How to build a modern good neighbor fence

What you’ll learn

How to build a modern fence that looks the same on both neighbors’ sides. Materials cost only ~$1200 for 100 linear feet, or about $16/linear foot. It’s a lot of labor, but multiple times less than paying for labor.

Design

installing modern good neighbor fence postmaster — Note the squared metal posts.

Requirements

Cost-effective since we were splitting with neighbors
Metal fence posts, so doesn’t rot
No gaps through the wood after it shrinks
Bottom raised off the ground by a couple inches so the wood doesn’t rot
“Pretty” on both sides
Uniform design through the length

As compared to our final design above, the typical “good neighbor” fences violated at least one of the requirements above.

good neighbor fence alternating — The most common good neighbor fences alternate the side that has the horizontal 2×4’s (violates #6). The other variation of this one is to put the horizontal 2×4’s all on one neighbor side and the “clean” side toward the other neighbor (violates #5).

installing modern good neighbor fence see through — The other common design alternates the vertical planks to give a look like woven baskets (violates #3).

You can buy pre-made redwood or cedar fence panels at Home Depot, the ones with the lattice on top, but they’d also violate #3, and since our property’s slightly sloped, you’d have to mount them staggered instead of having a continuous, gradually sloped top line.

Materials

For a single length (typically 8ft):

[2x] Postmaster fence posts (you can find at Home Depot)
[2x total length] 2×4’s (the runners for the top and bottom; you can get pressure-treated for the bottom)
[4x total length] 1×6 fencing boards (runners for top and bottom, see below)
[(length in inches / 6.5″)] 1×8″ fencing boards
Fence post concrete (it’s a thing at Home Depot)
screws, drills, chop saw, etc.

The star of the show was the Postmaster metal fence posts. No more awkward round fence posts that have brackets to mount to the wood! The Postmasters let you mount your fence up flush against the post and look great on both sides.

installing modern good neighbor fence postmaster poles

Postmaster Fence Posts

Amazon

All metal and look great from both sides! No rounded fence posts to deal with; the wood mounts flush with these. You can also find these at Home Depot.

Overview of what we’re building

installing modern good neighbor fence bottom joints

There’s a 2×4 on the top and bottom onto which everything’s mounted. The 1×6’s are mounted on either side like a container, holding in the 1×8’s, which are positioned at an angle and overlapping each other (to avoid violating #3). The width of the 2×4’s is just enough to allow this diagonal overlapping while keeping the 1×6’s flush to the 2×4. The vertical 1×8 boards show 6.5″, in other words, roughly a 1.5″ overlap (though since they vary in width a bit, measure the 6.5″).

Step 1: Sink New Fence Posts

To make a straight line, tie string around the end posts, assuming they’re already placed–or place those first. Measure off the length of each section, which is typically 8ft, and mark those, as you can see below with bows knotted on the string:

installing modern good neighbor fence hanging string

Next, drill holes minimum 18″ deep, up to 24″. We were lucky enough to borrow an auger.

installing modern good neighbor fence auger

Mix concrete per directions, place fence post in hole, pour concrete around it, and use a level to make sure it’s vertical. Let sit for a day.

Step 2: Construct the Framework

First mount the 2×4’s to the Postmaster. Choose any of the many holes! Don’t worry about getting a perfectly straight line yet, since it’ll be covered by the 1×6’s in the next step.

installing modern good neighbor fence leveling

The 1×6’s will be used as facing plates on the top and bottom, on both sides. The 1×6’s usually come in redwood or cedar with dog ears on one side. Chop saw the ears off.

installing modern good neighbor fence cutting off dogears

Next, mount the 1×6’s to the 2×4’s. We did multiple lengths at once so we could make sure they gently sloped. Screw in place.

installing modern good neighbor fence top runner board

Opposite side view of the above picture:

installing modern good neighbor fence framing

Step 3: Mount the Vertical Boards

You’re going to mount the 1×8’s between the 2×4’s, so that they’re resting on top of the bottom 2×4. Mount the first straight, then begin angling the boards. We made a guide from an old piece of plywood that was 6.5″ wide so we could quickly get the boards straight and uniform. The overlap was roughly 1.5″.

installing modern good neighbor fence bottom

This is what it looks like after you’ve got a few mounted. Screw each board in closer to the side that’s touching the 1×6 on the back. 1 1/2″ screws were just right to catch the 1×6 without poking through.

installing modern good neighbor fence bottom screws

Torx Wood Screws

Amazon

They’re star-head shaped and blend in with the wood.

Since the height of the fence varied a couple inches throughout the length, we had to measure every few feet and cut boards to length. We had one person cutting and one person screwing in the boards.

installing modern good neighbor fence cutting length chop saw

Note that when you get close to the end of a section at the next fence post, you’re not going to have a perfect board width. But, if you’ve made 8ft sections, it’s close enough to a multiple of 6.5″ that you can jigger with the last few boards to even it out and no one will know.

Step 4: Put Finishing Pieces On

At the end of a section, mount 1×6’s on the other side.

Step 5: Finish

You can keep the metal bare or cover it with a thin board!

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