Timber fencing has been popular for homeowners looking to protect their property and enhance its aesthetic appeal. It can provide an extra layer of security and a stylish visual element that complements the existing landscaping and architecture of the area. With its natural appearance and long-lasting durability, timber fencing is a great option for anyone looking to make their home more secure and attractive.
Considering these variables and more, you can expect to pay an average of $3,222 to have a professional install your timber fence.
A typical price range is $1,996 – $4,448 overall, or $14 – $31 per linear foot. Remember that all these numbers are national averages, and the cost of lumber and labor might vary considerably depending on where you live.
How Much Does Timber Fencing Cost?
National average cost: $3,222
Typical price range: $1,996 – $4,448
Extreme low end: $839
Extreme high-end: $7,489
Most homeowners will pay between $1,996 and $4,448 for a timber fence installation, including all materials and labor costs.
Those numbers are only accurate for some, though. An especially simple project, such as fencing in a small area, could cost as little as $839.
On the other hand, a particularly large or complicated project could run cost up to about $7,489.
Cost Estimator by Size
The overall cost of a timber fence depends heavily on the size of the area you want to fence. The larger the space, the more fencing material you'll have to purchase and the more work hours you'll have to pay to install your fence. A smaller space, of course, means less of both.
Typically, you'll pay about $14 – $31 per linear foot of timber fencing for an average of $23 per linear foot. The type of timber you use, the lay of the land where you want the fence, the specific fence installer you hire, and other variables determine the exact cost per linear foot for your project.
Based on the average rate described above, you can expect to pay about $1,587 total to fence in a small backyard of 500 square feet, about $3,105 for a mid-sized backyard of 2,000 square feet, and about $4,140 for a large backyard of 3,500 square feet.
Other Factors That Affect Cost
Yard size isn't the only variable that can significantly change the overall cost of your timber fencing project. You have to consider other specifics of your needs and desires to calculate an accurate budget for your timber fence project.
Type of wood
People have various reasons — color, texture, upkeep, for example — for choosing a particular type of wood for a fence. Some like the rich color of redwood, which runs at about $48 per linear foot (including installation), while others go for more cost-effective options like spruce ($25 per linear foot) or pine ($28 per linear foot).
Because each type of lumber has its price point, you'll have to decide which fence type you want to use before you can get a clear picture of your budget.
Here are some of the most common woods used for fences and how much each costs on average (including materials and professional installation):
TYPE OF WOOD | COST (per linear foot) |
|---|---|
Spruce | $25 |
Pine | $28 |
Cedar | $33 |
Western Red Cedar | $33 |
Redwood | $48 |
Tropical Hardwoods | $50 |
Read more: 5 Different Types of Wood for Fencing
Fence style
Just as there are several different types of wood for you to choose from, many different fence styles serve various purposes. Privacy fencing will be the ideal solution if you are looking to block out the rest of the world from your backyard. At the same time, a white timber picket fence has become a popular choice for Melbourne homeowners.
Various styles of fence use more or less lumber and require more or less of the fence installer's time. For those reasons, which style of timber fencing you want is another major indicator of the overall cost.
Here are the most popular fence styles for homeowners and approximately how much you would pay for each one (including labor costs):
FENCE TYPE | COST (per linear foot) |
|---|---|
Rail Fence | $11 – $29 |
Picket Fence | $12 – $48 |
Privacy Fence | $20 – $45 |
Bottom line: Rail fencing is typically the cheapest option, while a solid privacy fence is typically the most expensive.
Height
The height of your fence determines how much lumber you'll need for your project. The prices in this guide refer to the cost of a standard 6-foot fence. Other common heights are 8 feet and 4 feet.
For an 8-foot fence, add 20% – 30% to your budget for additional lumber. Subtract 20% – 30% for a 4-foot fence.
Gates
You'll likely want to install a gate along with your fence. Because of the gate's hardware and the extra time it will take to install, this part of your fence will cost more than the rest.
How much money a gate will add to your overall expense depends on its size, complexity, and material. You'll also pay more for an automatic gate than a manual one.
In general, expect to add $175 – $1,200 to your total costs for professional gate installation.
Slope of Land
If the land where you want to build your fence has an incline, your contractor may have to grade the land before they start building. Depending on the space size and how much work your land needs, grading can cost an additional $900 – $3,000.
