Horizontal Fences in Tallahassee, FL

Pressure-treated pine is the budget build and sits at the low end of Fixr's $15 to $22 a foot. Pine needs a stain or sealer to hold its color (see Fence Staining and Sealing), and the posts need a ground-contact rating against rot and termites (see Wood Privacy Fences). Ask whether the boards get their first coat before or after they go up.

Cedar shows off grain better than pine, and that's half the point of a horizontal fence. Fixr lists cedar fencing at about $15 to $30 a foot installed and says western red cedar holds up well against insects, moisture and rot.

Factory slat panels come with the gaps already set, won't rust and need no stain. They're the most expensive way to get the look; the price per foot is on Aluminum Fences under privacy builds. Ask whether the slats can be ordered with a wider or tighter gap than the standard panel.

Wood boards on metal posts pair the warm face with posts that won't rot in wet ground. Fixr prices metal fence posts at about $30 to $60 each, set in concrete at the ends, corners and along the line. Steel rusts where the coating breaks, so ask for galvanized or powder-coated posts. Posts usually go 6 to 8 feet apart; with horizontal boards that span is the board's unsupported length, so ask what spacing the quote assumes.

Boards can butt tight for privacy or sit with small gaps between them. Mixing two board widths, or leaving gaps only near the top, is another way to let light through while keeping the lower part private. Ask for a short mock-up on site before the full run goes up, since a gap that looks right on paper can feel too open from the patio.