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Horizontal fences · Galveston County, TX

Horizontal Fence Installation in Galveston, TX

Horizontal boards give a fence long, clean lines. Because every board spans from post to post, the post spacing, the board and how it is braced decide whether the lines stay straight in Gulf heat and humidity.

  • Reviewed Sept 27, 2026
  • Sources: Trex, Stratco, SlipFence, City of Galveston LDR, ISPSC
  • Interactive layout tool
Call (346) 910-8641Lay out your fence
Tall horizontal cedar privacy fence enclosing a pool patio with turquoise loungers and turf between paving stones
An 8 ft horizontal cedar privacy fence around a pool patio, from a Mustang project.
The short answer

A horizontal fence runs its boards or slats side to side, so each board spans the gap between two posts. The makers set that span: Trex’s composite system uses posts 8′ on center and suggests a back bracing rail in high heat and humidity; Stratco’s aluminum slat panels ship with a 70¾″ midrail; SlipFence holds wood deck boards 72½″ between posts. For wood boards no maker publishes a span, so ask how the builder will keep the long boards straight. Height follows the same City rules as any fence: 4 ft solid in a front yard, up to 8 ft at the side and rear.

8′Trex post spacing on center for its horizontal fence
70¾″Midrail Stratco ships with each 8 ft aluminum slat panel
72½″SlipFence spacing between posts for wood deck boards
4 ftFront-yard limit for a solid fence at a Galveston home

Sources: Trex Horizontal Fencing installation guide; Stratco Quickscreen Plus guide; SlipFence instructions; City of Galveston LDR §2.501(B).

Which horizontal fence, and what holds the boards

  • Wood boards. Cedar or pine boards fastened across the posts, tight for privacy or gapped for air. It is the lowest-cost way to get the look, and the one that needs its finish kept up. See wood fences and cedar vs. treated pine.
  • Composite boards. Boards that interlock with no gaps, carried in rails with aluminum reinforcement. No stain. See composite fences.
  • Aluminum slats. Powder-coated slats in slotted posts, with set gaps between them. They don’t rot or rust and suit a modern screen or a gate. See aluminum fences.
  • Wood in metal posts. Deck boards slid into channel posts, so no board is nailed through.

A tight horizontal fence is a privacy fence; with gaps it is a semi-privacy fence. For the trade-offs in one place, read horizontal fence pros and cons.

Horizontal fence layout

Pick a system, a height and a gap. You get sections, posts and a board count, how open the fence is, and the height the City of Galveston allows where it goes.

17SECTIONS
Posts
Boards
Open
Height

Post spacing: Trex Horizontal Fencing guide (8′ on center; 91″ span), Stratco Quickscreen Plus guide (8 ft center to center; 70¾″ midrail per 95″ panel; ⅜″ or 13/16″ spacer blocks; 2½″ slats as listed for its gates), SlipFence instructions (72½″ between posts; a 6 ft fence takes 13 or 14 boards). Wood has no maker’s figure, so pick the spacing your builder quotes. Board counts: courses = (height + gap) ÷ (board + gap), rounded down, times the sections; one board per course per section. Openness = gap ÷ (board + gap). Sections round up and each corner starts a new run, so treat this as a planning list, not an order. Height: City of Galveston LDR §2.501(B) and Ordinance 23-012 (R105.2).

