Board on Board Fence Installation in Plano, TX
We build board on board privacy fences for homeowners in Plano, Frisco, and McKinney.
Construction and Layout
- This style puts more wood in the air than a standard fence. All that extra weight has to land on something. So we build the part nobody sees first.
- Posts are galvanized steel, coated so they will not rust.
- A kicker board runs along the bottom of every fence we build.
Styles and Build Options
Here is the whole idea. The boards overlap each other instead of sitting side by side. That overlap is the whole product. It’s for a homeowner who wants privacy that stays private.
8 foot with a top cap. Our signature build, and the tallest fence Plano allows.
Pre-stained. The finish goes on before the boards go up, so the hidden overlap gets covered too.
With gates. Gates are built into the fence as part of the job.
Privacy is why most Plano homeowners call us. A fence that blocks the view on day one should still block it in year five. We build in cedar because it holds its shape in Texas heat. Stain applied before the boards go up reaches the edges that overlap and hide.
We build in Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Richardson, Parker, Murphy, and New Hope, Texas.
Board on Board Terminology
People call it board on board. Some say BOB. Plenty say double sided fence. One Plano homeowner asked us for “one of those newfangled ones,” and we knew exactly what she meant.
Same parts, two sets of words:
- Boards, planks, or slats. We call them pickets.
- Poles. We call them posts.
- The horizontal pieces. We call them rails.
- Rot board or kick board. We call it a kicker board.
- The good side, and the side with the posts showing.
Why Side-by-Side Fences Open Up
Cedar shrinks as it dries. Outdoor wood around Dallas and Fort Worth sits near 7.3% moisture in July and near 12.5% in December. Those figures come from the USDA Forest Products Laboratory.
On a side by side fence the boards butt tight, with nothing behind the seam. Lose close to a quarter inch of width and you get a line you can see through. And the wood doesn’t shrink once and stop. It gives that width back in winter, then loses it again every summer.
On a board on board fence the overlap swallows all of it. No gap opens, because the overlap was always bigger than the shrinking.
Board on Board vs. Side by Side
Three wood fences that look similar in a photo and behave nothing alike.
| Board on board | Shadow box | Side by side | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overlap | Every board laps the boards beside it | Boards alternate front and back of the rails | Boards butt side by side, no overlap |
| Gaps over time | Overlap absorbs the shrinking, so no see-through gap opens | Gaps were designed in, and they widen a little | Tight seams open into sightlines you can see through |
| Privacy | Full, and it stays full | Good, with angled sightlines that widen over time | Full on day one, less every summer after |
| Finished sides | One good side. Posts and rails show on the other | Looks the same from both sides | One good side. Posts and rails show on the other |
| Wind load | The most solid style, so it catches the most wind | Air passes through, so it catches the least | Solid at first, then less as gaps open |
| How much wood | The most boards of the three | In between | The fewest boards |
For a Plano backyard we’d pick board on board almost every time, because privacy that fades isn’t privacy. Shadow box is the better answer if you want both sides to match, or air moving through.
Good Side and Bad Side
On a standard board on board fence, somebody looks at the posts. You get the good side, or your neighbor does. We walk the fence line with you before anything gets built. That’s the moment to say which way you want it facing. A fence that matches on both sides is a shadow box, which is a different build.
Wind Load on Solid Fences
A board on board fence blocks the view completely. Anything that blocks a view that well also blocks wind. Of the three styles, it’s the biggest sail. So the posts underneath have to carry that load, and ours are built for it.
The ground moves too. Plano sits on Blackland Prairie clay. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service says that clay shrinks and swells markedly with moisture. Homeowners here bring it up constantly when a foundation cracks. Almost nobody connects it to a fence post.
One moisture cycle, two problems. The overlap answers the wood. The posts answer the ground.
- Steel posts, not wood, and galvanized so the ground doesn’t eat them.
- 3 feet down as a minimum, up to 4 feet where the ground allows.
- 6 feet apart, not the 8 feet most crews use.
- A kicker board along the bottom, so the pickets never touch dirt.
8-Foot Fences in Plano
The maximum height of a fence in Plano is 8 feet, per the City of Plano Building Inspection Department. So our signature build isn’t only tall. It’s the tallest fence a Plano homeowner is allowed to put up.
- 8 feet tall, the legal ceiling in Plano.
- Pre-stained cedar, so the overlapped edges get finish too.
