Colorbond vs Timber Fence: Which One Should You Build?

If you're building a new fence in Australia, you've basically got two choices: Colorbond steel or timber paling. Everything else (aluminium slat, brick, rendered block) exists, but 90% of suburban fences come down to these two.

Both work. Both look fine. But the cost difference over 10 to 20 years might surprise you.

Here's how they compare on price, durability, looks, and the stuff most people don't think about until the fence is already up.

The quick comparison

Before we get into details, here's the overview:

• Colorbond: $75 to $120 per metre (installed). Lasts 20 to 30+ years. Zero maintenance. Looks clean but a bit "industrial."
• Timber paling: $55 to $95 per metre (installed). Lasts 10 to 15 years. Needs staining or oiling every 2 to 3 years. Looks warm and natural.

If you stopped reading here, you'd think timber is cheaper. And it is. Upfront. But the real cost is a different story.

Upfront cost: Timber wins (barely)

For a standard 1.8m high boundary fence, here's what you're looking at per metre installed in 2026:

Timber paling fence

• Treated pine palings: $55 to $75/m
• Hardwood palings (merbau, spotted gum): $80 to $95/m
• Typical 30m boundary: $1,650 to $2,850 total

Colorbond fence

• Standard Colorbond: $75 to $100/m
• Premium colours (Monument, Surfmist, etc.): $90 to $120/m
• Typical 30m boundary: $2,250 to $3,600 total

So for a typical suburban block, Colorbond costs roughly $500 to $1,000 more upfront. That's real money, but it's not a dealbreaker for most people.

The question is what happens after you install it.

Maintenance: Colorbond wins by a mile

This is where the two options really diverge.

Timber maintenance

Timber needs love. Specifically:

• Staining or oiling every 2 to 3 years ($8 to $15 per litre, plus your Saturday)
• Replacing warped or rotted palings every few years ($3 to $6 per paling)
• Fixing loose rails as timber shrinks and moves
• Termite treatment if you're in a high-risk area

Over 15 years, you're looking at an extra $800 to $1,500 in maintenance on a 30m fence. And that's if you do the work yourself. If you pay someone, double it.

Colorbond maintenance

Hose it down once a year if you feel like it. That's about it.

Colorbond doesn't rot, warp, split, or attract termites. The paint finish is baked on at the factory and holds up for decades. You might get a small dent from a stray cricket ball, but that's cosmetic.

Lifespan: Again, Colorbond

• Timber paling: 10 to 15 years (treated pine). Hardwood lasts longer, maybe 15 to 20 years if maintained.
• Colorbond: 20 to 30+ years. BlueScope warrants their steel for 10 years, but real-world fences regularly last 25+.

Here's the kicker. If your timber fence lasts 12 years and your Colorbond lasts 25, you'll need to replace the timber fence twice in the same period. Suddenly that $500 upfront saving doesn't look so smart.

The 25-year cost comparison

For a 30m fence:

• Timber: $2,250 install + $1,200 maintenance + $2,250 replacement at year 12 = roughly $5,700
• Colorbond: $3,000 install + $0 maintenance = $3,000

Colorbond saves you about $2,700 over 25 years. And you never had to spend a weekend with a paintbrush.

Looks and style

This one's subjective, but let's be honest about the trade-offs.

Timber looks

• Warm, natural, classic Australian backyard feel
• Ages beautifully if maintained (silver-grey patina on hardwood)
• Ages terribly if not maintained (grey, splintery, sad)
• More design options (horizontal slat, picket, lattice top)

Colorbond looks

• Clean lines, uniform appearance
• Wide colour range (20+ colours including trendy dark options like Monument and Woodland Grey)
• Can look a bit "estate" or industrial, especially the lighter colours
• Limited design variation (it's panels, that's what you get)

If you're going for a modern or contemporary look, Colorbond in a dark colour looks sharp. If you want a more traditional or coastal feel, timber is hard to beat.

Privacy and noise

Both provide good privacy at 1.8m height. But there's a difference in how they handle noise.

• Colorbond reflects sound. In a quiet street, you'll hear the neighbours more clearly because sound bounces off the steel.
• Timber absorbs sound better. The gaps between palings let some sound through, but the wood itself dampens noise rather than reflecting it.

If you're on a busy road or have noisy neighbours, timber actually performs slightly better for noise. Counterintuitive, but true.

Wind resistance

Colorbond is designed for Australian conditions, including cyclone ratings in northern areas. A properly installed Colorbond fence handles strong winds well because the panels flex slightly.

Timber palings can blow off in storms. The individual palings act like sails, and if one comes loose, it can take its neighbours with it. That said, a well-built timber fence with proper rails and fixings will hold up fine in most conditions.

If you're in a coastal or high-wind area, Colorbond is the safer bet.

What about sharing the cost with your neighbour?

Under the Fences Act (each state has its own version), boundary fences are a shared responsibility. Here's how it usually works:

• You must give written notice before building or replacing a fence
• Your neighbour is expected to contribute to a "sufficient" fence
• A "sufficient" fence is the minimum standard. In most suburbs, that's treated pine paling
• If you want Colorbond and your neighbour only wants to pay for timber, you cover the difference

This is important. If a standard timber fence costs $2,000 and you want Colorbond at $3,000, your neighbour only has to pay $1,000 (half the timber cost). You pay the remaining $2,000.

Always have the conversation before getting quotes. A good fence makes good neighbours, but a surprise bill doesn't.

DIY or get it installed?

Timber: DIY-friendly

Timber fences are pretty straightforward if you're handy. You need:

• Post hole digger or auger
• Level, string line, measuring tape
• Nail gun or hammer
• Concrete for post footings
• A weekend (for a 30m fence, probably two weekends being realistic)

DIY timber fencing saves about 40 to 50% on labour. That's $800 to $1,200 on a typical job.

Colorbond: Get a professional

Colorbond is technically possible to DIY, but it's fiddly. The panels need to be perfectly level, the posts need exact spacing, and one mistake means buying a new panel at $40 to $60 each.

Most people get Colorbond professionally installed. The labour adds $30 to $50 per metre, but the result is worth it.

Which one should you choose?

Here's the honest answer:

Choose Colorbond if:

• You want zero maintenance (seriously, zero)
• You're thinking long-term (staying in the house 10+ years)
• You're in a bushfire zone (Colorbond has a BAL rating)
• You want a modern, clean look
• You can't be bothered staining a fence every few years

Choose timber if:

• Budget is tight right now and you need the cheapest option today
• You want that classic Aussie backyard feel
• You're happy to maintain it (or enjoy weekend projects)
• You want a design that's not just flat panels (lattice, horizontal slat, etc.)
• Your neighbour will only contribute to a timber fence anyway

A third option: the hybrid approach

Some people do Colorbond on boundary fences (sides and back, where you want low maintenance and don't care about looks) and timber or decorative screening on the front fence (where kerb appeal matters).

It's a smart compromise. You get the durability where it counts and the aesthetics where people actually see it.

The bottom line

If you're comparing purely on cost, Colorbond wins over the life of the fence. It costs more upfront but saves you thousands in maintenance and replacement over 20 to 25 years.

If you care more about looks, lifestyle, or a specific design, timber gives you more flexibility. Just budget for the ongoing costs.

Either way, get at least three quotes, talk to your neighbour first, and don't cheap out on the posts. The posts are the foundation. Everything else hangs off them.