Fence trends come and go. Some stick around because they work. Others fade because they looked great online but didn’t hold up in real backyards. After installing thousands of fences across the St. Louis metro, we know the difference. These are the fence trends we’re seeing right now in actual consultations and building on actual properties, not predictions from a design magazine.
Every trend below reflects what St. Louis homeowners ask for when they sit down with our design team. We update this page each year to keep it current. Some trends are brand new. Others have been building for years. All of them work in our climate.
Cedar Privacy Fences Hold Their Ground
Cedar isn’t trendy. It’s a staple — and it continues to dominate our residential installs. St. Louis homeowners choose cedar because it looks natural, weathers gracefully, and resists moisture and insects without chemical treatment.
The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association ⬈ notes that cedar’s natural preservative compounds give it a durability advantage over other softwoods. That tracks with what we see locally. Cedar fences we installed 15+ years ago in Kirkwood and Webster Groves still stand strong when owners stained on schedule.
What’s shifting right now: more homeowners want board-on-board cedar rather than flat solid-board panels. Board-on-board gives a finished look from both sides and allows airflow, which reduces mildew in our humid summers. For the full breakdown of how cedar performs here, see our guide on which fence materials last longest in St. Louis.
Explore our cedar and wood fence options →
Vinyl Keeps Growing — Especially in HOA Communities
Vinyl fencing hit an inflection point about five years ago, and the growth hasn’t slowed. Today, vinyl represents a larger share of our residential installs than ever before.
The driver is simple: zero maintenance. Homeowners don’t want to stain every two years. HOAs don’t want to enforce staining requirements. Vinyl solves both problems. It won’t rot, warp, or fade — and modern vinyl comes in wood-grain textures, warm tans, and grays that look far better than the glossy white panels of 10 years ago.
The Vinyl Institute’s sustainability data ⬈ shows a 12% decrease in the material’s manufacturing carbon footprint since 2015. That helps address the concern some homeowners have about choosing a synthetic material. Combined with a 25-to-30-year lifespan and recyclability at end of life, vinyl’s environmental story has improved significantly.
Vinyl is the top choice in newer communities across Chesterfield, Wildwood, and O’Fallon. Our vinyl vs. wood comparison covers the cost math in detail.
Explore our vinyl fence options →
Horizontal Fencing Goes Mainstream
Horizontal fences moved from “interesting trend” to “mainstream request” over the past two years. We build more horizontal fences today than at any point in our 45-year history.
The appeal is straightforward. Horizontal lines create a clean, modern look that pairs well with updated homes. The design also makes smaller yards feel wider — an optical trick that matters on the tighter lots common in St. Louis neighborhoods.
Most of the horizontal fences we build use stained cedar planks with black steel or aluminum posts. The contrast between warm wood and dark metal gives the fence an architectural quality that a standard vertical privacy fence doesn’t match. Composite planks offer a lower-maintenance version of the same look, though at a higher material cost.
One note: horizontal fencing requires different framing than vertical panels. The posts and rails handle loads differently. This is one style where professional installation makes a noticeable difference in how the finished fence looks and how long it lasts. Our guide to the wood fence installation process shows what goes into a proper build.
Mixed Materials Add Depth
Combining two or more materials in a single fence project ranks as one of the fastest-growing fence trends right now. Homeowners want their fence to serve different purposes in different parts of the yard — and mixed materials make that possible.
A common configuration: aluminum or ornamental fencing in the front yard for curb appeal and sightlines, with a solid vinyl or wood privacy fence in the back for seclusion. Stone or brick columns between fence sections add a premium look that ties the fence to the home’s exterior.
We also see more requests for custom gates that mix materials — a steel frame with cedar infill, or an aluminum gate with decorative scrollwork on an otherwise simple fence. These details take a fence from functional to architectural. Our Fenton fabrication shop builds these custom pieces in-house.
Black Is the New Default for Metal Fencing
Five years ago, most ornamental and aluminum fence requests defaulted to bronze or white. Today, black dominates. Black aluminum fencing looks sharp against every home exterior and every landscape color. It photographs well (good for resale listings) and disappears into the background rather than competing with plantings and architecture.
Black metal fencing is especially popular for pool enclosures and front yard boundaries. It provides security and definition without the visual weight of a solid fence.
Explore our aluminum and ornamental options →
Smart Gate Hardware Enters the Conversation
Full “smart fences” with integrated cameras and motion sensors haven’t taken off with most homeowners. That technology exists, but the price point doesn’t match the demand yet.
What has taken off: smart gate hardware. Keypad locks that open with a code, Bluetooth-enabled latches you control from your phone, and video doorbells mounted at the gate — these are practical upgrades that homeowners actually use.
We install smart gate hardware as part of custom gate projects and can retrofit it onto existing gates in most cases. For families with kids, delivery drivers, or dog walkers who need access while you’re away, a keypad lock on the side gate solves a real daily problem.
What Hasn’t Changed (and Probably Won’t)
Some things about fencing in St. Louis don’t change with trends:
6 feet is still the standard privacy height. It provides full seclusion without requiring a permit in most of St. Louis County.
Self-closing gates still matter. Whether for pool safety, pet containment, or basic security, a gate that latches automatically prevents the most common problems homeowners face.
Professional installation still outperforms DIY on anything but the simplest projects. Missouri’s clay soil, sloped terrain, and freeze-thaw cycles punish shortcuts. Our guide on DIY vs. professional installation covers the real tradeoffs.
Explore Your Options
Trends can point you in a direction, but the right fence depends on your yard, your budget, and your priorities. Our free design consultation covers all of it. Walk the property with us, talk through what you’ve seen here, and let us translate these fence trends into a plan that works for your specific home.
For more guidance, our fence design ideas from real St. Louis backyards shows completed projects by style. And our comprehensive guide to choosing the right fence for your St. Louis home walks through the full decision framework.
We serve homeowners across Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Chesterfield, Ladue, Ballwin, Des Peres, Town and Country, Manchester, Wildwood, Fenton, and surrounding communities.
