Horizontal and modern fences
We build horizontal cedar fences with level boards running between steel or wood posts for modern, farmhouse, and Hill Country houses. You can set the boards tight for privacy or leave small gaps between them.
How a horizontal fence goes together
We set the posts in concrete, then run the boards level from post to post. With black steel posts, you’ll see dark vertical lines between the runs of cedar boards. A flat cap runs along the top of the fence.
Gaps, boards, and finish
Boards set tight together make a privacy fence, while small, even gaps give it a lighter look. You can leave the cedar to weather or have it stained. We offer fence staining and sealing for wood fences.
Where it fits
A horizontal fence suits modern, farmhouse, and Hill Country houses with clean lines, metal roofs, and limestone or painted brick. It works for a backyard or as a screen for trash cans and equipment. Your HOA can set the style and material of a fence.
Height and permits
City of Austin Development Services counts a fence with more than 20% solid material as a solid fence, so horizontal boards with small gaps fall under the solid-fence height limits. Height and permit details are in fence height and permit rules.
What it costs
Angi’s Austin fence installation page, updated August 4, 2026, lists wood fences at $10 to $48 per linear foot and doesn’t price horizontal fences separately. More pricing information is in what a fence costs in Austin.
Questions about horizontal fences
Can a horizontal fence give full privacy?
Yes, a horizontal fence can give you full privacy when the boards are set tight together. Small gaps between the boards let some view and air through.
Steel posts or wood posts for a horizontal fence?
We build horizontal fences on steel or cedar posts set in concrete. Black steel posts give a modern horizontal fence its dark vertical lines.
Can a horizontal fence have a matching gate?
Yes, a horizontal fence can have a matching gate built with the same level boards on a frame. We hang it on the post with heavy hinges.