What Is a Board-on-Board Fence?

A board-on-board fence is a wood privacy fence built with the pickets overlapped, so each gap is covered by the board behind it. The result looks full and finished from both sides, with no gaps to see through. Empire Fence builds board-on-board cedar fences for homeowners across Tulsa and northeast Oklahoma.

Here is how board on board compares to a standard privacy fence.

We have built board-on-board fences across northeast Oklahoma since 1955, and most qualifying new installations earn our Gold Seal Certificate of Excellence after a 31-point inspection.

How a Board-on-Board Fence Is Built

Instead of setting the pickets edge to edge, we overlap them, so each picket laps over the gap between the two behind it. That overlap is the whole idea: it covers the seams and keeps the fence solid even as cedar naturally shrinks a little over time. We build ours with Western Red Cedar pickets and Douglas Fir backrails on posts set in concrete, and steel posts are a popular upgrade for wind resistance. See our wood fence options and privacy fence style guide.

Why Homeowners Choose Board on Board

The biggest draw is that it looks good from both sides, which matters when you share the fence line with a neighbor, since no one is stuck looking at the rails. It also stays fully private as the wood ages, where an edge-to-edge fence can open small gaps. It is one of the most popular upgrades in our best fence for privacy lineup. If you like the both-sided idea but want airflow for our wind, a shadow box is the semi-private cousin, as our privacy versus semi-privacy guide explains.

Cost and Whether It Is Worth It

Board on board uses more material than a standard dog-ear fence because of the overlap, so it costs more per foot. Many homeowners decide the finished, both-sided look and the lasting privacy are worth it, especially on a shared line. See how it fits into privacy fence cost, and we will price it as its own line on your estimate.

Related Questions

Board-on-board questions from Tulsa homeowners.

Is a board-on-board fence private?

Yes, fully. The overlapping pickets leave no gaps, and they stay private even as the cedar shrinks over time, which is why it is one of the most private wood styles we build.

Does board on board look good from both sides?

Yes. That is its signature benefit. The overlap gives a finished, full face on both sides, so neither you nor your neighbor is left looking at the rails.

Is board on board more expensive than a regular fence?

Yes, because it uses more pickets for the overlap. Many homeowners find the both-sided look and lasting privacy worth the difference. See privacy fence cost.