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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsNeed opinions about a fence!
Neighbor behind us wants us to pay for half of a new stockade fence. We do need a new fence, it's rotting out. My husband told him the fence can face his side. Right now it faces us. It's our fence. I don't want to see the back. Then it would be his fence.
Surveys of our 1876 house have always used the fence as the property line.
I told my DH I feel like George Constanza -- I've got hand! And I don't wanta give it up!
Am I being unreasonable? Do they make fence that has the good side on both sides?
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,280 posts)faces out, that is, away from the owner's property. If you see the back of the fence that means it's your fence. But you can get a double-sided fence. On one side of my property I had them put up an alternating wood private fence like this one: https://www.midwestfence.com/wood-private-fences/alternating-wood-private-fences/ It looks the same on both sides.
Croney
(4,646 posts)To clarify, the back of the neighbor's house is eight feet from the fence and there is no back door, just some windows. In contrast, on our side the fence is all across our parking area at the end of the driveway, so it's much more visible all day every day.
Thank you for your input.
MiniMe
(21,676 posts)I like it a lot
Farmer-Rick
(10,072 posts)Actually some privacy fences look better from the outside.
We put a woven wire livestock fence between us and our neighbor's pasture inside 6" of our property. It is our fence on our property. We did that so we can control it and don't have to depend on our sometimes flighty neighbors.
Croney
(4,646 posts)RockRaven
(14,784 posts)it looks identical from both sides. There are many variations of it, but the common feature is that instead of mounting the uprights on the sides of the horizontal runners, the uprights are pinned between a slotted horizontal runner below and above (and the bottom runner sitting on an on-edge 2X6 or 2X12 to prevent sagging).
I'd recommend googling "good neighbor fence" and looking at the images that come up -- there are lots of different approaches beyond the style I described, but what they have in common is looking the same on each side. Some look better than others, and if you don't want the "back" of a fence, there are a number of styles which are -- for lack of a better term -- backless.
Croney
(4,646 posts)This is the solution. Thank you.
JDC
(10,082 posts)And everyone wins.
Croney
(4,646 posts)procon
(15,805 posts)each section. Some fences come in premade sections so you just put them up in an alternating pattern so both sides see a little front and back fencing.
For fences built on site, it's the same pattern. Just decide on the footage... 8-10 ft is common.
Croney
(4,646 posts)Thank you.
REPUguy
(88 posts)Unless your fence has to be made of wood you might want to check it out, there are lots of styles. It has many other advantages too.
Croney
(4,646 posts)Thank you for the suggestion!
REPUguy
(88 posts)I don't know how expensive it is but it's available in many styles and colors. I wish I had researched that before I put up my vinyl fence.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,280 posts)So I went with wood.
Generic Brad
(14,270 posts)Fencing!
Croney
(4,646 posts)But we kissed and made up. 35 years have taught us not to go to bed mad.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,272 posts)So if security is an issue you might want to consider it.
I prefer having the bad side toward me anyway. Its less boring and you can string lights and add built in shelves.
I just built a fence an Im in the process of stringing lights now. Im in Chicago so the yard is smaller. Having the bad side available for decorative purposes makes sense to me.
Croney
(4,646 posts)You are creative. In front of our fence are Rose of Sharon bushes, but they are sparse in winter so putting lights on the fence is a lovely idea. Thanks!
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)rather than keeping me out.
Kaleva
(36,146 posts)And it cannot straddle a property line.
Croney
(4,646 posts)At least I hope not! I'm too used to seeing the front side to be comfortable about changing, so I'm lobbying for a fence with two "front" sides, like ones people here have suggested.
Kaleva
(36,146 posts)If i were you, I wouldn't put the fence right on the property line as you may get a new neighbor some day who could prove troublesome about the fence as part of it would be on his or her property.
Croney
(4,646 posts)bif
(22,560 posts)That's the way I always heard it worked.
Croney
(4,646 posts)Blues Heron
(5,898 posts)the front is too monotonous. You want the posts and beams etc on the side you look at. Also that's the etiquette - you give the so-called "good" side to the outside world and "suck up" the "bad side" for yourself. The dirty little secret is the "bad side" is actually easier on the eyes than a plain wall of unbroken slats.
Croney
(4,646 posts)Most sources I google do think as you do, so I am ready to admit I might be wrong, but I'm still going to insist on a fence with two "good" sides. I just like it.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)This setup works really well....
Croney
(4,646 posts)It does make my problem seem very trivial by comparison, huh.