# Board-on-Board Fence Installation in Hammond, LA > Board-on-board and shadowbox fence installation in Hammond, LA: overlapping boards that stay closed as pine shrinks, with rails and posts sized for the extra weight. URL: https://palisadeshammondfence.com/board-on-board-fence/ Service Overlapping-board privacy fences and open shadowbox fences that stay closed as the wood dries, on rails and posts sized for the extra boards. Get an Estimate [(985) 866-3827](tel:+19858663827) Last Updated: November 1, 2026 Each outer board laps over the edges of the two inner boards beside it, so the screen stays closed when the wood shrinks. Board-on-board looks like it should breathe. From straight on it is a solid wall, and the posts feel every square foot of it. Mon to Fri 8 to 6 · Sat and Sun 9 to 2 Board-on-board is the [privacy fence](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/privacy-fence-installation/) for people tired of seeing daylight through the boards. [Palisades Hammond Fence](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/) installs board-on-board and shadowbox fences in pressure-treated pine and cedar across Hammond and the surrounding towns of Tangipahoa, western St. Tammany and eastern Livingston Parish. Installation is carried out by licensed and insured fence contractors. The style uses two layers. An inner row of boards goes on with a gap between each, and an outer row laps over those gaps. As the wood dries and narrows, the overlap shrinks too, but the face stays closed. Getting that right is a matter of board count, rail strength and post size, which is what this page covers. ## Why standard privacy fences open up New pressure-treated pine arrives wet from treatment and dries over its first months in place. As it dries, each board loses width. On a stockade or dog-ear fence, boards butted tight on install day end up with thin gaps between them by the end of the first summer, and Hammond’s heat speeds that along: NOAA’s normals for the Hammond station show 86 days a year at or above 90°F. The gaps are small, but they are what people notice from a patio or a pool. Board-on-board builds the shrinkage into the design. Cedar moves less than pine as it dries, but it still moves, so the overlap does the same job in either wood. The [pine vs cedar guide](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/guide/pine-vs-cedar-fence/) covers how the two species behave in this climate. ## What happens on the first visit The first visit walks and measures the line, marks gates and corners, and notes slopes, soil and where water stands after rain. For board-on-board, the measurements feed a layout: board width, overlap and length of run give an exact board count before anything is ordered. That count drives most of the price difference from a standard fence. The visit also settles which face goes where. On most board-on-board fences both layers sit on one face of the rails, so the rails show on the other side. A two-faced version puts layers on both sides and finishes the fence for both neighbors, at the cost of more boards. Some builders call that version board-on-board too; the overlap is what matters, not the name. Key takeaways - Board-on-board overlaps an outer layer over the gaps in an inner layer, so the face stays closed as boards shrink. - With 5.5 in boards and a 1.5 in overlap, a fence uses about 3 boards per foot against about 2.2 for butted boards. - The extra boards add weight to rails and posts, and the face is fully solid to wind. - Shadowbox is the semi-open cousin: alternating boards with real gaps, the same from both sides. ## The board math, and what it means for rails and posts Take a common 5.5 in board. Butted edge to edge, a foot of fence needs about 2.2 boards. In a board-on-board layout with the inner boards spaced 2.5 in apart and each outer board lapping 1.5 in onto its neighbors, every pair of boards covers 8 in of fence, so a foot needs about 3 boards. That is roughly 35 to 40% more boards, and a tighter overlap pushes the count higher. More boards means more weight hanging on the rails between posts. A 2x4 rail laid flat or on edge between posts 8 ft apart has to carry it without sagging, and over years a rail that is a little light droops in the middle, pulling the boards out of line. Shorter bays, rails set on edge or a fourth rail on tall fences keep the face straight. The posts take the rest. A board-on-board fence is closed from straight on, so every square foot of it catches wind, and the extra boards add dead weight on top. The posts get sized for a fully solid face and the soil at the address. Posts that lean or rot early are the usual way a fence fails here, as the [why fences fail guide](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/guide/why-fences-fail/) shows. USDA soil survey points around Hammond map mostly poorly drained silt loams, and the [wet clay post guide](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/guide/fence-posts-in-wet-clay-soil/) explains how footings are drained. ## Shadowbox: the open version A shadowbox