Elevation of one 6 foot tall horizontal fence section with boards stacked between two posts 8 feet on center, the Trex and Stratco spacing. A second dimension shows 72 and a half inches between posts, the SlipFence spacing for wood deck boards. A dashed brace on the back at mid-span is labeled, and one board is drawn sagging to show what a long span can do. Notes below give each maker’s hole size and post depth 8 FT ON CENTER (TREX, STRATCO) 72½″ BETWEEN POSTS (SLIPFENCE, WOOD DECK BOARDS) 6 FT Back brace at mid-span (dashed: on the back) A long span can sag or cup (exaggerated) Boards span post to post, so the post spacing is the board’s span Trex: posts in 12″ × 30″ holes (minimum), 30″ embedment Stratco: posts about 2 ft deep · SlipFence: 8″ holes, 36–48″ deep Wood: no maker’s figure; ask your builder
A-1
DrawingOne horizontal section, in elevation
BasisTrex Horizontal Fencing guide (8′ on center; 12″ × 30″ holes; back bracing rail tip); Stratco Quickscreen Plus guide (8 ft centers; posts about 2 ft deep); SlipFence (72½″ between posts; 8″ holes 36–48″ deep); USDA Wood Handbook (cup increases with width/thickness). Not to scale
ScaleNot to scale
Every horizontal board is a small beam from post to post. Shorter spans, a mid-span brace or a system with a midrail keep the lines straight.
Pool with a fountain jet and loungers inside a tall horizontal cedar fence
The same horizontal cedar fence from across the pool, from a Mustang project.
Back of a horizontal cedar gate showing its wood frame and two diagonal braces, set in a horizontal cedar fence
The back of a horizontal cedar gate: a frame and diagonal braces hold the boards straight. From a Mustang project.
Dark stained horizontal wood fence behind a planted border with flowering shrubs
A dark horizontal board fence behind a planted border, from recent work.
Four plan cuts through a fence post. First, wood boards fastened across the face of a wood post where two board ends meet. Second, composite boards held by aluminum L-channels on both sides of the post, in rails with an aluminum insert. Third, thin aluminum slats sitting in a slotted post, with spacer blocks setting gaps of three eighths or thirteen sixteenths of an inch. Fourth, wood deck boards slid into channels on an aluminum post, 72 and a half inches apart WOOD, FACE-FASTENEDboards across the post faceBoard ends meet on a post;screws or nails into the post COMPOSITE (TREX)boards hang in rails, L-channelsAluminum insert in the top rail,aluminum bottom rail, 8′ on center ALUMINUM SLATS (STRATCO)slats in slotted postsSpacer blocks set ⅜″ or 13/16″ gaps;a 70¾″ midrail with each panel WOOD IN CHANNELS (SLIPFENCE)deck boards slide into posts72½″ between posts: a 12 ftdeck board cut in half
A-2
DrawingFour ways the boards are held, cut at a post
BasisWood: as on the cedar job pictured here. Composite: Trex guide (aluminum top-rail insert, aluminum bottom rail, L-channels at posts). Aluminum: Stratco guide (spacer blocks ⅜″ or 13/16″; 70¾″ midrail). SlipFence instructions (72½″). Not to scale
ScaleNot to scale
What holds the board ends decides how much the boards can move, how the fence is repaired and how straight it stays.
Dark horizontal-slat privacy fence panels between metal posts beside a concrete driveway
Dark horizontal-slat panels between metal posts beside a driveway, from recent work.

How open is a horizontal fence?

Share of the face that is gap, by board and gap. The dashed line is the 60% a Galveston front-yard fence needs to go from 4 ft to 5 ft.

5½″ boards, tight0%5½″ boards, ½″ gap8%5½″ boards, 1″ gap15%2½″ slats, ⅜″ gap13%2½″ slats, 13/16″ gap25%60%: needed for 5 ft in a front yard
Arithmetic: gap ÷ (board + gap). Slat gaps are Stratco’s two spacer-block settings. City of Galveston LDR §2.501(B).
Section through a horizontal board fence between a yard and a pool. Notes on the outside say the barrier must be at least 48 inches tall measured on the outside, no opening may pass a 4 inch sphere, a solid barrier cannot have handholds or footholds, and the bottom gap is 2 inches maximum over grass or 4 inches over concrete. On the pool side, rails and braces are shown, with a note that horizontal members less than 45 inches apart go on the pool side POOL 48″ MIN. OUTSIDE (away from the pool) POOL SIDE 305.2.1: at least 48″ tall, measured on the outside 305.2.2: no opening that passes a 4″ sphere 305.2.3: a solid barrier can’t have handholds or footholds 305.2.1: bottom gap 2″ max over grass, 4″ over concrete 305.2.5: horizontal members less than 45″ apart go on the pool side Rails and braces here, not outside
A-3
DrawingA horizontal fence as a pool barrier, in section
Basis2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code §305.2.1, 305.2.2, 305.2.3 and 305.2.5, adopted for City of Galveston pool permits. Not to scale
ScaleNot to scale
Horizontal lines can read as a ladder. If the fence is also the pool barrier, the framing goes on the pool side and the gaps stay small; confirm with the City inspector before you build.
Horizontal slat fence panels in mixed dark and light tones on black posts beside a metal building on bare ground
Horizontal slat panels in mixed tones on black posts, from recent work.

What happens at the estimate and install

  1. Free on-site estimate. We measure the run, mark the corners and gates, and check where your front yard starts and whether the fence also has to work as a pool barrier.
  2. The system and the span. You choose wood, composite or aluminum. The post spacing follows the system’s guide; for wood, ask how the long boards will be braced.
  3. Posts, then boards. Posts have to be plumb and in line: any post out of line shows along every horizontal board. Boards or panels go on course by course, level from post to post.
  4. Gates. A horizontal gate needs a frame and bracing behind the boards, like the cedar gate in the photos. It is hung and adjusted last.

