What Is a Good Neighbour Fence?

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If you've been shopping for a backyard privacy fence and you're considering wood fence, you've probably heard the term "good neighbour" fence, or good neighbor fence if you're in the USA.

If you're wondering what a good neighbor fence is, and if it's the right choice for you, read on for all the information you need. There's also a downloadable drawing of a typical good neighbour fence at the end of this article.

Why Is It Called a Good Neighbor Fence?

The good neighbour fence design got it's name because the way it is built means that both sides look basically the same.

On an ordinary wood fence, there's a nicer looking side and a side that doesn't look as nice. You could alternate panels so you and your neighbor both have better and not so good looking panels, or you can choose a fence that looks good from both sides.

How Is a Good Neighbour Fence Built?

A good neighbor fence is built with a top and bottom stringer like an ordinary wood fence. However, instead of having fence boards nailed to one side of the stringers, fence boards are nailed to both sides of the stringer, overlapping by about an inch over the board on the other side so both yards have privacy.

Often, a good neighbour fence will also have a flat board that serves as a "top cap" along the top of the fence to finish it nicely.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Good Neighbor Fencing?

The main pro of a good neighbor fence is that they look the same on both sides, so there can't be any arguments about who gets the better looking fence!

The main negative is that this type of fence uses more material than an ordinary wood fence. The more complex design also means it takes longer to build this kind of fence, and if you view the fence from the side, there are some gaps between the boards - but not enough to see into each other's yards!

Good neighbor fences are also a lot harder to paint or stain when they need to be refreshed.

This type of the fence will cost more - but if you really have a good neighbour, they will be willing to split the costs of the fence with you!