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Cedar Privacy Fences in Allen, TX
Vertical cedar pickets set edge to edge on horizontal rails is the fence most Allen backyards already have. Built on steel posts, it is also the most affordable way to replace one.
What You Are Buying
A side-by-side cedar fence is pickets butted together on rails. It gives full privacy when new; narrow gaps open as the wood dries.
That gap is the trade-off. Wood shrinks across its width as it loses moisture in a Texas summer, so boards installed tight will show slivers of daylight later. If that bothers you, board-on-board is the style that hides it.
Everything else about the fence is in the parts list.
The Parts, and What to Ask About Each
Posts
Galvanized steel, in concrete. The City of Allen’s guideline requires metal posts with metal caps and hardware, 18 inches deep. Ask the wall thickness of the post and the spacing between posts.
Rails
Three rails is typical for a 6-foot fence and four for an 8-foot one. Treated pine is common for rails. They attach to the steel posts with brackets.
Pickets
Cedar is sold in grades. One Frisco-based fence company’s Allen page describes #1 western red cedar as its premium grade and #2 as a value grade with more knots. Ask which grade and which thickness is in your quote, since two quotes that both say “cedar” may not be the same wood.
Fasteners
Ask what the pickets are fastened with. Fasteners that rust leave dark streaks down the boards.
Bottom and top
A rot board at the bottom keeps pickets off the soil. A cap board on top sheds water off the end grain. Both are options, and both add life.
Post rule: City of Allen, Residential Fence Guideline, dated June 2026, read October 5, 2026. Cedar grades as described on a Frisco fence company’s Allen page, read October 5, 2026.
Height, Sides and Neighbors
The city allows up to 8 feet in back and side yards. Six feet is a common height for a subdivision privacy fence. Going taller on one side of the yard only is allowed by the guideline, but it changes the look from the street, so check with your homeowner association.
The guideline does not say which side of the fence faces which yard. On a shared line that is something to settle with the neighbor before the rails go up.
Questions About Cedar Privacy Fence
How long does a cedar fence last in North Texas?
This site found no sourced figure for Allen and will not invent one. What is known is what shortens it: wooden posts, pickets touching soil, sprinklers hitting the boards, and no stain.
Is cedar better than pine for pickets?
Cedar is the usual choice for pickets here and pine, pressure treated, is common for rails. Ask the contractor what they use for each part and why.
How tall can a cedar privacy fence be in Allen?
Up to 8 feet in back and side yards under the city’s residential fence guideline.
Does a new cedar fence need stain?
It does not need it to stand up. Stain and sealer slow the graying and drying. Some associations require a specific color.
Compare Two Quotes on the Same Parts List
Post, rail, picket grade, fasteners. A fence contractor can spell out each one.
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