Should you be looking for a privacy fence for your residence, think about opting for a board on board fence. This fence style is created by interlocking wooden boards in a way that leaves no spaces for outsiders to glance through, making it an excellent choice for maintaining privacy.
The average of a board on board fence is $2,250 – $4,250 to install a 500 linear ft. Per foot, this works out to be around $4.50 – $8.50.
Below, we break down some of the costs you’ll incur during the fence installation to help you budget better.
The total amount you’ll spend on board-on-board fencing installation will vary depending on a number of factors. This could range from the size of the fence, to the materials you’ll use, to whether you’ll hire a pro or handle the job as a DIY.
Therefore, the average cost to install this fencing could be as low as $2,000 or as high as $11,000. It will all depend on the nature of your fencing project.
Most homeowners, however, spend between $2,000 – $6,000, bringing the national average for board-on-board fence installation to $4,000.
Here’s a breakdown of these costs, including materials, labor, and any tools or supplies required.
| Item | Unit | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | Per sq. ft | $2 | $10 | $15 |
| Labor | Per hour. | $30 | $50 | $70 |
| Supplies and tools | Per 100 linear ft | $100 | $175 | $250 |
| Average cost | per linear ft. | $4 | $13 | $22 |
| Total cost | 500 linear ft. | $2,000 | $6,500 | $11,000 |
Cost of board on board fencing per linear foot
The average cost of board-on-board fencing stands between $4 and $22 per linear foot. This massive range is caused by the cost difference in the materials used for installation.
In terms of square feet, you can expect to spend $15 – $20 per sq. ft for the fence installation.
Labor cost to build a board-on-board fence
How much you’ll spend on labor will depend on the contractors you hire for the installation. Most professionals will charge you anywhere from $30 – $70 per hour for the job, or around $4 – $7 per linear ft.
The labor time will, however, be longer or shorter depending on the materials being installed and the size of the boards used.
Expect most contractors to take between 25 – 40 hours to complete your board-on-board fence installation. Tips are welcomed by installers but certainly not expected.
Cost of board-on-board fence by material
One of the biggest advantages of a board on board fencing is the flexibility it gives you on material choices. Among the most popular options for homeowners includes vinyl, western red cedar, pine, and cedar fences among others.
You, therefore, get to choose the material that works with the visual effect you want for your home.
But as you’d guess, each of these materials varies in price.
Generally, the premium materials (mainly hardwoods) will cost you much more than the softer fence materials. Most fencing contractors will also charge more in labor to install the premium materials.
Additionally, board-on-board fences tend to utilize at least 30% more material than other privacy fences because their boards overlap on the same side, leaving no spaces or gaps.
Here’s how much some of these materials cost per 6-foot plank.
| Material | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl | $10 | $35+ |
| Composite | $8 | $12 |
| Cypress | $2 | $3 |
| Bamboo | $6 | $12 |
| Pressure-treated pine | $2 | $6 |
| Tropical hardwoods | $10 | $20 |
| Cedar | $2 | $4 |
| White Oak | $8 | $12 |
| Black locust | $8 | $12 |
| Western red cedar | $8 | $10 |
| Spruce | $4 | $8 |
| Redwood | $8 | $10 |
Wood board on board fences
Wood is the most popular material used on board-on-board fences. It’s actually what most people think of when they hear of privacy fences. The most common types of wood used in board-on-board installations include:
- Redwood
- Pressure-treated pine
- Western red cedar
- Eastern white cedar
The average cost to install wood board on board fences ranges between $2 – $12 per linear foot.
Vinyl board on board fences
For homeowners that don’t like wood, vinyl is another popular material used for a board on board installation. The material is simple to install, durable, and easy to clean and maintain.
Vinyl also doesn’t rot or crack when exposed to temperature changes, making it perfect as a long-term investment.
Expect to spend anywhere from $10 – $35+ per linear ft. on the vinyl board on board fence installation.
Cost to install board on board fencing by size
When purchasing your installation materials, you’ll discover that board on board fencing comes in two options i.e., 6” and 8” options. Your decision to pick either of these options should depend on how high you want your fence to be.
Keep in mind: Most homeowners associations demand that residential fences should remain at a maximum height of 6 feet unless you apply for a variance.
The average cost to purchase a 6” board is usually $4 – $8 per linear ft. while that of the 8” board is around $5.20 – $10.50 per linear ft. This indicates a difference of about 30% in cost between the two material sizes.
Cost to install board-on-board fencing by type
There are three major types of board-on-board fencing installation that are popular in the United States today. They include:
Board on board fences with top caps
This is arguably the most popular type of board-on-board fencing. Whether wooden or vinyl, most homeowners prefer adding a top cap to their fence posts.
