A wood fence is still the top-selling residential fence in North America - and the one most
likely to blow through your budget if you misjudge the material count. Between pressure-treated
pine, western red cedar, and premium redwood, the per-linear-foot price can swing from
$18 to $45 before you've even priced gates or hardware.
This guide walks through the five cost drivers that actually move your total - species, picket style, post burial depth, gate count, and local labor - and then hands you off to our Wood Fence Calculator to get a bid-ready material list in under a minute.
Typical Wood Fence Cost Ranges
Use these ranges as a reality check before you pull quotes. Installed cost per linear foot includes materials + labor for a standard 6-foot-high residential run with posts set in concrete, no slopes or unusual access issues.
- Pressure-treated pine: $18 – $28 per linear foot
- Western red cedar: $25 – $40 per linear foot
- Redwood: $35 – $55 per linear foot
- Gates (add-on): $250 – $700 per gate, depending on width and hardware
A typical 150-foot backyard cedar privacy fence lands between $3,750 and
$6,000 fully installed. Homeowners doing their own labor can take roughly 40–50%
off those figures.
The 5 Cost Drivers You Actually Control
1Species & Grade
Pressure-treated pine is the cheapest route and lasts 15–20 years if you maintain it. Cedar and redwood resist rot naturally, age to a silver patina without stain, and carry 25+ year lifespans - but you're paying 40–80% more upfront for that longevity. On a long run the species decision is the single biggest cost lever.
2Picket Style
Dog-eared pickets are the cheapest profile and what most estimates assume. Flat-top and French Gothic pickets add 10–15% to material cost. Shadow-box or board-on-board privacy styles use roughly 2× the pickets because both sides of the rail are covered - budget accordingly.
3Post Burial Depth
Posts need to be buried to at least 1/3 of their exposed height, or below the frost line in cold climates - whichever is deeper. A 6-foot fence usually means 8-foot posts. Skimping on post length is the #1 reason wood fences lean within five years.
4Gates & Hardware
Every gate is effectively a mini-fence with heavier-duty hinges, a latch, and a stronger pair
of framing posts. Plan on $250 for a standard single gate, more for double-gate
vehicle openings. Galvanized hardware adds a few bucks per gate but prevents the black
streaks that ruin cedar after one winter.
5Local Labor & Terrain
Labor typically runs 45–55% of the total installed cost. Sloped yards, rocky soil, underground utilities, or HOA setback requirements can push that higher. Always walk the fence line with your installer before signing - surprises found mid-dig become change orders.
Run Your Numbers
Our Wood Fence Calculator takes your fence length, height, picket style, post spacing, gate count, and cedar vs. pressure-treated selection and returns a full bid-ready material list - pickets, posts, rails, concrete bags, hardware, and a grand total. Build it once, send it straight to your lumberyard.
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