How tall can a front yard fence be?

Most localities cap front yard fences at three or four feet, and many HOAs are stricter. We confirm the limit for your address before we quote.

Will a picket fence hold my dog?

For most dogs, yes, with the right height and picket spacing. For a small breed or a digger, we tighten the gaps and can run the pickets closer to grade.

Should I paint or stain it?

Paint gives you the crisp white look and needs redoing every few years. Stain is less upkeep and shows the grain. Vinyl skips the question entirely.

Can you match the fence my neighbor has?

Usually. Send a photo or we will look at it during the estimate and match height, picket width and spacing as closely as the material allows.

Service

Picket Fence

Three to four foot picket fencing in wood, vinyl or aluminum, for front yards, gardens, pets and curb appeal.

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White picket fence lining a front yard walkway.

Picket fencing that sets off the house

A picket fence is mostly about the front of the home. It marks the yard, keeps a dog or a toddler where you can see them, and gives the house a finished edge without blocking the view. Most run three to four feet, with gates sized for a mower and for the walk to the front door.

Picket styles

Spaced picket: the classic look, with an inch and a half to three inches between pickets.
Dog-ear, gothic and french gothic tops: different picket tops that change the character of the same fence.
Scalloped and arched runs: the picket line curves between posts instead of running flat.
Closed picket: narrower gaps for smaller pets.

Materials

Cedar takes paint and stain best and is the traditional choice. Pressure-treated pine is the value option. Vinyl gives you a white picket that stays white with no repainting. Aluminum picket reads more formal and works well where you want a black fence that disappears against the landscaping.

Build details

Posts set in concrete, consistent picket spacing measured rather than eyeballed, and gates braced and hung on hardware that holds its alignment. On a sloped front yard we usually step the sections, since a racked picket fence throws the picket tops out of level.

Permits and HOA

Front yard fences are the ones HOAs and localities care about most, with rules on height, setback and sometimes style. We check the requirements, submit the paperwork, and call in the utility locate before we dig.