A fence out front is part of the house. It is the first thing a visitor sees and the thing you see every time you pull in. These five styles are the ones we build most often when the goal is to make a place look finished, with a word on where each fits around Lake Livingston.
1. Picket fence
The classic. Three to four feet tall, evenly spaced pickets, a gate at the walk. It frames a front yard, keeps a dog in and never hides the house. Cedar stained natural suits a lake cottage; treated pine painted white suits a farmhouse. Picket fence.
2. Horizontal wood fence
Long, clean lines that make a newer house look intentional. Built in cedar on tight post spacing so the boards stay level, tight for privacy or gapped for a lighter screen. Best on modern and transitional homes and around patios. Horizontal fence.
3. Ornamental metal
Black steel or aluminum pickets with the look of wrought iron, with a matching gate at the drive. It reads as finished and secure without blocking a thing, which is why so many subdivision front yards and lake houses use it. Aluminum at the water, steel for longer runs. Ornamental fence.
4. Cedar split rail
Rough cedar rails in mortised posts, no nails, no fuss. It says "country" from the road, lines a driveway like nothing else, and with wire behind it holds the dog. Weathers to silver and needs almost no care. Cedar split rail.
5. Board-on-board privacy fence
Privacy fence usually goes on the sides and back, but where it faces a street, board-on-board is the one to build. Overlapping pickets look finished from both sides, stay private as the wood dries, and a cap rail or a lattice topper dresses it up. Privacy fence.
What makes any of them look good
Straight posts, level lines, a gate that matches and swings square, and a finish that is kept up. A beautiful fence with a leaning post and a dragging gate is not a beautiful fence. We build the bones right so the style has something to stand on, and we offer staining to keep wood looking the way it did on the first day. Choosing the right fence helps match the style to the job.
Frequently asked questions
Which fence adds the most curb appeal?
The one that fits the house. An ornamental fence on a ranch house looks wrong; cedar split rail on a modern lake house looks wrong. Pick the style that matches the architecture and the land, and keep it maintained.
Does a front-yard fence have to be short?
Usually. Many subdivisions cap front-yard fences at three or four feet, and a tall fence out front closes off a house. Save the height for the back and sides.
What finish looks best longest?
A semi-transparent stain on cedar, powder coat on metal, and natural gray on split rail. All three age gracefully; paint looks best on day one and worst in year four unless it is kept up.