A shadowbox fence is a specific style of privacy fencing. Contractors use tall pickets to create a fence that resembles a standard picket or dog-ear fence when you look at it head on. However, rather than attach the pickets all on one side of the rail, they alternate the boards. The pickets are two to three inches apart, and the construction creates spaces in the fence.

Shadowbox fences carry the same basic advantages of standard privacy fences in that they pen in pets and children while shielding your yard from view. However, the shadowbox design carries its own unique advantages that may make this style especially desirable for your property.

1. Shadowbox Construction Yields Visual Interest

The exact construction of a shadow box fence features the standard posts with three rails spanning in between. Contractors affix a picket to one side of the rails then another picket on the other side of the rails, with a slight overlap to obscure the view. They keep up this alternating pattern, and it yields just that - a pattern. Wood and light work together to create an attractive interplay.

2.Fencing Looks the Same on Both Sides

Picture the above construction from your side. Now, imagine the same fence from your neighbor's side. The view will be virtually the same on both sides. The only real difference is in the posts.

Indeed, what makes shadowboxes most appealing is the fact that there's no front or back of the fence. Your neighbor gets the same pleasing view you do. This feature is also ideal for the yard itself. Homeowners often orient a privacy fence so the front faces the street to enhance curb appeal, leaving the yard looking at the backside. You don't have to look at the back of the fence when you have a shadowbox fence.

3. Alternating Pickets Afford More Durability

One of the main advantages of privacy fencing, beyond hiding your yard, is that your fence is longlasting. With proper maintenance, any privacy fence can last for years. However, shadowbox fences are especially durable because of the alternating pickets. They distribute the weight evenly between the rails, so you don't have to worry about sagging or falling pickets.

4. Pets and Children Can Peer Through

One of the drawbacks of standard privacy fencing is it often gives the backyard a closed-off look. The fencing appears like a wooden wall around your property. While privacy is the point of such fencing, some homeowners might prefer a friendlier approach.

Head-on, shadowbox fences are just as opaque as a standard privacy fence. However, if you're up close, you can peer through the spaces to the other side. This aspect is ideal for curious pets and children, thus discouraging climbing or jumping.

5. Fences Are Customizable

Shadowbox fences are just like their standard counterparts in that they offer many customization options. Indeed, most of the customization options you have for standard hardwood fencing are the same for shadowboxes, including wood type, color, and staining.

One of the common customizations for shadowbox fences is the convex panel top. The pickets create a convex arch from post to post, yielding the dog-ear profile. You can also change the look of the picket top itself. The gothic top, which looks like a rounded spearhead, is popular for shadowbox fences. Homeowners often usually pair this cut with gothic post caps.

While many contractors expand the pickets past the top rail, you can also end the fence in a top rail. This construction gives the fence a sturdier look at the top. You also get a little more shadowing between the top rail and the top of the pickets, which adds another layer of visual interest.

Conversely, if you want to enhance the open feel of the shadowbox, consider a lattice top. With this design, the contractors shorten the pickets. Then they attach a lattice instead of a top rail, giving the fence a woven appearance.

Select a shadowbox fence for curb appeal and to keep neighbor relations friendly. Contact Gulf Coast Fence Co. for any of your fencing questions.