In today’s busy world, our homes need to be the place to escape and feel relaxed. You want your home to have the privacy and calm that are so hard to come by, particularly in our day and age. Looking at privacy fence designs may be the answer.

If you are in the home-buying market, a backyard with an outdoor space is most likely high on your list of priorities. You’re most likely looking at Zillow for a home with a backyard that has great promise. You also want your backyard to be stylish and inviting.

What Are Privacy Fences?

Most neighborhood homes have fences surrounding the perimeter of the backyard and distinguish your property from your neighbors. Having a fence allows you to fully enjoy your outdoor space without disruptions or feeling like you’re being watched.

Fences make for great neighbors. They’re also attractive and add to your home’s value, so they’re an excellent investment. Two types of fences accommodate all these requirements: privacy fences and semi-private fences.

Privacy fences have no gaps between pickets, offering you ultimate and complete privacy from your neighbors. They are usually around six feet tall.

There are several types of privacy fence materials and looks. We offer the Bufftech privacy line, which features our exclusive CertaGrain® authentic woodgrain texture— plus an expansive color offering including unique, darker shades and semi-transparent stain blends that further enhance the look of natural wood.

Semi-private fences are between four and six feet tall and feature slight spacing between the pickets to allow light and air to enter while offering just the right amount of privacy.

Both options will add to your home’s value, so your choice depends on your needs and desires.

Have you considered a privacy fence for your yard?

Privacy fences are designed to help create the feel of an oasis in your backyard. Learn about privacy fences and discover styles for your St. Louis backyard.

What Are the Different Types of Privacy Fences?

Another benefit of vinyl fences is the versatility of their look. They are beautiful and can come in different styles and colors to match your home. We offer a premium selection of Bufftech vinyl fences, Bufftech molded privacy fences, and Bufftech vinyl semi-privacy fences.

Bufftech privacy fences come in various authentic woodgrain textures, colors, styles, and decorative accents.

Bufftech molded privacy fences look like beautiful stone or wood walls and offer excellent privacy and security. Allegheny looks like natural granite stone, and Sherwood offers beautiful deep-grain wood textures.

Bufftech vinyl semi-privacy fences offer the most versatile design options, increase light and airflow, and still provide the right amount of privacy.

What Are the Most Popular Privacy Fences?

No matter what you choose, your fence should be of good quality. However, there are options to level up your fence and have a fancier one. Let’s look at a few of our favorite styles.

• Good: the New Lexington Vinyl Privacy Fence. New Lexington is our most popular and least expensive vinyl privacy fence. It’s available in a white or almond and can be four, five, or six feet tall.
• Better: the Chesterfield Smooth Vinyl Privacy Fence. The Chesterfield Smooth textured vinyl privacy fence has been wind load tested to withstand up to 115 miles per hour winds. This is an excellent option for both home and commercial properties.
• Best: the Chesterfield CertaGrain Vinyl Privacy Fence. Bring the timeless beauty of painted wood fencing to your backyard thanks to the Chesterfield with CertaGrain™, Bufftech easy-care, wood-look privacy fence. CertaGrain provides an authentic, wood-like appearance and texture you won’t find on any other vinyl fence products.

Purpose of a Privacy Fence

A fence, in general, can serve three purposes.

They can be decorative. Many beautiful backyard gardens are built around decorative fences made from rocks, bricks, aluminum, and vinyl.

A fence can provide a functional purpose. If you have a pet you want to contain, you will want a fence to enclose your space. If you have a backyard swimming pool, you’re required by law to have a functional fence to keep people from entering your pool uninvited or having a terrible accident.

Fences can also be put up to create a privacy wall around your yard. They keep your nosy neighbor from monitoring your every move. They give you an enclosed and private space for quiet time and social gatherings.

Types of Fence Materials

Once you have decided on having a fence installed by your St. Louis fence company, to continue exploring privacy fence designs, you need to decide on what kind of fence you want.

Let’s focus on privacy fences.

When deciding what type of fence material you want your privacy fence made from, there is a good variety.