- A top cap along the whole run.
From Estimate to Finish
We walk the fence line with you. Call during business hours and you’ll hear back in 5 to 30 minutes.
You get a heads up when the utility line locates are called. Strangers will be in your yard within three to four business days, so leave the gates unlocked.
Day one is demo. The old fence comes out and gets hauled off, and we can take other yard junk too. Hole digging and post setting start the same day.
Then the rails go up, the pickets go on with their overlap, and the gates get hung. The top cap goes on last.
What Customers Say
1–3 of 9
Very responsive and fixed my fence issue professionally and quickly. Excellent communication and workmanship. Highly recommended!
My Mom and Dad found Mom’s Fence Man they were so pleased with their quality workmanship on their new fence and I was so happy to hear how they had such a great experience. I also had a beautiful new gate with fence built and most recently a new beautiful shared backyard fence. They went above and beyond communicating from the beginning with several easy to understand quotes to updates through the materials arriving and updates of their arrival on the day of work. Throughout the process from the beginning up to the building of my new fence I was able to continue my daily work and scheduled appointments with no interruptions and have peace of mind.
He did a great job, was very communicative and easy to work with! Highly recommend!
I can’t thank Bill, Yvette and the rest of the team at Mom’ Fence Man for their dedication and hard work with replacing my 21yr old fence. From the design process to the demo and installation, the entire process and project were handled with the utmost care and dedication to excellence. I would highly recommend Mom’s Fence Man to anyone looking to install or replace their fence. Thank you Bill, Yvette and the rest of the team for bringing my dream to life! I can’t thank you enough! :) Tracy Marshall #momsfenceman #customerservice #amazing #teamwork #trustedpartner #excellence #expertcraftsmanship
Bill came out and fixed the issues I had. He is so helpful and kind. I love working with this company
My experience with Mom’s Fence Man in replacing my old 6’ fence with a beautifully crafted 8’ fence was 100% positive. The communication was excellent from start to finish. I always knew what to expect and the timelines given were accurate so I was able to plan my time accordingly. Bill helped with the design options and I couldn’t be happier with the results. Home repairs and improvements have always been something I dread, but this experience showed me that doesn’t have to be the case if you have the right company. I highly recommend them.
Bill and his team were very professional, easy to work with, and provided great guidance throughout the process. They did an excellent job with our fence replacement and repairs, and we’re very happy with the results. Highly recommend Bill and his team!
Fantastic work! Yvette and crew took great care in removing and replacing our fence. They took their time and did it right. We are thrilled with the final product and give Mom's Fence Man our highest recommendation.
When I called Bill he answered the phone and we made an appointment to get an estimate to repair my fence. He showed up on time and provided a reasonable estimate. Two weeks later as scheduled his reliable and professional crew arrived on time and completed my repairs the same day to my satisfaction. He was very nice and honest to work with. If I need more repairs in the future I will call him. I recommend you at least call for an estimate and I think you will be pleased! (I had called another company after I spoke to Bill to get a second estimate and to this day they never returned my call. That he answered my call impressed me a lot!)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a board on board fence really double sided?
No. All the boards mount on one face, so one side shows the posts and rails. A fence that matches on both sides is a shadow box.
How much do the boards overlap?
Enough that the boards give up width every summer and no gap opens.
Will gaps open up in the Texas heat?
No. The boards do shrink in a Plano summer, but the overlap keeps any gap from turning into a sightline.
Can I build an 8 foot board on board fence in Plano?
Yes, in the back and side yards. Eight feet is the maximum height Plano allows, and it’s our signature build. Front yard fences are held to a much lower height and have to be mostly open.
Do I need a permit to put up a new fence in Plano?
Yes. A full fence replacement in Plano requires a permit and an inspection. The City of Plano Building Inspection Department publishes the current requirements.
What should I ask any fence company before I sign?
Ask how deep the posts go, what they’re made of, and how far apart they sit. Ask how thick the pickets are, and whether there’s a kicker board. Then compare the answers.
How long does the fence take to build?
Typically two to three days, depending on the project. Demo happens on day one, and we start digging holes and setting posts the same day.
Do you offer financing?
Yes, through Wisetack. You can spread the cost of the fence out instead of paying for the whole job at once.
What is your warranty?
Guaranteed satisfaction, plus a 3 year craftsmanship warranty on new fence installations. If something we installed isn’t right, we come back out and fix it.