A finished job: the 8 ft horizontal cedar privacy fence around a pool in the photos above.

What affects cost and timing

You get a written price after the free on-site estimate. What moves it:

  • System. Wood boards cost least to start; composite and aluminum cost more and skip the staining.
  • Posts and span. Closer posts or a mid-span brace mean more material and labor, and straighter boards.
  • Height and gaps. Taller fences and tighter gaps take more boards per section.
  • Gates. A matching horizontal gate needs its own frame, bracing and hardware.
  • The ground. Horizontal lines show every change in grade, so slopes add stepping and time.

Financing is available through the providers on our financing page, subject to credit approval.

What Galveston customers say

5.0
91 Google reviews · read them all on Google
★★★★★
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!
Abdul Wahab · Google review · a year ago
★★★★★
Very professional and friendly. Gotten automatic gates done and they are done to perfection! Thank you
Tannia Cravinas · Google review · a year ago
★★★★★
Great work. Fast service. Very friendly. I recommend using this company to replace your fence.
Roshanta Bell · Google review · a year ago

Reviews shown word for word from the Mustang Fencing Services Google Business Profile (Galveston), captured 2026-09-27.

Questions we get about this

How far apart should posts be for a horizontal fence?
It depends on the system. Trex’s horizontal composite fence uses posts 8 feet on center, Stratco’s aluminum slat panels use 8 feet center to center with a midrail in each panel, and SlipFence spaces its channel posts 72½ inches apart for wood deck boards. For plain wood boards no maker publishes a span, so ask your builder how the boards will be kept straight.
Do horizontal wood boards sag or warp?
Each board spans from post to post, so a long span and a thin, wide board are the conditions for trouble. The USDA Wood Handbook notes that the tendency to cup increases with a board’s width-to-thickness ratio, and that a good finish slows the moisture changes that cause warp. Even Trex suggests a back bracing rail in high heat and humidity.
Can a horizontal fence be 6 feet in my front yard in Galveston?
No. At a home in the City of Galveston, a front-yard fence is limited to 4 feet if solid, or 5 feet if at least 60 percent see-through. A horizontal fence with half-inch gaps between 5½-inch boards is only about 8 percent open. At the side and rear it can be up to 8 feet.
Can a horizontal fence be a pool barrier?
It can, if it meets the pool barrier rules in the 2021 ISPSC: at least 48 inches tall on the outside, no opening that passes a 4-inch sphere, no handholds or footholds on a solid face, and horizontal members less than 45 inches apart on the pool side. Confirm the design with the City before you build. See our pool fencing page.
Is a horizontal fence more expensive than a vertical one?
Often, because the boards span between posts and may need closer posts or bracing, and matching gates need their own frame. The written estimate compares the two for your run.
Do you build matching horizontal gates?
Yes. A horizontal gate needs a frame and bracing behind the boards; the cedar gate in the photos on this page shows one. For a wider opening, see our driveway gate page.
Is financing available for a horizontal fence?
Yes. Financing is available through the providers listed on our financing page, subject to credit approval.

Sources

Checked September 27, 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the City before you build.

  1. Trex Horizontal Fencing installation instructions (THF-0620) — posts 8′ on center (91″ span); 12″ × 30″ holes; 30″ embedment; aluminum rails; back bracing rail in high heat and humidity.
  2. Stratco Quickscreen Plus design and installation guide — 8 ft post centers; posts about 2 ft deep; 70¾″ midrail per panel; ⅜″ or 13/16″ slat spacing.
  3. SlipFence horizontal installation instructions — 72½″ between posts; 8″ holes 36–48″ deep; 13 or 14 boards for a 6 ft fence.
  4. USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021) — warp and cup; cup increases with width/thickness ratio; finishes slow moisture change.
  5. 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, Section 305 — barrier height, openings, solid surfaces and horizontal members.
  6. City of Galveston Land Development Regulations, §2.501 Fences and Walls — 8 ft at homes; front yard 4 ft solid, 5 ft at 60% transparent.
  7. City of Galveston Ordinance No. 23-012 (2021 IRC adoption) — R105.2: fences not over 7 ft exempt from a building permit.
Free on-site estimate

Planning a horizontal fence?

We’ll measure the run, check the front-yard and pool rules that apply, and price it in wood, composite or aluminum. Free on-site estimates across Galveston County.

Call (346) 910-8641Request an estimate

Keep planning

GuideHorizontal fence pros and consServicePrivacy fencesServiceSemi-privacy fencesServiceComposite fencesServiceWood fencesProject8 ft horizontal cedar privacy fence
Page reviewed September 27, 2026 by Mustang Fencing Services, Galveston. Next review due March 2027.

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