The most common and popular privacy fence materials are vinyl, simulated wood, and stone. When selecting fencing materials, you want to consider what the materials look like on a privacy fence. What kind of design options does it provide?

You also want to consider how much maintenance will be required for the materials you select. With a privacy fence, you most likely don’t want to spend all your time maintaining it. Remember, privacy fences have more surface area, so selecting something that is low maintenance is important, such as vinyl, simulated stone, or even simulated wood.

Types of Privacy Fences

When thinking about privacy fence styles, you want to consider what they’re made of and how they look. You want to choose something that fits the aesthetic of your backyard.

You also want to consider any fence regulations you must abide by!

• Does your town or city have code regulations on fence height?
• Does your neighborhood association have any particular fence rules?

Let’s look at some fence types and styles you might consider for a privacy fence for your backyard.

Vinyl Privacy Fencing

Regarding privacy fence designs, vinyl is one of the most popular options for privacy fencing. It creates a nice wall of privacy, and it’s low maintenance too. There are a variety of stylish vinyl options to consider.

New Lexington Vinyl Fence

The New Lexington privacy fence design is both economical and popular. Giving you options for design, it comes in the colors of both white and almond. The fence can be ordered in heights that include 4′, 5′, and 6′, and you can get it as a solid fence or with lattice and Victorian accents.

The New Lexington design features Bufftech’s signature “V” groove pickets and a deco rail design. It also can be adapted if you have a hilly yard, allowing you to “rack” down sloped areas in your yard. This uncomplicated design feature can be installed professionally or is manageable for the DIY installer if you know what you are doing.

Chesterfield Smooth

The Chesterfield Smooth vinyl fence has many desirable features. It comes in 4 color choices: Almond, Clay, Grey, and white. This model is tested to withstand the high winds often found in and around St. Louis. Despite its smooth, solid surface, it can withstand winds up to 115 miles per hour.

The fence features a 2″ x 6″ deco top rail and a bottom rail reinforced with galvanized steel. This will prevent any sagging from the weight of the fence.

This fence also has several decorative top features available to add to the fence. These include:

• Lattice Accent
• Victorian Accent
• Huntington Accent
• Westminster Accent

The 5′ and 6′ heights of the Chesterfield Smooth are great options if you have a backyard pool.

Chesterfield CertaGrain

The Chesterfield CertaGrain privacy fence offers the many aesthetic and design benefits of the Chesterfield Smooth – but with the look of wood. The CertaGrain offers a real-wood appearance while getting all the benefits of low-maintenance vinyl.

This fence comes in white, almond, and clay colors. It also comes in 9? other blended colors to give you the wood look you desire.

Colors include:

• Arbor Blend
• Almond
• Arctic Blend
• Brazilian Blend
• Natural Clay
• Sierra Blend
• Weathered Blend
• White
• Frontier Blend
• Timber Blend

There are also several options for top rails available.

Galveston

If you want a taller fence than some of the other options, the Galveston might be the one for you.

It can be used for residential and commercial properties that want privacy.

The Galveston privacy fence comes in 7′ or 8′ heights. Or you can get it with the Victorian Accent at 6’8″ privacy plus a 1’4″ accent.

Colors include Almond and White.

The Galveston can also withstand the high St. Louis winds. It’s made with a 2″ x 6″ deco top and bottom rails and a 2″ x 6″ non-deco mid-rail.

Galveston CertaGrain

In the Galveston CertaGrain, you get all of the benefits of Galveston’s height, plus the great wood-look features of the CertaGrain. It comes in 7 color choices. Each offers ColorLast® fade protection.

The Galveston CertaGrain comes in 7′ and 8′ heights, adding that extra element of privacy from the higher fence line. Like the previous Galveston option, it can withstand high wind loads. It is also made from 2″ x 6″ channeled top and bottom rails and a 2″ x 6″ mid-rail.

Colors in the Galveston include:

• Natural Clay
• Weathered Blend
• Frontier Blend
• Arbor Blend
• Arctic Blend
• Brazilian Blend
• Sierra Blend

Privacy Fence Styles Include The Look of Real Stone and Wood Grain

Do you love the look of a wood fence? Or maybe you’re hooked on a stone fence’s romantic, nostalgic look. Both options can be expensive and require a fair amount of maintenance.

