Ausbrush  brushwood panels comprise machine compressed brushwork held together with running wires and staples and are installed to framing in many different ways around Australia. 
We supply two types of panels made to Ausbrush specification;
1)- those made in WA from WA plantation brush and
2)- those made in VIC from NSW native brush.

Comparison of horizontal wire spacings ….Price considerations….

WA Plantation Brushwood Panels

Plantation brush panels made by our WA supplier have running wire spacings of 210mm  and staple spacings of around 100mm.  These panels have a ‘hand packed’ aesthetic with fewer staples and looking less ‘machine made’ and with more flexibility than the VIC made panels and are well suited to racking down sloping sites.  The running wire spacings too, match well with adjoining hand packed fences and the finish is generally very good with exposed stick ends a rare occurrence and the finish uniform on both sides of the panels.  Post roll covers can easily be made from panels left overs as the staple spacings of 100mm provide wads of brush of ideal roll size and visually the same look as the panels. The panel running wires are left 200mm longer at the ends in the larger panel sizes to allow fast/easy securing around posts at each end for the ‘inline method’ fence install.  The wire ends need to be trimmed off when used for the ‘offset method’ install.  Disadvantages with WA panels are that they are slightly less compressed and less durable than the VIC panels and from time to time the panel quality can be variable and the brush used of different look/provenance.  The panels themselves in each standard size do have some variability in length of approx 50mm above and below the nominal dimensions due to the staple spacing and manufacturing process.

Despite the disadvantages the WA made panels are good/fast to work with due to their flexibility/adjustability and have a natural look.

A Comparison of Wire Spacings on both Types of Panel

Panels made by our Vic manufacturer in 50mm and 60mm thickness from sustainably cut NSW native stands under permit have distinctive and different running wire spacings and they are also stapled more closely at appox 25mm.  These are economic, very robust, well compacted and stiffer panels with a very long life due to the wire and staple spacings.  Limitations are that they are not well suited to racking down slopes and the wire spacings are visually different than hand packed fences. On stepped bases it is not possible to align the wiring through the steps aesthetically with the VIC panels due to the uneven wire spacings.  The running wires are also cut short at the ends of the panels and hence additional wire is needed to secure the panels to the posts with the ‘inline method’ fence install and does take longer to fit than the WA panels, but for the ‘offset method’ installation the wires at the ends are a good length.  The panels do take longer to adjust to length between posts due to staple spacing, but they are generally made to very consistent stock length/sizes ideal for channel framing and butting up to exposed feature posts.  The finish on the rear side is less finished than the front side and can have some stick ends showing and brush tufts along the middle of the panels on the rear due to the nature of the manufacturing process.  It is more difficult/not practical to use brush taken from the panels for post roll covers due to the layup and staple spacings.  Post roll covers are best/easily made from WA roll top sections or from WA panels or from loose bundled brush. 

Despite these disadvantages the VIC/NSW panels are very high quality/robust panels indeed and some of the most durable on the market..

NSW/VIC Native Brush Panels

PRICE CONSIDERATIONS;

Both panel types are very good quality and each have their own benefits and limitations.  The WA plantation brush panels are inherently more expensive to Eastern seaboard destinations due to freight costs but are competitive in WA on price.

Both manufacturers make to our size and thickness specification as listed on our prices page and suited to ausbrush designed and proven, insitu steel post and rail framing systems and also supplied in special sizes to suit contractor and handyman requirements.
  The “Offset System” and the “Inline System” are two recommended ausbrush installation systems commonly used.