Permits
Your city, county, state, or homeowners association may require a building permit for a fence. Those permits can cost you $20 – $400, depending on the project size and where you live.
Check your local building codes or ask your contractor if you'll need to obtain a permit for your timber fencing project.
Extra Services
Sometimes, a fence installation is more than just a fence installation. Your fence project may require additional services, and those services will increase your overall price.
Consider whether or not you will need these extra services and how much each could potentially add to your budget for your timber fence project.
Tree or Bush Removal
If a tree or bush interrupts the perimeter of your yard where you want to put your fence, you'll have to remove it.
You can do the job for a small bush or tree. For larger plants, though, you'll likely have to hire a professional. Your fence contractor may be able to remove the plant for you, or you may have to find a separate tree service.
The cost of tree and bush removal varies depending on the size and location of the plant, along with other factors.
Added cost: About $385 – $1,070 or $10 – $14 per foot.
Fence Removal
You might have an existing fence blocking the path of your new fence. Most installers will remove and haul away the old fence for an additional fee. The overall cost of fence removal depends on how much fence the contractor has to tear down.
Added cost: $3 – $5 per linear foot of fence to be removed.
Painting/staining
For a timber fencing, painting or staining is an important part of the process since the coating protects the wood from rot, pests, and water damage. However, paint or stain is usually excluded from the installation cost.
If you want your contractor to paint your timber fence for you, you will have to pay extra for the paint or stain and the additional labor hours.
The exact price of your timber fence will depend on the quality of paint or stain you choose and the length and height of the fence you need to paint.
Added cost: $500 – $3,000.
Cost of Building a Timber Fencing DIY
Homeowners familiar with power tools and home improvement projects will likely find building a timber fence easy, as long as the land you're building is flat. Handy homeowners can save money by going the DIY route instead of hiring a professional.
That being said, inexperienced homeowners would be better off hiring someone to handle this project. If you don't know what you're doing, you risk pouring thousands of dollars and hours of your time into a fence that looks unpleasant or fails to stand up to the elements.
Equipment needed
These are the tools you'll need to build your timber fencing. If you already own them, that means no additional cost to you. If you don't, we have provided the average price you would pay to buy a new tool based on information from Amazon, Lowe's, and Home Depot.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR DIY TIMBER FENCE | COST |
|---|---|
Spray paint | $5 |
Work gloves | $10 |
Mason’s line | $15 |
Paint brush | $15 |
Protective safety glasses | $16 |
Hand saw | $16 |
Tape measure | $18 |
Claw hammer | $20 |
Level | $21 |
Post hole digger | $50 |
Power drill | $80 |
TOTAL | $266 |
Cost of Materials
How much you pay for materials depends on what type of wood you use and how much space you need to cover, just like the cost of professional fence installation.
Here, we've provided the average cost of materials for 150 feet of wood fencing. These prices reflect averages from Lowe's and Home Depot.
MATERIALS NEEDED FOR DIY WOOD FENCE | COST (per item) | COST ( approximate of a 150-foot wood fence) |
Pickets | $5 | $1.640 |
Box nails | $12 | |
Horizontal rails | $13 | $1.640 |
Concrete mix | $20 | |
Deck screws | $23 | |
Fence posts | $28 | $560 |
Outdoor wood stain | $125 | |
Gravel | $400 | |
TOTAL | | $3.300 |
How To Build A Timber Fence Diy In 10 Steps
Measure for materials. Measure the perimeter of the area you want to fence. When you know how many linear feet of fencing you need, you can calculate exactly how many posts, rails, pickets, and other materials to purchase.
Mark where the gate will go. If you will install a gate (which you probably will want to do), decide where it will go before you begin installing your fence. Use spray paint to make parallel lines on the ground outlining the space for the gate.
Outline the fence. Use Mason's line (or another durable string) to outline the fence's location. Every 6 to 8 feet along the line, mark a spot on the ground with spray paint. These marks show where you will install the fence posts. Make sure the spacing between each mark is consistent.
Prepare post holes. At each spot you marked with spray paint, use a post-hole digger (or an auger, if you have one) to dig the holes where you'll install the posts. Each hole's depth should equal one-third the height of the posts. For example, if it's an 8-foot post, dig a hole about 2.5 feet deep, then dig a few more inches for the gravel base. The holes should be three times as wide as the posts. Always call 811 before digging to know where your underground utility lines are.
