Wood privacy fence installation
A private backyard with a fence built for wet ground, summer storms and Middle Tennessee humidity.
Walk any subdivision in Clarksville and you'll see the same thing behind most houses: a 6-foot wood privacy fence. It's the default because it works. It blocks the view, keeps dogs and kids in, and when something breaks, a board or a post can be swapped without replacing the whole run. What separates a fence that lasts from one that leans in a few years is mostly what happens below ground.
Which wood style should I pick?
| Style | Best for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Dog-ear privacy | Standard backyard privacy | Solid face catches the most wind |
| Shadowbox | Privacy that looks good from both sides | Air passes between boards; uses more lumber |
| Board-on-board | No see-through gaps as boards shrink | Heavier; needs solid posts |
| Horizontal | Modern-looking homes | Check HOA approval; long boards need support |
| Picket (3 to 4 ft) | Front yards and older streets | Front-yard height may be limited by zoning |
Treated pine or cedar?
Pressure-treated pine is the most common choice around Clarksville: it's widely available and holds up in ground contact when it's rated for it. Cedar resists rot naturally and weathers to a soft gray, but it's softer and usually costs more. Many fences mix the two, with treated posts and cedar boards, or use steel posts behind wood pickets for the longest-lasting frame.
What makes a wood fence last in this climate?
- Ground-contact posts. Posts rated for ground contact, set deep, with concrete crowned above grade so rain runs off instead of pooling at the wood.
- Drainage at the bottom. Keeping pickets a couple of inches off the dirt, or adding a rot board, stops wicking from wet soil and mulch.
- Good fasteners. Coated or stainless screws and ring-shank nails, since treated lumber corrodes plain steel.
- Three rails on a 6-foot fence. A middle rail limits warping as boards dry out in summer heat.
- A sealer or stain. Once new treated lumber dries out, a water-repellent finish slows cracking and mildew in humid summers.
Slopes and property lines
Many Clarksville lots slope toward a creek, a ditch or the back of the subdivision. Fences can follow the grade or step down in level sections; ask which suits your yard and how the bottom gaps will be closed for a small dog. Know where your corner pins are before posts go in, and stay clear of drainage easements, which are common along back lot lines.
What affects the price?
- Total length and height
- Lumber type, style and post material
- How many gates, and how wide
- Tearing out and hauling away an old fence
- Slope, rock and access to the backyard
Every fence is priced after a contractor walks the property, marks the line, checks the slope, the soil and the gate spots, and hears what you want the fence to do. We don't quote prices, and any figure you hear before someone has seen the yard is a guess.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
How long will a treated pine fence last in Clarksville?
It depends on the post rating, how the posts are set, and upkeep. Posts at the soil line usually fail first, so ask how the contractor sets them and shapes the footing.
Do I have to stain a new treated fence right away?
Usually not. Treated lumber often needs time to dry before it takes a finish well. Ask your contractor when to stain.
Related services
More background: Clarksville fence guide.
Storm knock a section flat, or ready to fence in the backyard?
Call the number above and a local fence contractor will come look at the job and quote it directly.