Wood Shadow Box Fence at a Yellow House in Orlando
This Orlando homeowner has a warm yellow exterior that gives the whole property a friendly feel. We built the side yard fence in wood shadow box so both sides of the line look finished.
What is a shadow box fence and why choose it here?
A shadow box wood fence is built with pickets alternating on opposite sides of the horizontal rails. The result is a fence that looks the same from both sides. No neighbor gets the flat picket side while you get the rail side. That is a real thing in a residential neighborhood where the fence sits right on the property line and both parties are looking at it every day. For this Orlando homeowner in a friendly older neighborhood the shadow box style was as much a courtesy to the neighbors as it was a design choice. The airflow benefit is also real. The alternating pickets let the summer breeze move through the fence rather than build up against it, which keeps the yard from feeling stagnant on a hot afternoon. Pressure treated pine is the material we use for this build type across Central Florida.
How did we work the fence around the AC unit and walkway?
The photos on this project show the fence line running past the exterior air conditioning unit and past the walkway that leads to the back of the home. Neither of those obstacles is a mystery on install day. We plan them on the estimate walk. The AC unit needs breathing room on all sides so the coil can shed heat. Our fence sits back from the compressor at the manufacturer recommended clearance and we oriented the picket run so the technician can still get in for service without cutting a panel out. The walkway needed a gate opening at the transition from side yard to back yard, sized so a wheelbarrow or lawn mower can pass through without turning sideways. Every post on the run is set 3 feet deep in concrete. The corners against the home are anchored so the fence does not pull away from the siding over time.
What does the finished fence look like against the yellow house?
The three photos show the fence at the AC unit, tight along the walkway next to the home, and heading down the walkway toward the back. The natural pressure treated color of the wood pairs nicely against the yellow siding without competing with it. Over the next couple of years the wood will weather to a silver gray, which will read even quieter against the color of the house. The shadow box construction shows uniform picket spacing across the run and the top rail holds level from post to post. Wood is our highest wind rated material at up to 100 mile per hour gusts. For details on this construction style our shadow box fence page has more, our wood fence page covers construction specs, and our Orlando fence installation page has more projects from around town.
A closer look at this project.
Want a shadow box fence that looks finished on both sides?
We plan the run on the estimate walk, work around your AC, walkways, and outdoor features. Call the shop for a free measurement.