Wood Privacy Fence Installation

A privacy fence is the fence most people picture when they think of a backyard: solid pickets run edge to edge, tall enough that a neighbor, a road or a parking lot disappears. It also knocks down road noise more than most owners expect and gives dogs and kids a boundary that is not negotiable. Around Lake Livingston it is our most requested wood fence, and it is the one where construction details matter most, because a solid wall of boards catches wind and holds moisture in a way an open fence never does.

Style and height choices

Dog-ear pickets with clipped top corners are the local standard and shed water well. Flat-top pickets give a cleaner, more modern line and often get a cap rail. Board-on-board overlaps the pickets so the fence stays private as the wood shrinks; here is why dog-ear pickets hold up so well. A lattice topper adds a foot of height with light and airflow.

Six feet is standard. Eight feet is built for road frontage, pools, equipment yards and commercial screening. The taller fence is not just longer pickets: it needs bigger posts, deeper holes and sometimes tighter spacing. What goes into an eight-foot privacy fence walks through it.

How we build it

1. Layout. We walk the property line with you, mark corners and gates, and account for slopes, trees and anything buried. On an irregular lot we adjust post spacing at each angle rather than forcing a straight grid.
2. Posts. Set on roughly eight-foot centers, below the soft topsoil and in concrete. Corner, end and gate posts go deeper and get extra concrete because they carry the load.
3. Three rails. Top, middle and bottom. The middle rail is what keeps a six-foot picket from cupping and gives the fence its stiffness in a storm.
4. Rot board. A treated horizontal board at the base, under the pickets, that takes the ground moisture and the mower.
5. Pickets and gates. Pickets nailed with galvanized ring-shank nails, off the ground. Gates built with their own diagonal bracing and hung on heavier posts.

For the step-by-step version, read building a three-rail privacy fence with a rot board.

Cedar or treated pine

Cedar resists rot and insects on its own and is the usual choice for a fence that will stay natural or get a clear stain. Treated pine costs less and does well under a solid stain or paint. Many fences mix them: treated posts and rails, cedar pickets. The wood fence page compares the two in more detail.

Gates

Almost every privacy fence needs at least one walk gate, and many need a double gate wide enough for a mower, a trailer or a boat. We build gates to match the fence's picket style and height exactly, with internal bracing so they stay square. See walk gates and driveway gates.

Maintenance

Stain or seal every two to four years, sooner on south- and west-facing runs. Keep pine straw and mulch off the bottom board. After storm season, walk the line and tighten up anything loose. We offer staining and pressure washing if you would rather we handled it.

Frequently asked questions

How tall should a privacy fence be?

Six feet is standard for a residential yard and blocks the sightline from a neighboring lot. Eight feet makes sense along a road, around a pool, or next to a commercial property, and it needs heavier posts set deeper. Subdivision deed restrictions sometimes cap height, so we check before building.

What is the difference between flush-board and board-on-board?

Flush-board sets the pickets edge to edge. As the wood dries, small gaps can open. Board-on-board overlaps the pickets on alternating sides of the rails, so it stays fully private as the boards shrink and looks finished from both sides. It uses more lumber and costs a little more.

Do I really need a rot board?

On most privacy fences here, yes. It is the piece that takes ground moisture and string-trimmer damage. Replacing one rot board in a few years costs far less than replacing the bottom of every picket in a section.

Can you repair just one section?

Yes. Individual pickets, rails and posts can be replaced without touching the rest of the run, and we match the existing style so the repair blends in.