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Backyard Cedar Privacy Fence

A long run of new cedar privacy fence now closes in this large backyard. The fence has vertical boards with a flat top and cap, set in straight sections between posts, and it follows the lawn on one side and a neighboring gravel driveway on the other, so the whole yard is screened at a single, even height.

Service
Fence remodel
Style
Flat-top privacy fence with a cap
Scope
Long perimeter run around a backyard lawn and along a neighboring driveway
Materials
Unstained cedar boards, posts and cap
Contractor
Volcano Builders, WA license VOLCABI792C6
Long new cedar privacy fence across the back of a large lawn, with evergreen trees and neighboring roofs behind it
The new fence across the back of the lawn
After

The finished fence

Long new cedar privacy fence across the back of a large lawn, with evergreen trees and neighboring roofs behind it
The new fence across the back of the lawn
New cedar privacy fence following a curve of lawn beside a gravel driveway with a parked car
The run beside the neighboring driveway, with fresh soil at its base
Flat-top cedar fence with posts between each section turning a corner around a green lawn under tall trees
Where the fence turns the corner of the yard
The project

How this backyard was closed in

The goal

The yard is a wide, open lawn with a young fruit tree, tall evergreens at the edges and houses on the neighboring lots. On one side a gravel driveway serving the lot next door runs right along the property line. The job was to enclose the whole yard with one solid, uniform wood fence.

The challenge

The fence line is long and not perfectly straight: it bends with the edge of the lawn beside the driveway and turns corners at the back of the yard. Over that length the top of the fence had to stay at one height and the sections had to line up, or the run would look uneven from the house.

The solution

The photos show the fence built in straight sections of vertical cedar boards, each section between two posts, with a flat top and a continuous cap along the line. The boards sit close together for full privacy. Along the driveway side the ground at the base of the fence is freshly turned, and rounds of a cut tree lie on the lawn near the back run.

The result

The finished fence wraps the lawn in an even band of new cedar from the driveway side to the far corner. Seen from the yard, the neighbors and the driveway are screened, and the clean, flat top gives the long run a tidy line against the trees.

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Questions

Questions about this project

What is a flat-top privacy fence?

It is a solid board fence whose boards are cut to one level and finished with a cap along the top, rather than dog-eared or scalloped boards. On a long run like this one the flat line keeps the fence looking even, and the cap helps shed rain off the board ends.

Can a fence run right beside a neighbor's driveway?

Yes, as long as it stands on your side of the property line. Here the fence follows the edge of the lawn next to a gravel driveway. Before any posts go in, we ask you to confirm where the line is. Washington law also requires a utility locate request through 811 before any post hole is dug, and we place that request for you.

How tall can a backyard privacy fence be?

It depends on the city and the spot on the lot. In Seattle, for example, a fence in most residential zones may be 6 feet tall, plus up to 2 feet of features such as a trellis, but only 4 feet in a front or street side setback. We confirm your local limits before pricing.

How do I get a price for a backyard fence like this one?

Book a consultation. We walk the whole fence line with you, measure it, note slope, gates and any old fence to remove, then send a written, itemized price before work starts. For background, read the Remodeling Pricing Guide for Seattle and Bellevue, WA.

Next steps

Before you book

Volcano Builders team member holding a phone showing the Google Business listing, Built Without Compromise

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