Wood Fence Installation Cost: 2026 Pricing Guide
Wood fence installation costs $15-35 per linear foot for a standard 6-foot privacy fence, including materials and labor. Pressure-treated pine runs $15-22/lnft, cedar $22-35/lnft, and redwood $30-45/lnft. A typical 150-foot wood privacy fence costs $2,250-$5,250 total. Gates add $150-500 each depending on size and hardware.
Wood fencing remains the most popular choice for residential properties, making up roughly 55% of all fence installations in the US. Whether your client wants a basic pressure-treated privacy fence or a premium cedar board-on-board design, understanding exact costs per linear foot is essential for profitable bidding. This guide breaks down every cost component of wood fence installation so you can estimate with precision.
Cost Breakdown by Wood Type
Pressure-treated pine is the most affordable wood fencing option at $15-22 per linear foot installed for a 6-foot privacy fence. Material costs run $8-13/lnft for posts, rails, and pickets. Pressure-treated lumber resists rot and insects but requires staining or sealing within the first year for best appearance and longevity. Cedar is the premium standard for residential fencing at $22-35 per linear foot installed. Cedar naturally resists rot, insects, and warping without chemical treatment. Material costs run $13-20/lnft. Western red cedar is the most common species, with Alaskan yellow cedar commanding a 15-25% premium. Redwood is the high-end option at $30-45/lnft installed, primarily available in western states. Redwood offers superior rot resistance and a distinctive color but costs 40-60% more than cedar. For most residential projects, cedar delivers the best value — it looks premium, lasts 15-25 years with minimal maintenance, and commands strong margins for contractors.
Material Takeoff for Wood Fences
A proper wood fence material takeoff starts with linear footage and post spacing. Standard post spacing for wood fences is 8 feet on center using 4x4 posts (or 6x6 for heavy designs). For a 150-foot fence with 8-foot spacing, you need 20 posts (150/8 + 1), plus extra posts at corners and gates. Each 8-foot section requires two or three horizontal rails (2x4 for most designs, 2x3 for lighter fences) and 16-18 pickets for a standard privacy design (5.5-inch boards with minimal spacing). That is approximately 300-340 pickets for 150 feet. Posts should be 9 feet long for a 6-foot fence (3 feet buried). Budget 2-3 bags of concrete per post at $4-6 per bag. Hardware includes galvanized screws or ring-shank nails ($30-50 per 100 linear feet) and post caps ($3-15 each). Total material cost for 150 feet of 6-foot cedar privacy fence: approximately $1,800-$2,800 before markup. Add 8-10% for waste on cuts and damaged boards.
Labor Costs for Wood Fence Installation
Labor accounts for 40-55% of total wood fence installation cost. A two-person crew can install 50-80 linear feet of standard wood privacy fence per day, depending on terrain, soil conditions, and fence design. At a crew cost of $600-$1,000 per day (fully burdened), that translates to $8-18 per linear foot for labor. Simple dog-ear privacy fences are fastest. Board-on-board designs take 20-30% longer due to overlapping pickets. Shadow box (alternating board) designs take similar time to board-on-board. Horizontal slat fences take 15-25% longer because each board must be individually leveled. Post setting is the most time-variable task — soft, sandy soil allows fast auger work, while clay, rocky, or root-filled soil can triple the time per post hole. Always assess soil conditions during the site visit. Additional labor tasks that must be estimated: string line layout and marking (30-60 minutes), demolition of existing fence ($3-8/lnft), grading or clearing along the fence line ($2-5/lnft if needed), and cleanup and haul-away (1-2 hours per day).
Popular Wood Fence Styles and Pricing
Dog-ear privacy is the most common style: flat-top pickets with rounded or angled top corners set tight together. This is your baseline at $15-35/lnft depending on wood species. Board-on-board provides full privacy from both sides by overlapping pickets on alternating sides of the rail. Add 30-40% more picket material and 20-30% more labor, putting total cost at $22-45/lnft. Flat-top (also called contemporary or modern) uses square-cut pickets for a clean, modern look — same cost as dog-ear since the only difference is the picket cut. Cap-and-trim adds a horizontal top rail cap and sometimes a bottom kick board, giving a finished look. Add $3-6/lnft for the additional trim lumber and labor. French Gothic features pointed pickets and is typically used in decorative applications — costs similar to dog-ear but with specialty pickets that cost $1-2 more each. Horizontal slat fences (ranch-modern style) use horizontal boards between posts, creating a contemporary look popular in urban areas. Cost runs $25-45/lnft due to additional labor and the structural requirement for closer post spacing (6 feet instead of 8 feet).
Staining and Finishing Costs
Staining or sealing is essential for pressure-treated and recommended for cedar fencing. Unstained pressure-treated wood turns gray within 6-12 months, and untreated cedar weathers to a silver-gray patina within 1-2 years. Fence staining costs $1.50-$4.00 per linear foot per side for labor and materials. Most contractors spray stain for efficiency, achieving 200-400 linear feet per day with a two-person crew (one spraying, one back-brushing). Stain costs $25-50 per gallon with coverage of 150-250 square feet per gallon depending on wood porosity. For a 6-foot fence, each linear foot has 6 square feet per side (12 square feet total for both sides). A 150-foot fence requires 7-12 gallons of stain at $175-600 for materials. Semi-transparent stains are most popular for fences as they show the wood grain while providing UV and moisture protection. Solid stains offer more color options but obscure the grain. Oil-based stains penetrate deeper and last longer (3-5 years) than water-based (2-3 years) but cost 20-30% more. Offering staining as an add-on at the time of installation is smart — it is easier to stain before assembly, and the upsell adds $300-800 to a typical residential job.
Longevity and Maintenance Considerations
Wood fence lifespan depends heavily on species, treatment, and maintenance. Pressure-treated pine lasts 15-20 years with proper maintenance (restaining every 3-5 years). Cedar lasts 15-25 years, and premium heartwood cedar can exceed 30 years. Redwood is the longest-lasting at 20-30+ years. The most common failure point on wood fences is post rot at the ground line. Even pressure-treated posts can rot at the soil interface within 8-12 years if not properly set. Best practices for post longevity include: setting posts in concrete with the top of the concrete crowned above grade to shed water, applying additional post preservative (copper naphthenate) to the buried portion, and using post brackets or steel post bases that keep wood above ground level. Post brackets add $8-15 per post in materials but can double post life. When quoting wood fences, discuss maintenance expectations with the client. A wood fence is not install-and-forget — it requires periodic staining, hardware tightening, and eventual board replacement. Setting realistic expectations upfront prevents warranty disputes and builds long-term client relationships for maintenance and replacement work.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 200-foot wood privacy fence costs $3,000-$7,000 installed depending on wood species. Pressure-treated pine runs $3,000-4,400, cedar $4,400-7,000, and redwood $6,000-9,000. Add $150-500 per gate, $300-800 for staining, and $3-8/lnft for demolition of an existing fence if applicable.
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