Are you looking for horizontal fence ideas for your backyard?
Horizontal fences are our favorite type of fencing right now. Between our homes and helping friends with their fencing, we’ve built 3 or 4 horizontal fences in the last few years.
In this article, we’ll show you some great looking horizontal fence ideas that you can add to your backyard.
And make sure you scroll to the bottom as we show you several from Instagram.
Table of Contents
What is a Horizontal Fence?
Most people are used to seeing the typical vertical wood fence structure. This is where you have the posts set 6 to 8 feet apart. You either have vertical wood panels that attached to the posts, or you add each board individually.
With horizontal fencing, you still have your posts set, but your wood boards are 1X3, 1X4, 1X6 width boards and are smooth surface where the vertical boards are usually rough cut. Meaning, they are fuzzy or still rough and didn’t go through a planer.
You can also use other materials, like corrugated metal for the fence, or vinyl, but most people use different types of wood for their fence structures.
This is also usually why horizontal fences cost more. But many people who choose these types of fences are going for a certain look and aren’t trying to do the cheapest fence out there.
1. Varying Width Horizontal Wood Fence
I love this varying width horizontal fences. They really draw the eye and add variation to your backyard.
Since there are different widths to deal with, this fence will take a little longer to build. Or, if you are hiring a contractor, it will cost a little more just because of the extra complexity of doing the right varying widths pattern.
2. Metal Accent Horizontal Wood Fence
The last two fences we did had metal accents. We really like the look of this mixed media fence. Plus, the metal can be less pricey than the wood boards for the fencing.
3. Dark Horizontal Wood Fence
If you’re looking for the modern look for your backyard, then you can add a level of elegance by choosing darker woods for your horizontal fence.
And if there aren’t any naturally dark woods that you like, then you can also consider painting cheaper pine with black or deep browns to get the same look and feel.
4. Stepped Horizontal Wood Fence
Stepped horizontal fences are great if you have a graded yard or if your house is on an incline. The staggered fence is easiest to create by making each stagger the same height and width, then step down with the fence structure.
5. Barn Door Gate Horizontal Fence
Add a little extra pizzazz to your horizontal fence by creating a barn door gate for it. The structure is super easy to build and is great if you don’t have the area for a hinged gate.
Maybe you have plants or a structure near the gate. In that instance, the barn door will work well. They latch easily so they stay shut when you want them to.
6. Horizontal Louvered Fence
You know how you can switch your blinds a certain way where you can see out, but people can see in? That’s what I love about the horizontal louvered fence.
The boards are angled just right where you can see out if you need to, but people can’t easily see into your backyard.
7. Shadow Box Horizontal Fence
The shadow box fence is considered the “good neighbor” fence, whether you have horizontal fence or vertical. That’s because the posts and boards look good from ether side of the fence.
With the shadow box, there are boards on either side, which creates a gap for air flow. Because of that, there is also an angle where people can see part of your backyard through the fence, but with the horizontal fencing, what they can see if way less than the vertical shadow box style.
8. Container Garden Horizontal Fence
Horizontal fences really lend themselves to adding containers in the slats for easy herb gardens or other container garden ideas.
I also love this because you can change up the containers each season to add a little different look to your backyard.
Just make sure that you aren’t adding too many containers to one fence area, since the weight will pull on the fence.
If you have just a few, then it won’t bother the fence structure. But too many and you could see some leaning.
9. Corrugated Metal Horizontal Fence
This horizontal fence idea is mostly metal with just a little wood for the posts and frame. You can choose different corrugated metal shapes to make the perfect backyard fence for your privacy.
When adding metal, you will notice a bit warmer areas in the summer. With our partial metal fence, we notice that so be mindful if you plant anything nearby.
10. Horizontal Fence with Shelving
Horizontal fence with shelving is a great idea to add any cute backyard yard art to your fences. It takes the container garden idea to a new level. When you add shelving to your fence, you can easily come up with backyard lighting ideas, add bird feeders, fairy houses, or anything you can think of.
11. Horizontal Vinyl Fence
Like the corrugated metal, the vinyl has a different look and feel from most of the fences that we shared here. Most people will use wood for price and availability.
The vinyl fence will cost more, but should last longer than any wood that you add. And they should be fairly easy to maintain because you don’t need to add stains to them or do any real maintenance.
The biggest thing you’ll probably have to do with vinyl is it if it gets that green, mildew look.
Bonus Instagram Inspiration
We hope this article helped the perfect horizontal fence ideas for your backyard. If you have furbabies, then you may also want to take a look at dog fence ideas if you don’t already have a backyard fence to put up.
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