wire mesh, strong and effective, but comprising one single piece and quite tiresome to install. On the other hand, you have composite boards, sturdy, durable and very easy to install.

The composite slat, the central element of the composite fence

A composite slat is a very simple product: It comprises a long composite board, with top and bottom edges that vary from one type to another. There are composite slats with two smooth edges, for installing partially openwork fencing, but also slats with bevelled edges, which allow them to be interlocked with each other. These slats are the most common: Intermediate slats are stacked on top of each other and the fence is often completed with a finishing slat.

Even if a composite fence appears to consist only of composite slats, there is one small detail. In order to fully optimise the sturdiness of a fence, a steel reinforcement must be placed inside one in three slats. This is a very long, fairly thin bar, which is placed in a special location in the cavity of the composite boards.

Because it is made of wood, composite is a living material, that is to say a material which moves depending on heat and exposure. Not enough to disrupt your entire fence, but sufficient to justify the use of these reinforcements, with a view to extending the lifespan of your customers' fences, year after year.

Aluminium slats to support composite

Previously used alone, today composite slats are supported by aluminium, whether in the form of decorative slats, or solid aluminium slats. Decorative slats - as their name suggests - are designed to stylise your customers' fencing, by enhancing them with design variations. Solid aluminium slats are real alternatives to composite slats, lighter and more durable because less sensitive to temperature variations.