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Wood Fence Cost
Quick answer: A wood fence's cost comes from lumber species and grade, height, style and labour. Pressure-treated pine is usually the budget choice, cedar costs more but resists rot, and board-on-board or tall privacy styles use more boards per foot. Price a materials list from our fence calculator at your local yard instead of trusting a single national average.
Why wood fence prices vary so much
Wood is a commodity. Lumber prices can swing sharply over a year, and local supply decides whether cedar is a modest upgrade or a big jump. Two homeowners on opposite sides of the country can build the identical fence and pay very different amounts. That is why this guide explains the cost structure instead of quoting prices that would be wrong next month.
Species and grade
- Pressure-treated (PT) pine or spruce: chemically treated to resist rot and insects. Usually the lowest cost wood option. Ground-contact rated lumber is used for posts.
- Cedar: naturally resistant heartwood, lighter, stable and attractive. Sapwood and lower grades rot faster, so grade matters.
- Other regional species: some areas use redwood, cypress or local hardwoods; availability varies.
Grade affects knots, splits and appearance. Clear or select grades cost more; construction or "fence grade" boards are cheaper but expect more culling. Plan extra boards for waste whichever grade you choose.
Style changes the board count
| Style | Board use | Privacy |
|---|---|---|
| Spaced picket | Lowest | Low |
| Side-by-side privacy | Medium | High until boards shrink |
| Board-on-board | About a third more pickets | Very high |
| Shadowbox | Similar to board-on-board | High, airflow |
| Horizontal | Depends on spacing; more posts or a mid-post often needed | Varies |
Use the fence picket calculator to see how many boards your chosen style needs, and read board-on-board fence for details.
Height and structure
Going from 4 ft to 6 ft does more than add boards. Taller fences catch more wind, so they usually need longer posts set deeper and a third rail. Many municipalities cap backyard fence height, often lower in front yards; see privacy fence height before you plan an 8 ft wall.
Labour and site factors
Labour often equals or exceeds materials. Hand-dug holes in rocky ground take much longer than augered holes in loam. Slopes need stepping or racking. Tight side yards slow material handling. Removing an old fence with concrete footings adds hours and disposal fees.
Building a wood fence estimate
- Measure your line with how to measure a fence line.
- Choose species, style and height.
- Run the fence calculator for posts, rails, pickets and concrete.
- Price the list at your local yard; ask about delivery and contractor-grade bundles.
- Add hardware, screws or nails rated for treated lumber, gates and stain.
- Get labour quotes if hiring and compare with the fence cost calculator.
Worked example
Figures below are illustrative examples (2026-10-29), not quotes or guarantees.
Assumptions: 100 ft, 6 ft privacy, 8 ft spacing, three rails, side-by-side 5.5 in pickets with a 0.5 in gap, 10% waste. Quantities: 13 sections, 14 posts plus 2 corners and 1 gate post (17), 43 rails, 220 pickets and 34 bags of concrete. Suppose PT posts are $25 each, rails $10, pickets $4, concrete $8 per bag and fasteners $150: materials total about $2,157, or about $21.57/ft before gate hardware and tax. Swap pickets to cedar at $7 each and posts unchanged: pickets rise by $660 and materials climb to about $28/ft. All prices are invented to illustrate.
Keeping long-term cost down
Wood's lifetime cost includes maintenance. A good stain or sealer, applied per the maker's schedule, slows weathering. Keep soil and mulch off the bottom of boards, leave a small gap at the ground, and fix loose boards promptly. Posts are usually the first thing to fail; see fence post repair. Estimate stain needs with the fence stain calculator.
Hidden line items in wood fence quotes
Wood projects pick up small costs that add up. Fasteners rated for treated lumber are usually galvanized or stainless and cost more than plain screws. Post caps protect end grain from water. Gate kits with anti-sag cables or diagonal braces help gates stay square. A bottom rot board (a horizontal board just above grade) can protect pickets from soil contact and is replaceable. If you plan to stain, budget for stain plus a sprayer or brushes, and plan for recoating on the product's schedule. Delivery fees, cutting fees and disposal of offcuts belong in the estimate too.
Pre-built panels versus stick-built
Many yards sell pre-assembled wood panels, typically 6 or 8 ft wide. Panels are quick to hang on level ground, but on slopes they must be stepped, which leaves triangular gaps under each panel. Stick-built fences (posts, then rails, then individual pickets) take longer but follow the ground and let you choose board spacing, style and grade. Panels can be cheaper for straight, flat runs; stick-built tends to win on slopes, odd lengths and premium styles. Run both through the fence calculator and price them to see which is lower for your layout.
Wood fences on slopes
On sloping ground, wood fences are either stepped (each section level, stepping down like stairs) or racked (rails follow the slope, pickets stay plumb). Stepping needs taller posts at the downhill end of each section and leaves gaps to fill; racking keeps a consistent gap at the bottom but takes more careful cutting. Either approach adds labour, and steep slopes may call for shorter post spacing. Measure the rise over your run before ordering, and add waste for the extra cuts.
FAQ
Is cedar worth the extra cost?
It depends on how long you plan to stay, local cedar prices and how much maintenance you want. Many people use PT posts with cedar boards.
Should posts be wood or steel?
Steel posts with wood infill are an option some installers offer for longevity; ask about brackets and appearance.
How long will it last?
Lifespan depends on species, treatment, soil, climate and maintenance. Ask your supplier about the treatment rating and warranty.
Can I compare wood with vinyl?
Yes, see vinyl vs wood fence.
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