fence alternates boards on opposite faces of the rails, leaving a space between each board on the same face. Looking straight at it you see a nearly solid wall; walking along it you catch glimpses through. Both faces look finished, which makes it a common choice on a shared line. Shadowbox breathes in a way board-on-board does not. Air moves through the gaps, so the boards and the ground along the line dry faster after rain, and the wind load is lower than on a closed face. It is lower, not halved: a face with real openings still carries a large share of a solid face’s load. Where the main worry is storm wind on an exposed lot, the [wind-resistant fence page](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/wind-resistant-fence/) goes further. ## Moisture at the overlaps Where two boards lap, water wicks into the joint by capillary action and dries slowly, especially on the shaded side of the fence and in a climate with about 64 inches of rain a year. The hidden faces inside each overlap can’t be reached with a brush once the outer boards are nailed on. If the fence is going to be stained, staining those faces before assembly gives them the same protection as the exposed ones; [fence staining](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/fence-staining/) explains timing on new pine. ### Fasteners through two layers Outer boards are fastened through the gaps to the rail, or through the inner board and into the rail, so fasteners must be long enough to bite into the rail properly. The copper in modern pine treatments corrodes plain steel, so nails and screws are hot-dip galvanized or stainless. A rusting fastener in a wet joint lets boards loosen and pull away in the first strong wind, long before the posts give. ### Bottoms and tops The bottoms of both layers stop short of the grass, an inch or two up, so the boards are not sitting in wet turf. A cap rail across the top covers the board end grain, which soaks up rain faster than any other surface, and ties the tops together so individual boards can’t cup outward. On a fence this heavy, the post tops get caps as well. ## Where board-on-board fits the local rules Inside Hammond, a board-on-board fence is a solid wood fence: allowed up to 8 ft behind the front of the house, held to 4 ft in front, and permitted for $10 on a home. The code also asks that wood fencing be weatherproofed wood. In Covington’s historic district, solid board fences belong in back yards and stop at 6 ft. The [fence permit guide](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/guide/fence-permits/) covers the Hammond steps, and a line on the boundary is presumed common to both owners under Civil Code article 685, as the [Louisiana fence law guide](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/guide/louisiana-fence-laws/) explains. ## What board-on-board costs There is no reliable regional range published for board-on-board alone, so no figure is quoted here. It sits above a standard privacy fence in the same wood, and the reasons are countable. The bigger drivers: - **Board count.** Roughly 35 to 40% more boards at a 1.5 in overlap, more with a tighter one. - **Labor per foot.** Two layers to lay out and fasten instead of one. - **Finish on both faces.** A two-faced build and pre-staining the overlaps add material and time. - **Heavier frame.** Extra rails, shorter bays or bigger posts for the added weight and a solid face. - **Site conditions.** Wet ground, slope, gates and tear-out, the same as any [wood fence](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/wood-fence-installation/). For context, a typical Hammond-area range for a 6 ft pressure-treated pine privacy fence is about $15 to $45 per linear foot, and cedar privacy about $22 to $55. The [privacy fence cost guide](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/guide/privacy-fence-cost/) shows how each driver moves a job, and the [fence cost estimator](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/tools/fence-cost-estimator/) gives a starting range. How long the result lasts depends mostly on the posts, as the [fence lifespan guide](https://palisadeshammondfence.com/guide/how-long-does-a-fence-last/) explains. ## What's included - A walk of the line, with gates, slopes, soil and drainage noted - A board layout set from the board width and overlap, so the count is known before ordering - Three rails on a 6 ft fence, more where the height or board weight calls for it - Posts sized and spaced for a fully solid face and the added weight of a second layer - Optional pre-staining of the overlap faces that cannot be reached once the fence is built - Hot-dip galvanized or stainless fasteners long enough to reach the rail through both layers - Cap rail and trim where chosen, to shed water off the board tops - The permit drawing and Louisiana 811 locate - Gate adjustment, cleanup and a final walk of the line ## Board-on-board, shadowbox or a standard privacy fence | | Standard privacy (butted boards) | Board-on-board | Shadowbox | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Gaps