Acre measurement
A unit of land area equal to 43,560 square feet, or roughly 209 feet by 209 feet. A 1-acre residential lot typically requires 700–850 linear feet of perimeter fencing if fully enclosed.
A
Aluminum Fence material
Rust-resistant ornamental metal fencing made from extruded or cast aluminum. Aluminum looks like wrought iron but is lighter, won’t rust, and costs less to install. Common in pool enclosures, ornamental yard fencing, and commercial property. Installed cost: $25–$75 per linear foot in 2026.
Anchor Post component
A heavy-duty fence post that anchors the start, end, or corner of a fence run, transferring tension from the fabric or panels to the ground. On chain-link fences, the anchor post is heavier-gauge steel than line posts and is set deeper into concrete.
B
Baluster component
A vertical infill picket or spindle in an ornamental fence or railing. On aluminum and iron fences, balusters typically run 4 inches on-center to meet most building code spacing requirements that prevent a 4-inch sphere from passing through.
Barbed Wire material
Twisted galvanized steel wire with sharp barbs spaced every 4–5 inches, used for livestock containment, ranch perimeters, and security topping. Restricted by code in most residential jurisdictions due to liability and safety.
Board on Board style
A wood privacy fence style with front-facing pickets butted closely together and back-facing pickets behind them, overlapping the front gaps significantly. Looks solid from any angle and provides full privacy. Compare to shadow box, which alternates pickets on opposite rail faces.
Brace Band hardware
A galvanized metal band that clamps to a chain-link line post or terminal post and holds the top rail in place via a rail-end cup. Distinguished from a tension band by its lug, which faces along the rail axis rather than into the fabric plane.
Brace Post component
A structural fence post added on long unbroken runs to prevent leaning, especially for chain-link with significant fabric tension. Typically placed every 50–200 feet depending on terrain and fence height.
C
Cap hardware
A decorative top on a fence post or picket. Common shapes: flat, dome, pyramid, ball, acorn (gothic), French gothic. Caps protect end-grain from rain absorption and improve aesthetics. On chain-link, post caps double as rail clamps.
Cap and Trim style
A wood privacy fence style topped with a horizontal cap board and a decorative trim board, giving a finished “picture frame” look. Also called Cap & Trim or sometimes “cap-rail”. Adds 8–15 percent to material cost vs a standard dog-ear or flat-top.
Cedar material
A naturally rot-resistant softwood favored for wood privacy fences. Western Red Cedar is the premium grade for fencing (rich color, fine grain, stable); Northern White Cedar and Eastern White Cedar are also used. Cedar costs roughly 30–50 percent more than pressure-treated pine but lasts longer without chemical treatment.
Chain Link material
A fence made from galvanized steel wire woven into a diamond pattern (typically 2 inch mesh), stretched between line posts and held by tension bars at terminal posts. The most affordable major fence material at $15–$50 per foot installed in 2026. Also available vinyl-coated in black, brown, or green.
Composite material
A wood-plastic composite (WPC) fence material made from recycled wood fibers and polymer resin. Brands include Trex, Veranda, and CertainTeed. Composite is more expensive than wood or vinyl upfront ($35–$95 per foot installed in 2026) but requires no painting, staining, or board replacement over a 25–30 year lifespan.
Concrete Footing installation
A cement base poured around a fence post in a hole to anchor it. Typical post holes are 8–12 inches in diameter and 24–48 inches deep depending on frost line and fence height. A standard 6-foot privacy fence uses roughly 1.5–2.5 cubic feet of concrete per post.
Corner Post component
A heavy-duty fence post installed at points where the fence changes direction. Corner posts experience tension from two directions and must be braced or anchored more deeply than line posts. On chain-link, corner posts are typically larger-diameter than line posts.
D
Dog-Ear style
A wood picket style with two 45-degree angled cuts at the top, removing the corners to form a flat-topped point. The most common American wood-fence picket profile due to ease of cutting and shedding rainwater. Compare to flat-top, French gothic, dog-ear-and-spear, and scalloped styles.
Drainage Easement code
A legally designated strip of land within a property that must remain unobstructed to allow stormwater flow. Fences inside a drainage easement may be prohibited or require a permit with a hold-harmless agreement. Always check the property survey before quoting.
E
Easement code
A legally protected strip of a property that grants access or use rights to another party (utility company, neighbor, municipality). Common types: drainage, utility, sidewalk, and access easements. Fencing inside an easement may require permits, may not be allowed, or may need to be removable.
End Post component
The terminal post at the start or end of a fence run, where the fence stops or meets a building. End posts (like corner posts) must withstand tension from only one direction but are still set in deeper, larger-diameter footings than line posts.
F
Footing installation
The hole and concrete (or other setting material) that anchors a fence post. Footing depth depends on fence height, soil type, and the local frost line. Rule of thumb: bury one-third of the post length, minimum 24 inches deep, always below frost line.
Frost Line installation
The maximum depth in the soil that ground freezing reaches in winter, ranging from 0 inches in the deep south to 100+ inches in northern Minnesota, Maine, and parts of Alaska. Fence post footings must extend below the frost line to prevent frost-heave from lifting posts.
