What are the privacy fence styles?
A wood privacy fence is cedar pickets fastened to rails between posts. The style is about how those pickets are arranged and how their tops are cut. Around Lubbock that comes down to three: board on board, dog ear and gothic point. All three are built the same way underneath, on steel posts set in concrete, and all three come in 6 ft or 7 ft. Everything we build in wood is cedar; the details are on the cedar fencing page.
Board on board
Pickets are set in two layers, with the outer boards overlapping the gaps in the inner row. Cedar shrinks a little as it dries, and on a side-by-side fence that opens small gaps between the pickets. Board on board has no gap to open: the overlap covers it. The result is the most privacy and the most wind block of the three, and the same look from both sides, which matters on a shared line. It uses the most material, so it is the heaviest and the most expensive to build.
Dog ear
Pickets sit side by side on the rails, each with its top corners clipped at an angle. It is the most common back-yard fence in Lubbock: plain, even, and the quickest of the three to build. As the cedar dries, hairline gaps open between the boards. Most people never notice; if you want none at all, that is what board on board is for.
Gothic point
The same side-by-side build as dog ear, with each picket cut to a shaped point at the top. It reads more traditional, and it suits a front yard or a corner lot where the top line of the fence is on show. The pointed tops take a little more care to line up along the run.
6 ft or 7 ft?
Six feet is the standard back-yard height and what many Lubbock fences are. Seven feet adds privacy where a two-story house, an alley or a busy street looks into the yard, and it blocks a little more wind. A taller fence catches more wind too, which is one more reason we build on steel posts. Check your HOA rules before choosing 7 ft; some limit height.
Cap and trim
A cap board along the top of the fence with a trim board under it covers the picket ends, helps them shed water and gives the fence a finished top line. It works on any of the three styles and is a common upgrade.
How to choose
- Privacy and wind block come first: board on board
- A clean, even back-yard fence at a fair price: dog ear
- The top line is on show from the street: gothic point, or any style with cap and trim
- A shared line with a neighbor: board on board, which looks the same from both sides
- Not sure: tell Blake what you want the fence to do, and he will point you to a style during the estimate
Finished fences in each style are in the project gallery, with the town and job type under each photo. Walk gates and drive gates to match are under gate installation and repair.
Get a free in-town estimate for a privacy fence
Call (806) 535-5351 or request an estimate online. We are open seven days a week, 7:30 AM to 8:00 PM. Blake bids every fence himself, and the same crew has built them for over 10 years.
How the job runs
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Call or send the form
You will usually talk to Blake, the owner. He asks a few questions about the fence, wood or chain link, what broke, roughly how long the run is.
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Free in-town estimate
We look at the fence in person, check the posts, measure the run and talk through what you want. Estimates inside Lubbock are free.
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A quote before work starts
You get the price before anything is torn out or built. Reviewers have pointed out that the final bill matched the quote.
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The crew does the work
The crew repairs, builds or stains the fence, works around gardens and pets, and cleans up when the job is done.