Wood fences have many advantages and remain a popular choice for consumers today. There are several styles of wood fence available and here are the most common styles:

• Side-by-side: This is the most economical style of wood fence in North Texas and is also called “butt joint.” The pickets on this style of fence are nailed with the boards “side by side.” You can expect a small amount of shrinkage of the pickets that will cause a small gap between the pickets. This is a standard expectation with a side by side fence.
  
• Board-on-board: This is the second most common style of wood fence. The pickets on this style of fence are nailed overlapping each other so you won’t get the gaps in between the pickets like the side by side style. This is a more decorative style and is a true “privacy” fence.
  

The two most commonly used woods for fencing in our part of Texas are Whitewood (also called SPF or spruce, pine and fur) and Cedar.

• Whitewood: This is the more economical of the two types of wood. With this type of wood you can expect loose knot structure, wane or bark from the outer edge of the tree as well as splits and cracks throughout the boards and they are 3 1/2" wide. This type of fence will generally last about six to eight years, sometimes a little longer if properly maintained.
  
• Cedar: This type of wood is the preferred wood for longer quality. Cedar has a tight knot structure, so you don't have to worry about knot holes and doesn't have near the wane or larger splits and cracks like whiteood. These boards come in four inch and six inch widths. This type of fence will generally last about 20 to 25 years.