Certainteed Simulated Stone Fencing (or composite fencing) gives you just what you’re looking for. It looks like natural wood or granite stone but instead is made from polyethylene.

Features of this fence include:

• Fade and impact resistance
• Thermal stability
• Soundproofing characteristics
• Graffiti resistance

Let’s take a closer look at two options.

Certainteed Allegheny™ Stone Fencing

Certainteed Allegheny™ Stone Fencing is a simulated stone fencing. It comes in 6 color choices and heights from 3′ to 12′.

This fence is made from the same polyethylene that is used to build Little Tikes™ playground equipment.

It gives you the look of a real-life granite wall fence without the cost of complicated installation or maintenance.

Certainteed Sherwood™ Woodgrain Fencing

If you desire the look and texture of an authentic wood fence, you should consider the CertainTeed Sherwood™ Wood Grain Fencing.

It provides both the look and the feel without the upkeep required of a natural wood fence.

It comes in five color tones with heights from 4′ to 8′.

Semi-Privacy Fences

There are several semi-privacy fences worth consideration, too. While they don’t have the reliable wall feature of other previous privacy fences, they do offer significant privacy—many like the texture and pattern provided by a semi-private fence.

Let’s take a closer look at a few options.

Imperial Semi-Private Fencing

Imperial semi-private fences offer the best privacy for those who love the look of a traditional picket fence. The Imperial comes in 12 color options, including Almond Smooth, Almond Texture, Arbor Blend, Arctic Blend, Brazilian Blend, Clay Smooth, Clay Texture, Frontier Blend, Sierra Blend, Timber Blend, Weathered Blend, and White Smooth.

While nearly a private fence, the Imperial is made from a 7/8″ x 3″ picket with a 7/16″ spacing between the pickets. It allows for some air movement between the pickets. The 4′, 5′, and 6′ versions are suitable for most swimming pool codes in the St.Louis area.

There are two other semi-privacy fences available in Millbrook and Columbia.

Which Type of Privacy Fences Last the Longest?

Vinyl fences are hands down superior to wood fences thanks to their durability and maintenance-free characteristics. Let’s break down the facts around both materials.

Since wood is a natural material, it breaks down over time. While it can last about 20 years, it will begin to splinter, rot, sag, and peel during that time.

To prevent the wood from breaking down, treat it with a protective sealant to keep it in good shape.

Wood also requires regular painting and staining to look good throughout the years you have it, and it’s susceptible to termite and insect damage. To maintain wood, you must paint or stain it annually due to Missouri’s climate.

Vinyl, on the other hand, is a maintenance-free material. It’s incredibly durable and does not chip or fade. It also does not require painting or staining and is resistant to termite and insect damage.

Vinyl is also better at resisting extreme temperatures, wind, rain, and humidity, so you don’t have to worry about it getting damaged.

With all of the benefits of a vinyl fence, it’s a far better investment than a wood fence, as it will save you time and money and prevent headaches over the years. You’ll be thrilled having invested in vinyl and no longer have to deal with problems from your wood fence.

How Tall Should a Privacy Fence Be?

Privacy fences can range in size, depending on your preferences and needs. Traditionally, they range from four to eight feet in height.

Taller fences are ideal for completely concealing backyard activity. Choose a taller fence if you have items you don’t want easily seen in your backyard, such as backyard furniture, a play place, or a trampoline. Pet owners with large dogs may also prefer a taller fence.

Use a shorter semi-private fence if you prefer to let more light and airflow into your backyard. They act more like a screen between you and your neighbors, but they can still offer ample privacy without closing the space.

They’re great for transitioning from private to public property. You might prefer a semi-private fence if your property borders a public park.

Privacy Fence Designs to Create Your Backyard Oasis

With all these privacy fence designs, the hardest decision will be which one you like best. Use these privacy fence ideas to create a backyard that offers privacy for your family to gather, relax, and enjoy your outdoor space without the eyes of neighbors peeking in.