G
Galvanized material
Steel coated with zinc to prevent rust. Galvanized finishes range from light (G40) to heavy (G90 or hot-dipped). All chain-link fencing, fence hardware, and steel posts should be galvanized for outdoor use. Heavier coatings cost more but last 25–40 years vs 10–15 years for thinner coatings.
Gate Hardware hardware
The collective set of hinges, latches, gate stops, drop rods, gate handles, and (optionally) self-closing springs that allow a gate to function. Quality gate hardware costs $40–$200 per walk gate, $150–$600 per drive gate, and is the single biggest predictor of gate longevity.
Gauge material
A measurement of wire or sheet metal thickness. Lower gauge numbers mean thicker material. Residential chain-link is typically 11.5 or 11 gauge; commercial chain-link uses 9 or 6 gauge (thicker, more rigid, more expensive).
H
Hat Channel hardware
A hat-shaped (top-hat profile) metal channel used as a back-rail in some metal-post wood-fence systems. The PostMaster steel post system uses a hat-channel-style back face that allows wood pickets to be screwed directly to the steel post without an intermediate wood rail.
Hidden Fastener hardware
A clip, bracket, or biscuit-style fastener that secures fence boards or composite planks without visible screws or nails on the face. Common on premium composite and horizontal-style fences. Adds $1–$3 per linear foot vs face-screwing.
Hog Wire material
Heavy-gauge welded steel wire mesh, typically 4-inch by 4-inch squares, originally used for hog confinement. Now popular in modern residential design as panel infill in wood-framed fence sections for a rustic-modern aesthetic.
Horizontal Fence style
A wood or composite fence with boards running horizontally between posts rather than vertically. Modern aesthetic, especially with 1x4 or 1x6 cedar planks. Requires more posts per linear foot than vertical-board styles (typically 6 feet on-center max) because boards span without intermediate support.
I
Iron Fence material
Traditional wrought-iron or modern steel ornamental fencing. True wrought iron is rare and expensive today; most “iron” fences sold now are welded steel powder-coated black. Heavier, more secure, and longer-lasting than aluminum but rusts if the coating is breached.
K
Kickboard component
A horizontal board (typically a 2x6 or 2x8) installed at the bottom of a wood privacy fence, flush with the ground. The kickboard takes the rot damage from grass-line moisture and is replaceable without taking the fence apart. Adds $2–$4 per linear foot but extends fence life by 5–10 years.
L
Latch hardware
The mechanism that secures a gate in the closed position. Common types: gravity latch, slide bolt, ring latch, magnetic latch, lockable latch with key. Pool-enclosure gates must use self-latching mechanisms that operate at least 54 inches above ground per IRC Section 305.
Lattice style
A decorative crossed pattern of thin wooden strips, typically used as a 1- to 2-foot topper on a privacy fence to add height and ornamentation without full visual blocking. Sold in 4x8 prefab panels in wood, vinyl, and composite.
Line Post component
A standard intermediate post between corner, end, gate, or brace posts in a fence run. Line posts carry the weight and tension of the fence sections between them and are typically lighter than corner or terminal posts on chain-link installations.
M
Mesh material
The woven or welded wire infill of a chain-link or wire fence, sold by diamond size. Standard residential chain-link is 2-inch mesh (the diamonds are 2 inches across). Tighter mesh (1.25 inch) is harder to climb and used in security applications.
Mil material
A measurement of vinyl wall thickness, equal to one-thousandth of an inch. Premium vinyl fence boards run 0.090–0.115 mil thick; budget vinyl can be 0.045–0.060 mil. Thicker vinyl resists cracking in cold weather and impact damage.
O
Ornamental style
Decorative aluminum, steel, or iron fencing made of vertical balusters between top and bottom rails, often with finials, scrolls, or rings. Used for residential yards, pool enclosures, and commercial entries where appearance matters as much as security.
P
Panel component
A prefabricated fence section consisting of rails and pickets or boards, sold as a complete unit. Common panel widths are 6 feet and 8 feet. Panels speed installation but require precise post spacing.
Picket component
An individual vertical board or slat in a wood, vinyl, or composite fence. A standard 6-foot privacy fence uses pickets that are 5.5 inches wide (nominal 1x6); fully solid privacy uses no gap; semi-privacy spaces pickets 0.5–1 inch apart.
Pipe Grip Tie hardware
A galvanized bracket from Simpson Strong-Tie (and others) designed to attach a wood 2x rail to a round steel post. Used when running wood-fence rails on chain-link-style steel posts, common in hybrid fence retrofits.
Plumb installation
Perfectly vertical (90 degrees to horizontal). Setting fence posts plumb is checked with a level on two perpendicular faces of the post. A 6-foot post that is 1 inch out of plumb at the top causes a noticeable visible tilt.
Post component
The vertical structural member of a fence, set in the ground and supporting the rails and infill. Common materials: pressure-treated wood (4x4 or 6x6), galvanized steel (round or square), aluminum, vinyl-clad wood, and engineered steel (e.g., PostMaster).
