Horizontal vs. Vertical Wooden Fences: Which Is Best?

Reviewed by Kelly Bacon

A fence protects your privacy and it keeps kids and pets safe. A fence is also an exterior design element that's just as important to defining the look of your home as siding, paint, windows, and landscaping.

Choosing the direction of the fence boards—installing them vertically or horizontally—is a major part of the overall look of a fence. Fences with vertical boards have been installed for years for their adaptability and strength. But fences with horizontal wooden boards have been gaining in popularity for their sleek modern look.

Learn the differences between horizontal wooden fences and vertical wooden fences, installation techniques, and pros and cons.

Fence Post

A fence post is a vertical four-by-four post embedded in concrete in the ground. Horizontal fence posts are spaced closer than posts for vertical fences.

Vertical Fences

Pros

• Sturdy

• Easy to build

• Good for uneven ground

• Wide fence post span

• Pre-made fence panels can be used, if desired

Cons

• Requires stringers

• Heavier construction

• Less distinctive look than horizontal fences

• Stringers may eventually sag

• Board ends face up

Vertical fences have fence boards that are vertically attached to two or three horizontal stringers. Fence posts are typically eight feet apart. The stringers run between the fence posts: one a few inches from the top, one a few inches from the bottom, and, optionally, one in the middle.

Stringer

A stringer is a horizontal board, usually a two-by-fours, that runs at the top and the bottom of the fence. Sometimes, there is a third stringer in the middle for extra support.

Vertical fences are the most common type of fence. They are sturdy because the fence boards will not sag due to gravity. Vertical fences work well on uneven ground, and even sharp slopes, because the fence boards can be stair-stepped to match the contour of the ground.

The wider, 8-foot fence post span means that fewer posts need to be installed than with horizontal fences. If the ground is level, it is possible to use pre-made fence panels in 8-foot-wide by 6-foot-high sizes.

But for many modern or contemporary homes, the vertical fence aesthetic may not be a good fit. Though fewer fences posts are required, more two-by-fours are required for the stringers. And the stringers—intended for strength—may themselves lose strength as they sag over time.

Another negative is that the most weather-sensitive part of a fence board is not its face or edges but its ends. Vertical fences' board ends face upward, receiving the brunt of the elements.

Horizontal Fences

Pros

• Up-to-date look

• No need for stringers

• Board ends less exposed

• Stronger when higher grade boards used

• Eye-catching appearance

Cons

• Less private

• Difficult to follow slopes

• Can sag

• Narrow post span requires more posts

• Pre-made horizontal panels are not available

Horizontal fences are composed only of fence posts and horizontally-oriented fence boards. No stringers are used. Posts are usually six feet apart to minimize the possibility of fence boards sagging.

For many houses and neighborhoods, horizontal fences are the de facto look. These fences are considered to be modern, clean, and up-to-date. With no stringers required, less lumber is used. In fact, newer homes in some HOAs may be required to have horizontal fences.

Where vertical fences' weather-sensitive board ends face upward, horizontal fences board ends face to the side. This helps to slow deterioration and cracking.

Tip

One thing that horizontal fences can do that vertical fences cannot do: imposed wider fence board spacing. If you want to space horizontal boards far apart, you can do so. You cannot do this with vertical boards because the stringers are visible.

Horizontal fences tend to be more expensive than vertical fences because they require a higher grade of lumber for the fence boards to reduce the possibility of sagging. Even so, like any horizontally-oriented board, they may sag over time.

While the fence boards can be spaced a tight 1/8-inch apart, it's still a slit that's sizeable enough to see through—from either side. So, privacy is more difficult to achieve with horizontal fences than with vertical fences.

One-third more fence posts are required for horizontal than for vertical fences: one every 6 feet. Because horizontal fence boards must maintain level, they are difficult to install on sloped ground.

Fence Permit and Code Basics

Fence height is controlled by local codes. A common height permitted in many communities is 6 feet, applicable to both vertical and horizontal fences. In other areas, the maximum height is 7 or even 8 feet tall. Vertical add-ons such as lattices as typically considered to be part of the total fence height.

A fence built on a property line is usually owned equally by both neighbors. You may be legally required to obtain written consent from your neighbor before building a fence. California's Good Neighbor Fence Law eases differences between neighbors by requiring 30 days' written notice.

Horizontal vs. Vertical Fences: Which Is Right For You?

Horizontal

• Don't mind building fence piecemeal

• Yard is mostly flat

• Modern look is desired

• Planting more fence posts is fine

Vertical

• Don't want to build from scratch

• Yard is highly sloped

• Traditional look is okay

• Want to install fewer fence posts

For any fence installation where costs need to be kept under control, a vertical fence is usually the best choice. Less expensive fence board lumber can be used since the strength is gained from the stringers.

If you're installing your own fence and aren't interested in building the fence from scratch, you'll want to build a vertical fence. That's because a wide range of pre-built vertically-oriented fence panels are available at home centers. Horizontal pre-built fence panels are generally not available.

For any type of sloped ground, vertical fences will follow that contour with a smooth look on both the top and bottom of the fence.

For any installation where a contemporary look is required, a horizontal fence will be your best bet. These fences hit a strong stylistic note that's unmatched by vertical fences.

For small patios, horizontal fences work well because they feel less confining; they have less of the cage-like effect produced by vertical fences.

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