On Aug 31, 6:12*am, mm wrote:
A neighbor has a stockade fence, with pickets about 3 inches wide.

It's been in 5 or 7 years and it's easily possible to see between the
pickets into his yard. *It wast very difficult to see anything when
the fence was new.

Does that mean the fence was built with pickets that hadn't been aged
enough before construction???? * Have the boards shrunk more than they
should have??

A friend likes the fence otherwise and wants to hire the same company,
but I think she may get an inferior job, if this fence is inferior.

Yes all boards may shrink; depends on the climate/weather, how the
fence was painted/treated, especially the edge and end grains of the
boards at and since installation etc.
Since climate change seems to be definitely occurring warmer climate
etc. will also dry, even boards that originally and completely met
moisture specification when purchased. The boards in some dry 100 year
old house, protected from the weather etc. will, for example, have
shrunk considerably.