Wood & Cedar Privacy Fencing
Wood & Cedar Privacy Fencing in Fresno, CA
Redwood and cedar board fence, built to stand up to Valley sun.
A wood privacy fence is still the classic Fresno backyard fence, and when it is built well it is the warmest-looking boundary you can put around a house. The catch in the Central Valley is that our summers are brutal on lumber: sun bakes the face boards, sprinklers soak the bottoms, and a fence built with green boards and undersized posts starts leaning and cupping inside two seasons.
AR Fence builds board fence to survive that. Posts go in concrete, deep enough for the height, with the run strung straight before a single board goes up. A rot board along the ground takes the sprinkler abuse instead of the pickets. Rails are sized so the fence does not sag between posts. It is the same lumber everyone else buys — the difference is what holds it up.
Options
Wood Fence Options
Style, wood species and post material are the three decisions that set both the look and the price.
Redwood
The Central Valley default. Naturally resistant to rot and insects, takes stain beautifully, and weathers to a soft gray if you let it.
Cedar
Tighter grain and fewer knots than construction-grade redwood, with the same natural rot resistance. A cleaner-looking face board.
Dog-ear pickets
The standard 6 ft backyard fence — clipped corners, boards butted side by side. Fastest and least expensive.
Board-on-board
Overlapping pickets with no gap, front or back. Full privacy that stays full even after the boards shrink in their first summer.
Horizontal slat
Boards run lengthwise for a modern look. Needs closer post spacing and straighter lumber, so it prices above dog-ear.
Steel posts
Galvanized posts with a wood cladding or trim cover. Wood posts rot at the concrete line eventually; steel does not, and it is the single best upgrade on a wood fence.
Rot board and cap
A pressure-treated board along the bottom takes the ground and sprinkler contact. A top cap and trim rail finishes the line and slows water into the end grain.
Our process
How a Wood Fence Job Runs
- Step 1
Measure and mark
We walk the line, mark post locations, and confirm exactly where the fence sits relative to the property line.
- Step 2
Tear-out and haul-off
The old fence comes out and leaves with us, including the old post concrete.
- Step 3
Posts in concrete
Set to depth on the string line and left to cure before any framing load goes on.
- Step 4
Rails, rot board, pickets
Rails first, then the rot board, then pickets set plumb with a consistent reveal down the whole run.
- Step 5
Gates and hardware
Gates get a diagonal brace or a steel frame so they do not drop, plus hinges and a latch sized for the gate's weight.
- Step 6
Cleanup and walk-through
Cut-offs and nails cleared, then we walk the finished fence with you before we leave.
Why it works
What You Get
Full privacy from day one
A solid board fence is the most complete screen there is, and the quietest.
Stainable and repairable
One damaged picket is a five-minute fix, and the whole fence can be re-stained a different color years later.
Adds to curb appeal
Nothing dresses up a tired backyard faster than a straight, freshly built cedar or redwood fence.
Built to be stained
We can come back and stain it once the new lumber has dried out — see our fence staining page for the timing.
Questions
Wood & Cedar Fencing FAQs
The questions we get asked most about this kind of work.
Redwood or cedar — which should I pick in Fresno?
Both resist rot naturally and both do well here. Redwood is the local standard and easy to source; cedar usually has fewer knots and a tighter grain, so it looks cleaner up close and costs a little more. We will price both if you want to compare.
How long should a wood fence last here?
It depends almost entirely on the posts and on water. Wood posts set in concrete eventually rot at the ground line; galvanized steel posts remove that failure point. Keeping sprinklers off the boards and staining every few years does the rest.
Can you build to my HOA's specifications?
Yes. Send us the HOA fence standard — height, style, which side the good face goes on, stain color — and we will build to it and note it on the estimate.
Keep looking
Other Fence Types
- Chain-Link FencingGalvanized or black vinyl-coated mesh, 4 ft to 12 ft, set in concrete.
- Privacy Slat Chain-LinkSlats woven into chain-link for backyard privacy in tan, brown, black, green or gray.
- Wrought Iron & SteelBlack steel spear-top panels for security, estate and rural perimeter fence.
- Gates (Swing & Sliding)Custom walk gates, double drive gates and sliding gates in steel, wood or chain-link.
- Motorized / Automatic GatesAutomatic swing and slide operators, keypads, remotes, solar power and safety sensors.
- Fence & Gate RepairLeaning posts, storm damage, sagging gates and re-stretched chain-link.
- Fence Staining & FinishingCleaning, sealing and semi-transparent or solid stain for cedar and redwood.
Get a free estimate on wood & cedar fencing
Tell us the property, roughly how much fence you need and when you would like it done. We will come out and price it.