Most houses end up with one of five fence styles: vertical board, horizontal board, hogwire, modern metal or X-fence, costing about $60 to $180 and up per linear foot.
Price isn’t the only limit. The cheapest, the X-fence, won’t contain a child or dog, and local height rules can override any choice.
Vertical Board
A plain vertical-board fence is the all-purpose choice, at about $90 per linear foot.
Paint or stain sets the look: a dark charcoal or deep green finish lets the boards recede behind planting, while a light stain keeps the grain in front.
For a front yard, leave 4-inch gaps between boards so the fence feels open from the street. A native vine trained along the boards covers the gaps as it grows, and butterflies are a bonus.
Wood weathers faster in arid or wet climates, so expect to refinish sooner there.
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Horizontal Board
Horizontal boards read as a design choice rather than a default, which is why they suit a short, highly visible run: a front section beside the entry, or a side yard the street can see.
Pick your gap early. Narrow gaps give a lined, architectural look and let a little light through; no gaps make a solid, sleek wall with more privacy.
Expect to pay about $150 per linear foot, and mixing board sizes pushes that higher. That price is why I would keep it short.
On a modern front or side run, horizontal beats vertical board on looks. On a long run with a tight budget, vertical board wins.
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Hogwire
Hogwire is an open wire fence, so the view carries straight through and a small yard doesn’t feel boxed in. At about $90 per linear foot, it costs less than most solid wood or metal designs.
The openings are small enough that it is child- and dog-proof, which makes it a sensible pick for a pet run or a kids’ play area.
It looks rough, though.
Beside a brick colonial or a formal front yard it reads as farm fencing, and I would skip it there. A casual garden is where it fits best, especially with climbing vines growing up the wire.
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Modern Metal
Modern metal runs $180 and up per linear foot, the most expensive of the five styles, so spend it where people will see it. Wood and metal are the most common fence materials, and either can look traditional or modern.
The form decides. Keep it plain: chunky vertical pickets, slim horizontal pickets or a tight wire grid, all of which you can see through.
Aluminum is the usual pick for modern homes.
Skip the finials and choose a flat top rail, which carries the lines of the house out to the edge of the yard. Black draws the eye to your plants instead of the fence.
A brick or stone base under aluminum panels adds interest. Short front yard runs suit this style best, and I wouldn’t use it at tall heights or around a whole property.
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X-Fence
The X-fence keeps the open, ranch-style look of split rail and adds decorative carpentry in the crossed rails between the posts.
It reads as welcoming, which suits a front yard where you want the garden to be seen from the street. At about $60 per linear foot, it is the cheapest of the five designs here.
It will not contain children or dogs. The gaps are wide and the crossed rails are easy to slip through or hop over.
I would use it only as a boundary marker or a front-yard accent along a walk or driveway. If a toddler or a dog is part of your yard, pick a different style from this list.
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Privacy and Openness
A solid fence with no gaps gives privacy, but it makes a yard feel smaller and more enclosed, and it tells passersby you’d like to be left alone.
A fence you can see through makes the space feel larger and looks friendlier to the neighborhood. I’d go with an opaque fence in the backyard and a see-through style in front, unless you need privacy out front.
Fence the whole property if kids or dogs need containment.
Side and rear property-line fences head off awkward talks with neighbors, especially on small or tightly packed lots. Front fencing is optional.
Limit yourself to two fence styles per property, such as one for the back and one for the front, so the yard reads as a single design.
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Fence Height Limits
Typical heights fall into a few bands:
- Front yard: 3–4 feet. A 40-inch fence is my pick, tall enough to mark the line and low enough to stay friendly.
- Side yard and backyard: 6 feet, occasionally 8 feet.
- Lattice topper: up to 18 inches is often allowed above a 6-foot opaque backyard fence.
- Security: a front fence of 5 feet or higher with a lockable gate. Leave some gaps for sight lines so it doesn’t feel like a fortress.
Local rules set the real limits, so check your local height rules before you buy any lumber or panels.
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