Palisade fencing for schools
Steel palisade is the fence of vertical pales with pointed tops that surrounded many schools built or secured in the 1990s and 2000s. It is tough, cheap to repair and very hard to push through.
It is no longer the first choice for a whole school boundary, mainly because it is harder to see through and can look hostile. It still earns its place on service yards, plant areas and boundaries with industrial neighbours.
£75 to £140 a metre
Steel palisade, 2.0 m to 3.0 m, fitted, before VAT.
Where palisade still suits a school
- Service yards, kitchen deliveries, bin stores and boiler or plant compounds.
- Boundaries that face an industrial estate, railway or commercial yard.
- Replacing a damaged run of existing palisade, where matching is simpler than changing system.
- Stretches where a solid look is wanted to screen a yard from view.
- Sites where vandal damage is frequent and single pales need to be swapped quickly.
What palisade fencing costs
| Item | Guide, before VAT |
|---|---|
| Steel palisade, 2.0 m to 2.4 m D or W section pales, galvanised | from £75 a metre |
| Steel palisade, 3.0 m Higher-security yards | up to £140 a metre |
| Powder coating Usually green or black over galvanising | Usually in the rate; check |
| Taking down and removing the old fence Old palisade is heavy to strip and dispose of | add £10 to £30 a metre |
| Double vehicle gate Double leaf palisade gate | £900 to £2,000 |
Where these figures come from
Per-metre and gate figures are installed prices from published UK contractor price guides, autumn 2026 (read 2 November 2026). The guides do not say whether VAT is included, so treat them as before VAT and check. Most state schools and academies can recover VAT; ask your finance team. Contract awards for whole schemes are listed on the home page. A guide, not a quote.
Palisade, part by part
D section pales
Pales with a rounded D profile. Lighter, and fine for most school uses.
W section pales
A W profile that is stiffer and harder to bend or cut. Used for higher-security yards.
Pale tops
Triple pointed tops deter climbing; rounded or flat tops are kinder near pupil areas. Splayed tops add reach.
Rails and bolts
Horizontal rails sit on the inside face, with anti-tamper bolts so pales cannot be removed from outside.
Standard
Steel palisade is made to BS 1722-12. Ask for it in the specification.
Finish
Hot-dip galvanised as a minimum, powder coated where the fence is on show.
Palisade or mesh?
Mesh is now the default for school perimeters for three reasons. You can see through it, so staff can supervise from inside. It has no rails on either face to climb. And it looks like part of a school, not a depot, which matters to parents and neighbours.
Palisade wins where you want the opposite: a yard you do not want people looking into, a boundary with an industrial site, or a run that gets hit by vehicles. A council guidance note for schools puts steel palisade and welded fencing in the same bracket for durability, and warns that the cheapest fencing, such as chain link, can be a false economy.
Price is close. In autumn 2026 guides, palisade ran at about £75 to £140 a metre and weldmesh at £60 to £120. Mixing the two on one site is common: mesh around the school, palisade around the service yard.
Replacing a yard fence or a whole run of old palisade? Tell us what you have and we will look for a contractor nearby.
Request quotesHow a palisade job gets done
Walk the boundary
Measure every run, note heights, gates, levels, trees, drainage and who owns each stretch. Walk it from outside too.
Write one specification
Fence type and height per run, finish and colour, gate hardware, and whether planning consent is needed. Quotes only compare if they price the same thing.
Quotes or call-off
Three quotes under your finance rules, or a call-off from a construction framework your council or trust already uses.
Install, secure every night
Phased so no stretch is left open overnight, with noisy work and gate changes timed for a holiday where possible.
Questions schools ask
What is palisade fencing?
A steel fence of vertical pales, usually with pointed tops, bolted to horizontal rails and posts. It is made to BS 1722-12 and is common on industrial sites and older school perimeters.
How much does palisade fencing cost?
About £75 to £140 a metre fitted at 2.0 m to 3.0 m, before VAT, based on published UK contractor price guides in autumn 2026. Gates, removal of an old fence and difficult ground are on top.
Is palisade fencing allowed at schools?
Yes. There is no rule against it, but pointed tops near pupil areas need thought, and many schools now prefer mesh on boundaries pupils and neighbours can see.
Should we replace old palisade with mesh?
If the palisade is sound, repairing it is cheaper. If whole runs have rusted, bent or lost pales, replacing with mesh usually improves supervision and appearance for a similar price.
Can palisade be painted?
Yes, galvanised palisade can be powder coated in the factory or painted on site with a suitable primer. Factory coating lasts much longer.
Request quotes for palisade fencing
Three short steps: where the school is, what the boundary needs, and how to reach you. It takes about two minutes.
This is a free matching service, not a fencing contractor. We look for one who covers your area and tell you who it is before passing anything on.
Thanks, your enquiry is in.
- We look for a fencing contractor who covers your area and does this kind of school work.
- We email or call to tell you who they are. Your details reach that firm only if you say yes.
- They walk the boundary with you and price the scheme. No marketing from us, ever.