Overlap panel fencing
Overlap panels are the most common garden fence in the country. They get a bad name mostly because of how they are installed, not what they are.
Getting the most from overlap panels
Three things decide whether an overlap fence lasts five years or fifteen: concrete posts instead of timber, a gravel board so no timber touches the soil, and panels that are actually pressure treated rather than dip-coated.
Get those right and an overlap fence is genuinely good value. Get them wrong and you will be paying for the same fence again far sooner than you expect.
Where overlap panels are not the right choice
Very exposed gardens, sloping ground with large level changes, boundaries that need to resist climbing, and anywhere a solid, heavy fence is wanted. In those cases close board is worth the extra.