Wood Fence Construction & Repair

Wood is still the most requested fencing material for homes around Onalaska and Lake Livingston, and for good reason. It's the material most people picture when they think "backyard fence" — it looks right on a residential lot, it can be built to almost any height or spacing a property needs, and it's easier to repair in sections than most metal fencing, since a damaged board or post can usually be replaced without tearing out an entire run.

We build and repair five wood fence styles, each suited to a different goal — privacy, curb appeal, airflow, or a mix of all three.

Wood fence styles we build

Privacy fence

Boards set edge-to-edge with no gaps, typically 6 to 8 feet tall. This is the standard choice when the goal is blocking sightlines completely — between neighboring yards, along a road-facing property line, or around a pool. It also does double duty as a sound buffer, which matters more than people expect on lots near a highway or a busier county road.

Picket fence

Shorter, evenly spaced vertical boards, usually 3 to 4 feet tall, most often used along a front yard rather than for full enclosure. A picket fence isn't meant to block a view or provide security — it's a boundary marker and a design element, and it's the style most likely to affect curb appeal more than any other fence type on this list.

Horizontal fence

Boards run side to side instead of standing vertically. This is a newer, more modern look that's become popular on updated or newer-build homes in the area over the last several years. It uses the same basic post-and-rail structure as a traditional privacy fence, just reoriented, so it holds up the same way structurally — the difference is entirely aesthetic.

Lattice/screen fence

An open, crosshatched panel, often used as a fence topper above a shorter privacy or picket section, or on its own as a partial screen. It blocks a direct sightline without blocking airflow or light completely, which makes it a common choice for a patio or deck screen rather than a full property-line fence.

Cedar split-rail fence

A rustic, open style built from rough-hewn rail sections set into posts, with no boards at all. It doesn't provide privacy or a hard security barrier — its job is marking a boundary on a larger property (a front pasture edge, a long driveway, a rural lot line) without the material cost or maintenance of a full board fence across that much distance.

Wood species & why it matters here

Most of what we build uses cedar or pressure-treated pine. Cedar has natural oils that resist rot and insects without any chemical treatment, which is why it's the more common choice for a fence that's going to stay natural-toned or get a clear/semi-transparent stain rather than solid paint. Pressure-treated pine costs less up front and is a reasonable choice for a fence that's going to be painted or solid-stained anyway, since the color coverage matters more than the wood's natural appearance at that point. Given how much humidity this area gets off the lake, whichever species is used, keeping the bottom of the fence off direct soil contact (a gravel base, a concrete footer, or a rot board — see below) matters more here than it would in a drier climate.

A rot board — a treated horizontal board set at the base of the fence, beneath the main boards — is worth the extra cost on most privacy and picket installs in this area. It's the piece that takes the direct ground moisture and lawn-equipment wear, and it's far cheaper to replace one rot board in a few years than to replace an entire fence section because the bottom of every board rotted out at once.

Maintenance

A wood fence isn't maintenance-free, but it isn't demanding either. Realistic expectations: a fresh stain or seal every 2 to 4 years depending on sun exposure (a south- or west-facing run will fade and dry out faster than a shaded one), an annual check for loose pickets or leaning posts after storm season, and prompt replacement of any board showing rot before it spreads to its neighbors. We offer both staining and pressure washing as standalone services if a fence just needs upkeep rather than repair — see staining and pressure washing.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a wood fence actually last around Lake Livingston?

With a rot board, a proper footer, and reasonably regular staining, a cedar privacy fence in this area typically holds up well past a decade. The bottom few inches near the soil line are almost always the first place problems show up, which is exactly what a rot board is designed to address.

Do I need a permit to build a fence on my property here?

Requirements vary by property location and whether it's inside a city limit, a subdivision with its own deed restrictions, or unincorporated county land. We can talk through what applies to a specific address during a free estimate rather than guessing here.

Can you match an existing fence style, or repair just a section?

Yes — most wood fence repairs are section repairs rather than full replacements, since individual boards, pickets, and posts can be swapped without touching the rest of the run.