Post Hole installation
The hole dug for setting a fence post in concrete or compacted soil. Standard dimensions: 8–12 inches in diameter, 24–48 inches deep (below frost line). Hole depth should be 1/3 of total post length minimum.
PostMaster component
A galvanized steel fence post (rectangular profile, top-hat shape) manufactured by Master Halco and others, designed to last 4–5x longer than wood while accepting wood pickets directly. The leading branded alternative to pressure-treated 4x4 wood posts.
Pressure-Treated material
Lumber treated with chemicals (typically ACQ, CA-B, or MCA) that resist rot, fungus, and insect damage. Pressure-treated southern yellow pine is the most common fence-post material in the US, rated for ground-contact use.
R
Rail component
The horizontal member connecting fence posts and supporting the infill (pickets, panels, or mesh). A standard 6-foot privacy fence uses 2 or 3 rails (top, middle, and bottom). Chain-link uses a top rail (1-3/8″ or 1-5/8″ pipe) and often a bottom tension wire instead of a bottom rail.
Ready Seal material
A leading brand of penetrating oil-based wood stain for fences. Available in 8 standard colors (Natural, Light Oak, Pecan, Mission Brown, Mahogany, Dark Walnut, Burnt Hickory, Redwood). Recommended re-application every 3–5 years on Western Red Cedar.
Right-of-Way code
A public-access strip of land alongside a road or utility, often extending 10–30 feet behind the curb or sidewalk. Fences in the right-of-way may be restricted or require special permits, and may be removed without compensation if the municipality needs to use the area.
S
Setback code
The required minimum distance between a fence and a property line, street, or structure, set by local zoning code. Common front-yard setbacks are 5–25 feet; side and rear yards often have no setback (fence can sit on the line). Check the local fence permit code before installing.
Shadow Box style
Also called “good neighbor” fence. A wood privacy style with pickets alternating on opposite faces of the rails — one in front, one in back, repeating. Looks identical from both sides (no “bad” side) but allows partial see-through at sharp viewing angles. Compare to board on board.
Slats component
Vertical strips of vinyl, PVC, or aluminum inserted into chain-link mesh to add privacy or wind screening. Available in multiple colors. Material runs $3–$7 per linear foot; charge $6–$14 per foot installed.
Splice installation
Joining two boards, rails, or chain-link sections end-to-end. Splices should always land on a post (never mid-span) and should be staggered between rails so no two splices align vertically.
Stockade style
A tall wood privacy fence with pickets butted tightly together (no gaps) and typically pointed or dog-eared tops. Historical reference is the colonial stockade wall. Common in 6-foot and 8-foot heights for residential privacy.
T
Tension Band hardware
A galvanized metal band that clamps to a chain-link terminal post (end, corner, or gate post) and holds a tension bar in place against the post. The tension band’s lug projects outward toward the fabric to clamp the bar. Typically 5 bands per terminal post for a 6-foot fence.
Tension Bar hardware
A flat steel bar threaded vertically through chain-link mesh at the terminal end of a fence run. The tension bar grips the fabric and transfers fabric tension to the terminal post via tension bands. Length matches fence height.
Tension Wire hardware
A heavy-gauge galvanized steel wire run horizontally along the bottom of a chain-link fence, woven through the fabric. The tension wire holds the bottom of the fabric in shape and prevents animal pushup. Less common in residential installs since bottom rails are often used instead.
Top Rail component
The horizontal pipe (typically 1-3/8″ or 1-5/8″ galvanized) running across the top of a chain-link fence, threaded through line-post loops and clamped at terminal posts. Top rail prevents the fabric from flopping.
Trex material
The leading composite fence brand in the US, made from recycled wood fibers and polymers. Trex fence runs $50–$100+ per linear foot installed and carries a 25-year limited residential warranty. Compare to lower-priced composites like Veranda and CertainTeed.
U
U-Channel hardware
A U-shaped metal channel used as a continuous routing channel for vinyl or composite boards on a horizontal fence, or as a face-board mount system on certain PostMaster wood-fence styles. The boards slide into or screw into the U-channel.
V
Vinyl material
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) extruded into fence boards, rails, and posts. Vinyl is the second-most-common privacy-fence material after wood and runs $30–$85 per linear foot installed in 2026. Vinyl never needs painting or staining but can crack in cold-weather impact.
Vinyl-Coated Chain Link material
Galvanized chain-link fabric coated with bonded PVC in colors (most commonly black, brown, dark green). The vinyl coating extends fence life (25–40 years vs 15–25 uncoated) and softens the industrial appearance. Adds 25–40 percent to material cost vs uncoated galvanized.
W
Walk Gate component
A pedestrian-width gate, typically 3 feet to 4 feet wide. Walk gates use single-leaf hinge sets and require 1 latch + 1 hinge pair minimum. Installed cost: $175–$450 in 2026 depending on material and hardware.
Western Red Cedar material
A premium softwood species native to the Pacific Northwest, prized for fence pickets due to its natural rot resistance, fine straight grain, color stability, and warm reddish-brown tone. Sold in three grades: A & Better Clear (highest), Knotty Premium, and Standard & Better. Western Red Cedar pickets cost 30–60 percent more than pressure-treated pine.