Lay gravel base. Pour 3 to 4 inches of gravel into each post hole and pack it using the bottom of the fence post or a tamping tool.
Mix concrete. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to mix your concrete so it's ready to pour.
Install posts. Place a fence post in each hole, sitting on top of the gravel. Pour the liquid concrete into the hole around the post. You may want someone else to hold the post straight while pouring the concrete. Cover the concrete with 1 to 2 inches of dirt. Before you move on to the next step, give the concrete time to set (which can take several days).
Attach horizontal rails. Now that the posts are securely in place and the concrete has been set install the horizontal rails between each post. To do so, attach the end of each rail to a post using a power drill and/or a claw hammer. Attach a top and bottom rail between each post. For extra stability, you can also install a middle rail. Use a level to ensure you keep the rails straight as you work.
Attach pickets. Next, attach the pickets to the horizontal rails. Use your drill and/or hammer to fix every picket to both (or all three) rails between each post. Again, use a level periodically to ensure all the pickets' tops are flush.
Paint or stain. Apply outdoor paint, wood stain, or a protective sealant to every wood part of the fence. You can alter the wood's color if you want, but even if you don't, you should still apply some coating to protect the wood.
DIY Cost Vs. Professional Installation Cost
If you don't already own the required equipment and materials, building your fence will cost you about $3,566. Remember, that price could be much higher or lower depending on the type of wood you use and how many linear feet of fence you need to build.
To have a professional build and stain the same fence with the same materials, you would pay about $5,200. So, by doing it yourself, you would save more than $1,000.
While the savings might look tempting, building a wood fence will be challenging. If you don't have solid construction skills, you might find this project too difficult to do independently. Worse, you might end up with a bad fence.
You'll have to decide for yourself if you're up for the job and, if you are, whether or not the money is worth the time and effort you would have to put in to build your fence.
Cost of Timber Fencing by Location
The price of lumber varies significantly based on where you live. Certain types of wood are more easily available in some parts of the country than others. As a result, the cost of wood fencing varies by region, too.
You can use the figures in this guide as a starting point. Still, they may need to be more accurate for your neck of the woods because they represent national averages.
Who Is Responsible For A Shared Fence?
The question of who is responsible for a shared or boundary fence has been causing disputes for as long as people have been neighbors. The most common disputes relate to who pays, the fence's location and if the work is necessary.
Normally both parties must share the cost of installing a new fence if it is damaged or needs to be replaced due to disrepair. But there are exceptions to this, such as if you want a higher fence required by local laws. If you are thinking of replacing a common boundary fence, take the time to chat with your neighbor first. This is likely to iron out 99% of all disputes. If you and your neighbor cannot agree on your common fence, you can apply for a fencing order. A fencing order is a court or tribunal order about what fencing work should be done and how the costs of that fencing work should be shared. It is there if you can't devise a solution with your neighbor.
Does My Timber Fence Builder Need To Be Licensed?
It depends on where you live - some states have a specific licence class for fencing, or another licence, such as a builder or carpenter, may cover it. In NSW, for example, carpenters can erect timber, metal and prefabricated glass fencing. In other states, a builder's licence may be required. If in doubt, check with your local council or licensing authority.
Note: If you are fencing a pool, it needs to comply with the relevant regulations governing where you live. It is illegal to have a pool that needs to be fenced properly.
FAQ About Timber Fencing
1. What is the best wood for fences?
Cedar will give you the most bang for your buck because it's affordable, pretty, and naturally resistant to common issues such as pests and warping.
2. Which is cheaper, PVC or timber fencing?
Timber fencing is much cheaper than PVC fencing upfront. Still, wood will require repainting or staining every few years, while PVC is practically maintenance-free.
Read more: PVC Fencing vs. Wood Fencing
3. How long does a wooden fence last?
Like so many other things, your fence's longevity depends on the type of wood you use to build it. Most wooden fences should last 15 to 20 years with proper maintenance.
Conclusion
Of all the different types of fencing, a timber fence offers one of the best combinations of affordability and durability. The type of wood, fence style, and size of the project will be the main influencers on the overall cost of your timber fence. A typical range, including professional fence installation, is $1,996 – $4,448, for a national average of $3,222.
If you decide to build your timber fence, you can expect to spend about $3,566 on equipment and construction materials. However you slice it, you'll almost always have to pay a few thousand dollars for a quality timber fence.