A Successful Project with Eric Ceron: 6’ Double-Sided Privacy Cedar Fence with Camel Stain Finish
A 6 ft privacy fence with flush cedar boards on both faces and a camel stain finish — so the yard side and the neighbor’s side both see a finished face, not rails.
A double-sided privacy fence attaches flush boards to both faces of the same posts and rails, so neither side shows exposed framing. It takes roughly double the boards of a single-sided fence of the same run, while the number of posts and rails stays the same. At 6 ft, this fence sits comfortably under the City of Galveston’s 8 ft side/rear limit and its 7 ft permit-exempt line. “Camel” describes the stain’s color — a medium tan-brown — not how many sides are finished.
Sources: City of Galveston LDR §2.501(B); Ordinance 23-012 (R105.2); USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), Table 16-2. Board count: arithmetic shown in the FAQ and the estimator below.
What “double-sided” means, next to a standard privacy fence
Most wood privacy fences are single-sided: boards cover one face, and the other face shows the horizontal rails and the backs of the posts. A double-sided fence, like this one, attaches flush boards to both faces of the same posts and rails, so there’s no bare-framing side — both the yard side and the neighbor’s side see a finished board face.
The framework doesn’t change: the same posts, at the same spacing, and the same rails between them. What changes is the boards. See privacy fence installation in Galveston for how height and layout choices fit together, and board-on-board wood fences for a different technique that closes up a single-sided fence’s drying gaps without building a second face.
Single-sided vs. double-sided, side by side
| Single-sided | Double-sided (this project) | |
|---|---|---|
| What the yard side sees | Flush boards | Flush boards |
| What the neighbor’s side sees | Rails and the backs of posts | Flush boards |
| Posts and rails | One set | Same one set |
| Boards for a given run | Baseline | Roughly double |
| Typical reason to choose it | Lower material cost | Both sides look finished — common on a shared lot line |
Board and framing counts: arithmetic, not a manufacturer figure — no maker publishes a spacing spec for job-built wood fences. See the estimator below.
Height and permits for this fence in Galveston
This fence is 6 ft tall. At the side or rear of a home, the City of Galveston’s Land Development Regulations allow a solid fence up to 8 ft, so 6 ft leaves headroom. It also falls under the 7 ft line in the City’s adopted building code amendment, which exempts shorter fences from a building permit. A front-yard fence is treated differently: 4 ft solid, or 5 ft only if at least 60% see-through, which a privacy fence is not.
Rules vary by city and by HOA, and can change. Confirm height and permit questions with the City of Galveston building division before you order materials. See fences & gates on Galveston Island.
How long a camel stain’s color holds, by stain type
Expected service life on rough-sawn cedar before recoating (USDA Wood Handbook Table 16-2; upper end of each range shown)
What “camel” means on the stain can
Camel is a color name, not a type of stain. It describes a warm, medium tan-brown — lighter than a dark walnut or espresso tone, meant to let the cedar’s grain show through rather than hide it under an opaque color.
How long that color holds up depends on whether the product is a semitransparent (penetrating) stain, which soaks into the wood and can’t crack or flake, or a solid-color stain, which forms a thin film like paint and hides the grain. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory’s Wood Handbook rates solid-color stain on rough-sawn cedar at 10–15 years before recoating, against 4–8 years for a semitransparent stain on the same boards. See stain vs. paint, which lasts longer and staining and sealing.
Double-sided board & height estimator
Enter a fence run to see about how many boards a double-sided layout takes next to a single-sided fence of the same length, and whether the height you pick needs a City of Galveston building permit.
Board counts are arithmetic (linear feet × 12 ÷ board width, rounded up per face; double-sided is two faces), not a manufacturer figure — no maker publishes a spacing spec for job-built wood fences. Posts assume one every 8 ft, a commonly used spacing; your builder may use a different spacing depending on wind exposure and panel style. Height and permit line: City of Galveston LDR §2.501(B) and Ordinance 23-012 (R105.2).
Planning a double-sided fence or a stain finish of your own
- Want both sides to match? A double-sided layout is the straightforward way to do it; board-on-board is a single-sided alternative that also closes sight-lines, at a smaller lumber increase. See board-on-board wood fences.
- Choosing a finish? See stain vs. paint and staining and sealing.
- Checking the line and the neighbors? See how close to the property line you can build and who’s responsible for a shared fence.
What Galveston customers say
5.091 Google reviews · read them all on Google
Amazing work will go ahead and recommend everyone in friends and family We installed 8ft tall double sided stained cedar wood fence in our backyard, it’s really looks great, installed perfectly nice finishing and cost effective, thanks mustang fencing.
Installed Stained cedar wood fence yesterday by mustang fencing, thanks for the beautiful work.
had an excellent experience with mustang fencing From the initial consultation to the final installation, the team was professional, punctual, and attentive to detail. They helped me choose the perfect fence style to match my property and ensured everything was installed with precision. The quality of materials is top-notch, and the fence has completely transformed the look and security of my home. I highly recommend mustang services to anyone looking for reliable and high-quality fencing services!
Reviews shown word for word from the Mustang Fencing Services Google Business Profile (Galveston), captured 2026-10-12.
Questions we get about this
What does “double-sided” mean on a privacy fence?
How tall can a privacy fence be in the City of Galveston?
Does a 6 ft fence need a building permit in Galveston?
How long will a camel stain finish last before it needs recoating?
How many more boards does a double-sided fence take?
Do I need to call 811 before the post holes go in?
Sources
Checked October 13, 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the City before you build.
- City of Galveston Land Development Regulations, §2.501 Fences and Walls — 8 ft at residential uses; front yard 4 ft solid, 5 ft if at least 60% transparent.
- City of Galveston Ordinance No. 23-012 (2021 IRC adoption) — R105.2 as amended: fences not over 7 ft exempt from a building permit.
- City of Galveston Fence Permit Application (Rev. 03/2023) — Historic district and 1,000 ft mean-high-tide questions; coastal site plan.
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material, FPL-GTR-282 (2021) — Table 16-2: expected service life of semitransparent stain, solid-color stain and paint on rough-sawn cedar/redwood siding.
Planning a double-sided fence or a stain finish of your own?
We’ll walk the line, talk through single- or double-sided layouts and stain or paint, and give you a written price. Free on-site estimates across Galveston County.