What Is a Shadow Box Fence and Is It Right for You?

A shadow box fence adds privacy and security to a yard and looks good doing it. What is a shadow box fence? This type of fence has pickets that alternate on each side of the rail. The pattern shields your yard from prying eyes while creating a unique look that doesn’t detract from your property’s aesthetics, like some fences. Here’s all you need to know about this popular fence style.

Shadow Box Fence Definition

A shadow box fence is very similar in design to a standard picket fence, with one major difference. Instead of attaching all the pickets on one side of the rail, a shadow box fence alternates pickets on either side of the rail. The result is a semi-private fence that is more visually appealing than other privacy fences.

This type of privacy fence is typically 6 feet tall but can be as short as 4 feet or as high as 8 feet. The best wood for fences in the shadow box style are cedar, cypress, redwood, or pressure-treated lumber, which are all weather-resistant options.

Shadow box fences are customizable with design options that include arches, dog-eared pickets, flat tops, and decorative posts. You can also vary the space between the pickets based on how much privacy you want between you and your neighbors. The further apart the pickets, the more visibility there is through the fence.

What Are the Different Styles of Shadow Box Fencing?

There are several different styles of shadow box fencing, including flat top, dog-eared, French Gothic, arched, and horizontal picket.

Flat Top 

This type of shadow box fence has a board that runs across the top, creating a flat top that frames the pickets and gives the fence a more finished look. With its clean lines, this variation of shadow box fence is ideal if you’re after a more modern and sophisticated style. 

Remember that this type of fence requires additional materials and takes longer to install, increasing the overall cost. 

Dog Eared

This is one of the most popular styles of shadow box fence. The canine-inspired description refers to the lopped-off corners on the tops of the pickets, resembling a dog’s ears or the folded corner of a page in a book. These cut corners break up the straight line of the fence top, softening the look. 

Dog-eared pickets are common at most home improvement stores, so you won’t have to cut the corners yourself to achieve this look. This simple design feature also won’t add anything to the cost of your fence. 

French Gothic

This fancy-sounding style of fence refers to the design of the fence posts, which have a pointed decorative top that creates the French Gothic look. This attractive finial adds appeal that improves the overall aesthetics of your shadow box fence and will only add a few dollars to the cost of each post. 

Arched

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Arched fence panels are another common design feature with shadow box fences that break up the monotonous look of the fence top. This style of shadow box fence arches either upward or downward between each supporting post, creating an appealing undulating pattern that adds interest and style to your shadow box fence.

Since this feature is more difficult to execute than a standard shadow box fence, expect to pay more for an arched design. An arch will also create low points in the fence between each post, making it less private.

Horizontal Pickets

Shadow box fences can come with horizontal pickets. This style of fencing—in which the pickets run parallel to the ground—creates a unique, modern look. Horizontal pickets can offer more privacy if you go with tight gaps between the panels. But, the fence will be less secure if you opt for a larger gap between the horizontal pickets because the fence will be climbable.

Horizontal fences are a bit pricier than vertical fences because they must be bought piece by piece. You can’t buy horizontal fences in packs so your fencing pro will have to build your horizontal fence on-site.

Pros of a Shadow Box Fence

A shadow box fence walks the line between form and function, offering many advantages you don’t get with picket fences, stockade fences, and other types of wood fencing. 

Aesthetics

A shadow box fence is common in residential neighborhoods because of its attractive look. The alternating pickets add interest, making them more pleasing to the eye and more modern than the stockade-style picket fence that hearkens back to 18th-century forts. 

This type of fence also looks good from all angles. Unlike a stockade fence or standard picket fence with an exposed rail on one side, neither you nor your neighbor has to look at the back side of the fence. A shadow box fence looks identical on both sides. 

Durability

Since a shadow box fence has larger gaps between its pickets than a standard one, it allows more air to flow through it than other privacy fence styles. If you live in an area prone to high winds, a shadow box fence may make sense for your yard, as these gaps make it less susceptible to wind damage. You’ll also appreciate the breeze this fence style permits on hot summer days. 

A shadow box fence is also sturdier. By attaching pickets to both sides of the rail, as opposed to on just one side, a shadow box fence better distributes the total weight of the pickets, helping to prevent sagging. 

Partial Privacy

Shadow box fences provide privacy for your backyard without straining relations with your neighbors by shutting them out of your backyard entirely. While you can’t see through a shadow box fence when looking at it head-on, you can catch glimpses of the adjoining property by looking at the fence at an angle. Therefore, you’ll have a sense of privacy without totally severing contact with your neighbors.

Cons of a Shadow Box Fence

You should consider some drawbacks to a shadow box fence before choosing this style. Here are the downsides to choosing a shadow box fence. 

Harder to Maintain

That alternating picket design that makes shadow boxes such an appealing fence option also makes them more challenging to maintain. The open spaces between each picket are harder to clean. These nooks and crannies also make applying stain to the fence more difficult. This means you’ll have to allocate more time to stain your fence or hire a fence staining pro near you. 

More Costly 

Due to materials and labor, you’ll pay more for a shadow box fence than a stockade-style privacy fence. Since there is some overlap between the alternating boards, you’ll need more material for a shadow box fence than you will for the same-size stockade fence. 

Shadow box fences also require more expertise and time to construct, increasing the installation's labor costs. 

Not Completely Private

While a shadow box fence creates privacy, it isn’t a complete barrier. Since you can still see through the fence by looking at it from an angle, a shadow box fence is only semi-private. If you want to close off your backyard so no one can see in, you’ll need to choose a different type of privacy fence. 

Construction Impacts Neighbors

Building a shadowbox fence requires working on the side bordering your neighbor's yard since pickets are on both sides. So, while neighbors might appreciate the aesthetic of this beautiful fence, they'll have to deal with some construction noise and a fencing pro stepping on their property.

How Much Does a Shadow Box Fence Cost?

You can expect to pay between $10 and $40 per linear foot to have a wood fence pro near you install a shadow box fence. A basic shadow box fence made from treated lumber is the most affordable option at around $10 to $15 per linear foot. Other options include a cedar shadow box fence at $20 to $23 per linear foot or a vinyl shadow box fence—the most expensive option—at $27 and $40 per linear foot.

In addition to material and length, other factors can impact the cost of your fence, including its height and style and where you live. If you choose to take on a shadow box fence installation yourself, you can shave about a third off the cost of the fence.