Poll on fence style

I don't know quite where to post this subject, landscaping, homesteading? After talking about a fence for three years, we are ready to have one installed, either three-board or four-board post and board fence, which will be stained dark (by us).

We are laboring over our decision as to which we should get, considering the following:

1. Our first consideration is the aesthetics. We like the look of those almost-black wood fences as opposed to white, which looks like more maintenance.
2. We don't have any livestock, but what if we got those sheep I've talked about?
3. Three-board look easier to mow under because you can get (not easily though) the mowing deck under the lowest board.
4. What do people do to keep grass from growing up all around and under the fence? Do they put something down, like weed killer?
I see many beautiful three and four-board fences, and we've just gone back and forth about this. If any of you have an opinion (or have a particular wood fence) could you comment, please.

We thought about post and rail, but I don't see much of it out here. It seems to have more of a residential appeal than country look.

The picture shown here is of an unpainted or stained four board fence provided by a fence installer, not our house.

Pam we had a 4ft high corral that was a 4 board with posts. It was a good strong fence for a small area we put our horses and goats in. We used it for tacking up and grooming. If you seriously are thinking about sheep you would probably want a 4 board fence or you can add some wire to the 3 board fence if/when you get the sheep. You are right about the mowing. We also have a split rail fence with 2 rails only 3 ft high I think and mowing under it is a chore. Our push mower will fit under the rail but you can't mow it with the riding mower so it is one of the areas we trim mow. Of course you will also have to weed eat around the posts. There are several different ways to work around that. You can put down a weed barrier with mulch under the fence, just a strip a foot or two wide. Or you can plant something under the fence like a ground cover that won't need mowed. That will take a while to become well established.

HollyAnn, Thanks, that just the kind of information we need. Our house looks so bare naked sitting out in the middle of the pasture with a couple of trees around it. We really need something to enclose the space. DH is in love with the four board but the three sounds like it might be more practical, with weed barrier. I guess those huge lines of fence on farms and estates take a good deal of work.

I would post a pic of our corral but it is mostly gone now that the barn animals have been gone for years. Ric just took out 2 sections last month to get ready for the GH to go up. He used the boards he took off to build my flats bench. LOL
I love fences, I like defined areas and think fences add to the overall look of the property. I quite often look at the big horse farms and think they have more $$ tied up in fencing than I do my whole house. LOL
My split rail is ancient and Ric keeps repairing it with angle iron to hold it up and keep it together. I like it the way it is but there will be a time when it just can't be held together and I will have to find something else. I am growing Roses, clematis on it with creeping phlox around the posts.

HollyAnn,

That is just the way I imagine a cottage fence should look, with clematis and roses twining round. And the close up shows the mossiness and verdure of a venerable old fence. I think Ed has decided on the four-board, but he's an engineer, and they are known for their lengthy decision making. I'll update when...

LOL on the engineer, You are right I think it is a personality trait as well as a profession. You can see why I love it and am trying to hold on to it as long as I can. Close up of the moss growing on it.

I saw the fence and thought of planting roses and clematis on it as well.

I am a chemical engineer. A different species of engineer, and not a typical specimen.

Pam, I thought of you this last weekend. Ric and I went down to Aspenhill's swap in Lucketts, Va. We got stuck in a traffic jam and as I was sitting in the line of traffic I was looking at this older 3 board fence. Ric and I noticed that there is a slightly larger space between the first 2 boards with a smaller one between boards 2 and 3. Just had to get a few pics for you.

Here is the long shot.