Wood fence cost: materials and installation

Wood fence material cost per foot

The privacy estimate uses 5.5 in boards with no planned gap and rounds up the pickets in each bay. Board-on-board or overlapping layouts use a different board count. The default calculation is a side-by-side layout, not an overlap estimate.

Wood fence installation cost

The installed rate covers materials and labor for the fence run. Specify the wood species, actual board width and fastening method in a quote. Gate work is priced separately; staining, sealing, removal, permits, tax and delivery are outside the estimator.

The calculator uses Fixr's wood privacy rates. Angi publishes a higher wood privacy range. Angi's separate privacy article combines all materials, and general wood ranges include other styles. Compare the wood privacy rows separately from those broader ranges. The Forbes reference was published in March 2023 and shows no update date.

Rails, pickets and the finished face

The planning model uses two rail rows through 4 ft high and three above 4 ft. Confirm the framing with the product instructions and local requirements. Pickets are counted bay by bay, so cuts at posts may create offcuts even when the total length looks exact.

Fence area in the calculator is one face of the fence, excluding gates. If you are planning a finish, account for both sides where needed and check the finish manufacturer's coverage guidance. A face-area total does not include the exposed edges of every board.

Wood privacy fence budgets for a backyard

For a straight, gate-free run, multiply the measured length by the privacy rate. The material budget buys the fence-run materials; the installed budget buys the run with labor. Neither is a board-by-board shopping cart. Use the quantity result to check the proposed layout, then price the species and grade you intend to order.

A walk gate changes the scope

For an illustrative 150 ft layout with a standard 4 ft walk gate, the installed planning total is $2,750–$6,150. That is the full entered length × the installed fence-run rate, plus the installed gate range. It follows the calculator's convention of keeping openings in the priced length. A contractor may instead price net fence footage and a complete gate assembly; ask which measurement the quote uses.

Fence rate: Fixr · 2026-10-24. Gate rate and width: Angi · 2026-10-24. Gate boards are outside the quantity list.

What raises or lowers a wood privacy quote?

Write down the species, board grade and finished height before comparing estimates. A price for a different species or open picket style does not establish the cost of your privacy fence. Ask whether posts, rails and pickets are specified separately and whether the estimate allows substitutions. Compare the same finished face on every quote, including any trim or cap.

A side-by-side board fence uses the board face as its coverage. Board-on-board overlaps reduce the exposed coverage per board, so the same number of boards covers less fence. Ask for the overlap detail and a revised takeoff rather than adding an unsupported waste percentage to this calculator's count. Also identify which face shows the rails and how the fence joins existing posts.

Difficult holes, an old fence in the way and limited access belong in the work description. A long accessible run and a yard broken into short runs do not have the same layout. Have the installer walk the site and identify rock excavation or footing removal that would be charged separately.

DIY materials versus hiring a fence installer

Use the materials range to plan buying parts yourself. Then add supplier prices for the items the quantity list omits: fasteners, gate framing, hinges, latches and any finish. Tool rental, delivery and your time also belong in the DIY decision. The difference between broad published ranges is not a guaranteed saving on your project.

When hiring, have the contractor name who sets the line, supplies the lumber and fixes rejected boards. A labor-only offer needs a responsibility list for missing materials and a description of when the crew considers the job complete. An installed offer should already include assembly labor; do not add the labor row to it again.

Read the wood fence quote before accepting it

• Match the layout to the measured sides, corners and gate opening locations.
• Check the lumber species, actual board dimensions, rail layout and fastener specification.
• Ask for gate bracing, hardware and supporting posts to be described with the gate.
• Keep staining, demolition, disposal and permit work visible as separate scope items.
• Check how damaged boards, workmanship repairs and cleanup will be handled.

Weighing vinyl, composite or aluminum for screening instead? The privacy fence comparison by material and height covers those systems.