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Building a wooden fence will allow you to choose from many styles. Modifying a wooden fence to suit your tastes is quite easy, and one way to accomplish this is to add a lattice wooden fence topper or by starting out your fence project with a lattice top wood fence panel.
If you’re looking to spruce up your fence, look no further than this article and find out about lattice-top wooden fence panels, how to install them, and the best models that the market currently offers.
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What Is a Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel?
A lattice top fence or lattice top wood fence panel is an entire fence panel where the top section has a wooden lattice patterned structure. It includes the pickets and railings, making this a one-stop decorative option if you wish to combine the benefits of a privacy fence and the decorative lattice pattern which will also block most light hitting the lattice pattern.
Can I Add Lattice Top To My Fence?
Yes, a lattice top can be added on top of your fence. What you need to find is a lattice wooden fence topper which is simply a lattice patterned wooden panel this can be attached on top of a fence, as opposed to a wooden lattice-topped fence panel.
A lattice wooden fence topper can be added to not only wooden fences, but to other kinds of fences as well, like stone and vinyl fences, making this an appropriate addition if one is looking for greater privacy, a taller fence, blocking more sunlight, and for adding some style to whatever fence you may have.
How To Install Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel (Step By Step)
Installation of a fence topper is going to be different compared to a prefabricated fence panel with a lattice fence top. For a fence topper the installation is as follows:
Prepare the Extension Posts
The first step of installing a fence topper is preparing to place extension posts connecting to the main fence posts. Use a drill and 5/16 drill bits to drill down at least 6 inches and place a 1-foot-long threaded rod halfway through.
Connecting the Extension Posts
Drill into the extension posts with a drill bit of the same size and drill down at least 6 inches. Attach the extension posts by twisting them into the threaded rod.
Bind the Slots
The slots are to be made of 2×2” wood boards that are cut to be the same height as the wooden lattice fence topper, which are usually 16.5 inches, a total of four 2×2” by 1.4 feet boards are to make up the slots.
After making the slots, drill in the wooden boards using deck screws while leaving a space in between the boards that are the same width as the fence topper, which is usually 2.25 inches.
After preparing the structure that will hold the fence topper in place, all that is left is to slide in the fence topper. It might be a bit tight so you can try using a hammer to complete this step.
For those who went and bought a complete wooden fence panel with a lattice top, the installation process isn’t significantly different:
- First, the fence posts have to be set up and placed 8 feet away from each other.
- The second is to bind the slots. The slots have to be as tall and as wide as the fence panels. Usually, fence panels are 6 feet high and 2.25 inches thick, so the slots’ dimensions are recommended to match this or your fence panels’ specifications.
- The third is to slip in the fence panel and secure it by drilling in 3” deck screws or screws at least 0.5 inches longer than the thickness of the panel’s frame.
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Types Of Fences With Lattice Top
Fence panels with lattice tops are usually constructed with pressure-treated wood to enhance resistance against wood rot and sometimes even against termites. However, there are kinds of wood species to construct wooden fence panels with lattice tops. Here are the common types of lattice top fences:
- Cedar Wood: Cedarwood is a type of softwood that is used for fence making. It comes in two choices, red and white cedar wood. The red cedar gives an earth-like red color, while the white cedar wood gives a lighter color.
- Redwood: The most common softwood used in fences. It is similar to Cedar Wood in almost all categories, like durability, but comes in a stronger red color that is worth preserving and not being painted over.
- Pine: Another kind of softwood, this contains the most neutral color among all the other softwoods, making it the best choice if you wish to use paint, semi-transparent or semi-solid stains. In terms of durability, it is comparable to the other softwoods on this list.
- Oak: a hardwood type, this is the strongest type of wood on this list, but is also less ornate. It would not matter as much if you are deciding to stain the fence with a solid stain.
How To Choose The Best Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel
Size: Size is an important aspect of your future fence. Prefabricated fence panels will usually be 6 feet tall which is an adequate size for any fence, but 8 feet-high fences are available as well.
Durability: It is always better to choose pressure-treated wood for the fence panels because it adds greater protection against insects and decay. If it comes down to two models and one of them is pressure treated while the other is not, choose the pressure-treated model.
5 Best Fence Panels With Lattice Tops
- Best Choice: 6-ft x 8-ft Redwood Lattice-top Privacy Fence Panel
- Runner Up: 5’4″ X 8 Cedar Diamond Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel
- 6 x 8 Cedar French Gothic Privacy Wood Fence Panel
- 5’10” x 6 Cedar Imperial Square Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel
- 5’10” x 6 Cedar Diplomat Diamond Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel
Best Choice: 5’10” X 6 Cedar Diplomat Diamond Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel
This is our top pick. It comes with everything you need to build a lattice-top wooden fence. With a price starting at $1190.63, it will come with 48 lbs of cement, 8 pieces of 4x4x8 Red Cedar lumber, and 7 panels of 5’4”x8 Cedar Diamond Lattice Topped Fence Panels.
Pros:
- Comes with all necessary accessories
Runner Up: 5’4″ X 8 Cedar Diamond Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel
The runner-up on our list is the 5’4″ x 8 Cedar Diamond Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel made of Red Cedar. It is the cheapest on the list, beating out every other fully constructed fence panel, making it the most budget-friendly option if you wish to have a 5-foot tall fence.
6 x 8 Cedar French Gothic Privacy Wood Fence Panel
The first wooden fence panel on this list to have a french gothic style. It comes with 3 back rails to support this fence making it one of the more sturdy fence panels on this list.
5’10” x 6 Cedar Imperial Square Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel
The first Diplomat-styled lattice top wood fence panel. It is still made of red cedar like the others but has a square lattice pattern instead of a criss-cross, along with a more elaborate wood grain.
Pros:
- Has better-accentuated wood grains
5’10” x 6 Cedar Diplomat Diamond Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel
This is very similar to the previous fence panel, with the only difference being the pattern of the lattice top, with the Diplomat Diamond Lattice Top Wood Fence Panel sporting a traditional diamond patterned top.
Pros:
- Has a traditional diamond-patterned lattice top
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Final Thoughts
Wooden lattice toppers or fence panels are a great way to customize the aesthetics of a wide range of fences. It adds contrasts between the plain look of the main body of the fence and a neatly patterned section on top. It is also not too expensive at a starting cost of $90 for fence panels and can go lower than $20 for fence toppers, making it a practical choice for many homeowners.
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