Fencing FAQ

A good neighbor fence (also called board-on-board) is built so the framing is inside the fence, making it look identical from both sides. The boards alternate on each side and slightly overlap, providing full privacy. It's the most common style for shared property lines.

In a nail-on fence, the framing rails sit on one side and the boards are face-nailed to the other — so there is a "good" side and a "back" side. In a good neighbor fence, the framing is built into the fence itself, so both sides look finished.

Louvered is built the same way as a good neighbor fence — it looks the same from both sides — but the boards are installed differently, overlapping like closed shutters rather than alternating. It gives a classic, traditional look with full privacy.

A horizontal fence runs boards lengthwise rather than vertically — a clean, modern look that has become very popular in the Bay Area. We build horizontal fences in S3S and S4S surfaced redwood and Ipe hardwood.

A lattice top is an excellent way to add extra privacy on top of a standard height fence. It extends the height while keeping an open, decorative look. We offer diagonal, square, triple diagonal, triple square, and 2x2 piano key lattice patterns, and can do custom work.

For horizontal fencing, our standard is S3S surfaced redwood — we can also use S4S for a cleaner, more finished appearance. For vertical styles like good neighbor, nail-on, and louvered, our standard is construction common rough redwood. We can also work with construction heart rough redwood, A-grade redwood, and clear no-knot fence boards depending on the project and your preference. For anything with ground contact — posts and kickboards — we use pressure treated douglas fir. We also offer Ipe hardwood as an option for horizontal fencing. We do not use materials from big box stores. Please note: lumber can naturally vary in size, color grade, roughness, and appearance — this is normal for real wood and part of what gives each fence its character.

Construction heart redwood is cut from the heartwood of the tree, is more uniformly red in color, and is more resistant to rot and insects. Construction common redwood includes more sapwood, giving it a mix of red and white coloring. On a good neighbor fence, the boards are set off the ground on a kickboard, which makes them less susceptible to moisture and rot regardless of grade. Construction common does tend to tan out and look more uniform fairly quickly after install — on day one, heart and common look different, but over time there is not a huge difference either way. If we feel a batch of material is not up to standard, we will not use it. Note: lumber can naturally vary in size, shape, roughness, color, and thickness — this is normal for wood and part of what gives each fence its character.

S3S means "surfaced 3 sides" — three sides are smooth-planed while one face remains rougher. S4S means "surfaced 4 sides" — all four sides are smooth. We typically use S3S as our standard and S4S for applications where a cleaner, more finished look is desired.

The majority of issues that cause a fence to need early replacement come down to excess moisture. This is often from overwatering the area near the fence or sprinklers hitting the boards directly. Another common issue is debris building up against the bottom rail or kickboard. The remedies are simple: adjust your sprinkler heads so they're not hitting the fence, and keep debris cleared away from the base.

This can be a number of different issues. The post may be rotten or have shifted, the wood on the gate could be swollen or contracted due to weather, the latch or hardware may be broken or misaligned, or the gate may be sagging. We can help determine the root cause and get it fixed the right way so you can get back to using your gate.

More often than not, a sagging gate comes down to a bad, rotten, or snapped post. Without a solid post holding the gate frame in place, the gate loses its support and starts to drop. In some cases it can also be the gate frame itself or the hardware.

We typically prefer not to go wider than 4 feet on a single gate for longevity. Beyond that, a double gate — where each side is under 4 feet — is usually the better solution. It keeps each gate panel manageable and reduces the stress on posts and hardware over time.

Not necessarily. A fence can lean for a few different reasons, but the most common cause is a rotten or snapped post. Another reason can be a tree root pushing against the posts. There are various ways to address these situations — reach out and we can help you determine the best course of action.

Not necessarily. Many fences with loose or falling boards can be repaired without a full replacement. We can help you determine if a repair makes more sense than a new fence in your specific situation.

Yes. Estimates are always free. We come out, walk the site, assess what's needed, and follow up with a detailed estimate.

We come out for a free site walk, assess the property, and email you a detailed estimate with a clear total price broken down box by box. That price will not change unless you change the scope of the project.

We aim to complete most projects in one day, depending on job size. We show up on time and work efficiently to keep your project moving.

Lumber, steel, and construction material prices can fluctuate significantly based on market conditions. Our estimates reflect current material costs at the time of quoting. Below is a live view of relevant material price indicators — including lumber ETFs and construction material indexes — so you can see what the market looks like.