as pine dries | Thin gaps open between boards | Stays closed; overlap absorbs shrinkage | Built with gaps; see-through at an angle | | Boards per foot (5.5 in boards) | About 2.2 | About 3 with a 1.5 in overlap | About 2 to 3, by spacing | | Wind on the posts | Full solid face | Full solid face, plus more weight | Less than solid, not half | | Looks from the neighbor's side | Rails show on one side | Rails show on one side unless built two-faced | The same from both sides | | Price position | Base of the pine or cedar range | Above standard privacy in the same wood | Near board-on-board; spacing sets it | ## Related resources Cost Guide How Much Does a Privacy Fence Cost in Hammond, LA? What a 6 ft solid fence costs in each common material, why a closed face prices differently from an open one, and how height, corners and a shared line change the total. Decision Guide Pine or Cedar: Which Fence Wood Lasts Better Around Hammond? What actually protects each wood from rot and termites, why the posts under either one decide the fence's life, how the boards age in this sun and humidity, and what each costs. Learn How Should Fence Posts Be Set in Wet Clay Soil? What the ground under a Hammond-area fence is actually like, why posts rotate in it, how footing depth and type are chosen, and how a post hole that fills with water is handled. Learn How Long Does a Wood Fence Last Around Hammond? Why no honest figure fits every fence, which parts wear out first in this ground and climate, how sun weathers each material, and what to do to stretch the years. Learn Why Do Fences Lean, Rot and Blow Down Around Hammond? How fences are built here, the ways they fail in wet ground and storm wind, how to read the symptoms, and what a repair or a rebuild should change. ## From the first call to the last gate 1. First call You describe the fence, the yard and the timing, and set a visit. 2. Site visit The line is walked and measured, gates and slopes noted, and the soil and drainage checked. 3. Permit and 811 The permit drawing goes to the city or parish, and utilities are located before any digging. 4. Build Posts are set and allowed to cure, then rails, panels or fabric and gates go up. 5. Walkthrough Gates are adjusted, the site is cleaned, and you check the finished line. ## What this work looks like A board-on-board pine fence seen straight on from the yard so the overlapping boards form an even pattern, fence filling the frame A board-on-board pine fence along a side yard between two houses, with a matching walk gate ## Questions about board-on-board fences ### Does board-on-board reduce wind load compared with a regular privacy fence? Not in any useful way. From straight on, a board-on-board fence is a closed face, so the wind presses on all of it, and the second layer adds weight the posts and rails also carry. A shadowbox with real gaps between alternating boards lets some air through and lightens the load somewhat. If wind is the worry, the posts and spacing matter more than the style. ### How much overlap should the boards on a board-on-board fence have? Enough that the boards still overlap after they shrink. Pressure-treated pine loses width as it dries, so an overlap of about 1 to 1.5 in on each edge of a 5.5 in board keeps the face closed. Less overlap saves boards but can open gaps in the first dry season; more overlap adds boards and weight without much gain. ### Is board-on-board the same as shadowbox? No, though the names get mixed up. Board-on-board overlaps a second layer of boards over the gaps in the first, so the face is closed. Shadowbox alternates boards on opposite sides of the rails with space between them, so you can see through at an angle. Shadowbox lets more air and light through; board-on-board gives more privacy. ### Why do board-on-board fences rot between the boards? Where two boards touch, water creeps into the joint and dries slowly, especially in a wet climate and on the shaded side. The hidden faces also can't be stained once the fence is built. Staining those faces before assembly, keeping the bottom of the boards off the grass and capping the top all help the overlaps dry. ### Can an existing privacy fence be converted to board-on-board? Sometimes. If the posts and rails are sound and sized for the extra weight, a second layer can be added over the gaps. If the posts are already soft at the ground line or leaning, adding boards makes the problem worse, and replacing the posts comes first. The rails also have to be checked, since a second layer roughly adds a third or more to the board weight. ## Related services ### Privacy fences → Solid and semi-private wood and vinyl fences, 6 to 8 ft behind the house, planned for sightlines, storm wind and wet ground. ### Wood fences → Pressure-treated pine, cedar and cypress fences in dog-ear, board-on-board, shadowbox, picket and horizontal styles, on posts set for wet ground. ### Fence staining → Cleaning, staining and sealing wood fences, new or weathered, with the finish and timing matched to Hammond's sun, heat and rain.