Fence materials

Cost first. Installed 2026 ranges per linear foot: chain link roughly $10 to $25, wood roughly $20 to $50, vinyl roughly $30 to $60, aluminum roughly $25 to $75 (HomeGuide, 2026).

Lifespan. Commonly cited installer ranges: pressure-treated pine 10 to 15 years, cedar around 15 to 25 with staining and maintenance, vinyl 20 to 30, chain link 15 to 20 (25 to 30 for vinyl-coated), aluminum 50 or more. Treat these as ranges, not guarantees — climate, drainage and how the posts were set matter more than the material label.

Maintenance is the hidden cost. A wood fence that gets stained or sealed on schedule can outlast a neglected one by a decade. If you know you will never stain it, buy vinyl or metal and accept the higher day-one price rather than buying wood and watching it gray and rot.

Match the material to the job. Aluminum and wrought-iron-style fences do not give privacy but do give security and sightlines, and they handle slopes well. Vinyl gives privacy with no painting but can crack in hard impacts and severe cold. Wood is the most repairable — you can replace one picket. Composite splits the difference at a higher price.

How to choose

Decide privacy versus visibility first

It eliminates half the materials immediately and stops you comparing things that do not do the same job.

Be honest about maintenance

If you will not restain wood every few years, do not buy wood. The lifespan figures assume upkeep.

Consider your climate

Freeze-thaw, coastal salt, high winds and intense sun each punish different materials. Ask a local installer what fails in your area.

Look at repairability

Wood boards and chain link sections are cheap to fix. Matching a vinyl panel or a discontinued color years later can be difficult.

Check posts, not just panels

Some vinyl and composite systems use metal or wood post inserts. Ask what the post core is — that is what actually holds the fence up.