These caps are important not only for adding aesthetic appeal to the fence but in wooden fences, they also help prevent moisture from reaching the top ends of your pickets.
Adding top caps to your fence will increase your overall installation costs by around 5%.
Board on board fence with prebuilt panels
In some cases, you might find that manufacturers sell pre-assembled fence panels made from wood or vinyl. Many homeowners prefer this type of board-on-board fence because it’s so much easier to install.
The prebuilt fence panels are usually 6 feet in length and can vary in thickness depending on the material.
It’s also easy to contact the manufacturer and ask for custom pre-built panels that suit your home style – even though this increases the costs.
The average cost of prebuilt fence panels ranges between $50 – $200 per panel stack.
Horizontal board on board
If you are tired of the vertical board on board fence design, you can ask your contractor to try the horizontal design instead. For this, he/she will attach the pickets horizontally to the fence posts.
The costs to do this installation are relatively the same as that of installing vertical pickets. The only extra cost would be that of using high-quality wood or vinyl to ensure the middle parts of the fence don’t sag.
Board on board fence permit and inspection costs
Before proceeding with your fence installation, most zoning boards will demand that you obtain a permit to put up the fence. This usually costs anywhere from $75 – $200 for a 6” fence.
If you however want to build or replace a taller fence, the permit may cost you around $200 – $400.
Check your local building codes or consult a local contractor to determine if you’ll need the permit in your area.
Cost to remove old board-on-board fence
If the contractor has to remove an old board-on-board fence before installing the new one, your total costs will also increase. Most contractors will charge you between $20 – $60 per linear foot for the removal.
So, for a standard 200 linear ft. fence, a contractor will charge you $4,000 – $12,000. These costs could be even higher if your yard or lawn is sloping.
Additional cost factors affecting board on board fence installation
Other factors that a fence contractor may consider when quoting your fencing job may include:
Land surveyor
Once you’ve obtained your fence permits, you might still need to hire a land surveyor who’ll determine the location of your property lines.
Doing this is important if you don’t know the exact location of your boundaries as it ensures you don’t encroach on your neighbor’s property.
The average cost of hiring a land surveyor may range anywhere from $300 – $800.
Slope of the land
The cost of installing your board on board fence will also increase if your land has an incline. This is because the contractor will have more work to do, including grading the land before beginning the installation.
The cost of land grading may cost you an extra $900 – $3,000 depending on the size of land to be covered.
Bush clearing
If the space where you intend to install the fence is overrun with bushes and trees, you’ll need to spend some extra cash for their removal.
Hiring a local handyman to help you with the bush clearing and disposal will cost you anywhere from $100 – $500 depending on the size of the bushes.
Board on board fence vs Shadow-box fence
While these two fences appear to be very similar, the biggest difference between a board-on-board fence and the shadow-box fence is that the board on board fence leaves no gaps.
The shadow box fence is constructed using overlapping pickets attached to the opposite sides of the fence. This leaves small gaps for airflow.
In terms of cost, installing a shadow box fence will cost you around $17 – $35 per linear ft.
Board on board fence vs Stockade style fence
The board-on-board fence is also often confused for the stockade fencing. Initially, they’re both very similar because like board on board fences, the stockade is installed with the fence panels next to each other, leaving no gaps.
But over time, the panels on the stockade fence tend to shrink and the gaps on the fence begin to show. Meanwhile, board on board fences never have gaps.
The average cost to install a stockade-style fence ranges from $15 – $20 per linear ft.
DIY fence installation vs hiring a pro
The best thing about installing fences is that it can be done as a DIY. As long as you have the right tools and some experience, the job can be done. On average, most DIY fence installers take 50 – 60 hours to complete installation.
DIY cost to install board on board fence
For a successful board-on-board installation, your biggest costs will be the materials and acquiring the required equipment. The materials alone will cost you anywhere from $4 – $22 per linear ft. depending on what you go for.
Equipment will cost you between $250 – $500 in total, but it may be cheaper if you already had some tools.
While it’s clear that these costs are much lower than what you’d spend on a local contractor, it’s still quite pricey to handle if you don’t know what you’re doing.
As such, hiring a professional is always the best idea. This way, you’ll be guaranteed quality work in the shortest time possible.
Looking for a fencing contractor?
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IMPORTANT: There is no obligation to hire any of the contractors. This is a free tool and service to be used at your pleasure.
FAQ's
In some cases, yes. Due to the overlapping nature of the fence panels, board on board fences tend to use up more materials than other side by side fence styles making them relatively more expensive.
It depends on the material used. Most wooden fences will last for around 20 or more years, while vinyl fences last for around 20-30 years.
No. While they have a similar appearance, board on board fences have overlapping panels on the same side of the fence leaving no gaps while shadowbox fences have overlapping panels on opposite fence sides which tend to leave gaps.
