Chain link fence cost

Chain link fence costs $15 to $30 per linear foot installed, typically about $22, for 4 to 6 foot galvanized fabric with the posts set and one gate allowed for. It is the cheapest fence that will reliably hold a dog, and on a long run along the back of a lot the gap to every other material is measured in thousands.

What moves the price within that range is the spec line most quotes bury: the wire gauge, the height, the post sizes and whether the fabric is bare or vinyl-coated.

What it costs

A 4 foot fence in light-gauge fabric on level, open ground is the bottom of the chain link range. Six feet of heavy-gauge fabric, vinyl-coated, with a top rail and posts dug through roots or rock, is the top. Extra gates beyond the first, drive gates and privacy slats are priced on top.

When chain link is the right answer

Chain link has a reputation problem it has partly earned. It is also the right fence more often than people admit.

Dogs. It is hard to chew, hard to push over and quick to repair. A dog that hits a wood panel at speed can crack a picket; a dog that hits chain link bounces. Diggers are handled at the bottom of the fence, and jumpers by height, both covered below.

Budget on a long run. Chain link runs $15 to $30 a foot and wood privacy $25 to $55. On a 300 foot perimeter that per-foot gap is paid 300 times over, and few upgrades in a yard cost as much.

Back lot lines. Along woods, a creek, a field or a utility easement, nobody needs privacy and nobody looks at the fence. Chain link lets light and air through, does not catch wind, and shrugs off the falling limbs that would snap a wood rail. When a tree does land on it, a crew splices in new fabric and replaces a bent top rail rather than rebuilding a section.

When it is not. A front yard, a lot where the neighbors' patio is ten feet away, and most HOA communities, many of which ban chain link outright. The fence installation guide covers survey, setbacks and HOA rules for any fence; read the covenants before pricing this one.

Reading the spec: gauge, mesh and height

Two quotes at the same per-foot price can describe very different fences. Look for these on the paper.

Gauge. Lower numbers mean thicker wire. Most residential fabric is 11 or 11 1/2 gauge; 9 gauge is the heavy wire used on commercial work and on residential fences that have to stand up to large dogs or kids climbing. A low quote in 12 1/2 gauge is a lighter fence, not a better deal.

Mesh. The standard diamond is about 2 inches. Smaller mesh is harder to climb and harder to get a paw or a toe into, and it costs more because there is more wire per foot.

Height. Four feet keeps a small dog in and marks a boundary. Five feet suits most dogs. Six feet is for jumpers and climbers, and many towns require a permit at or above it.

Coating. Plain galvanized is the base price. Galvanized after weaving holds up better than fabric woven from galvanized wire, because the cut ends at the top and bottom get coated too.

Top edge. The top of the fabric is either twisted, leaving sharp points, or knuckled, bent over smooth. Around children and dogs, ask for knuckled, which is standard on most residential fabric but not all.

Posts, rails and the gate allowance

The posts are where a chain link fence is good or bad, and they are invisible on a quote unless you ask.

Terminal posts at every end, corner and gate carry the tension of the stretched fabric. They should be a larger diameter than the line posts and set in concrete. A fence that sags after two winters almost always has an undersized or shallow terminal post.

Line posts run between them, typically no more than 10 feet apart. Closer spacing costs more and is worth it on a 6 foot fence, on slopes and in soft soil.

Top rail or tension wire. A top rail keeps the top straight and resists a dog leaning on it. A bottom tension wire stops the fabric being pushed outward at the base, which is exactly how dogs get out.

The gate allowance. The per-foot price normally includes one walk gate. A second walk gate, a double drive gate for a mower or trailer, or a rolling gate is priced separately, and gate posts for a wide drive gate need to be heavier again. Count the gates before comparing quotes.

For diggers, the cheapest fix is a strip of wire mesh laid on the ground along the inside of the fence and pinned or buried an inch or two down. A concrete mow strip under the fabric works too and also ends string-trimming along the line.

Vinyl-coated fabric and privacy slats

Vinyl coating bonds a layer of colored PVC over the galvanized wire, usually black or green, and the posts and rails are powder-coated to match. Black chain link almost disappears against planting at a distance, which is why it is the version that some HOAs will accept. It costs noticeably more per foot and lasts longer, because the zinc under it is protected.

Privacy slats are strips woven into the diamonds. They block most of the view, they cut down a dog barking at everyone who walks past, and they change the engineering: a slatted fence catches wind like a solid one, so it needs closer posts and heavier terminals than a fence built for open fabric. Slats are usually quoted per foot on top of the fence, take a long time to fit on a tall run, and fade and turn brittle in strong sun over the years.

A planted screen is the alternative many people end up preferring. Unlike a wood fence, chain link does not rot when plants touch it, and vines grow up it happily. The fence-line landscaping guide covers spacing and species; a screen runs $15 to $60 a linear foot.

A worked example: a dog yard on a wooded back lot

A quarter-acre lot backs onto woods. The owners want 220 linear feet of 5 foot chain link for two large dogs, three old stumps sit on the fence line, and 40 feet of the run faces a neighbor's patio where they want a green screen.

• Fence: 220 linear feet × $15 to $30 per foot = $3,300 to $6,600
• Stumps on the line: 3 stumps × $100 to $400 each = $300 to $1,200
• Screen along the patio side: 40 linear feet × $15 to $60 per foot = $600 to $2,400
• Total: $4,200 to $10,200

For two large dogs this fence belongs in the upper half of the fence line's range, $3,300 to $6,600: heavier gauge and a bottom tension wire. The stumps matter because a post cannot go where a stump is, and a crew that finds one mid-run will either move the post or bill the grinding afterward. If the wooded edge needs clearing before anyone can walk the line, the land clearing guide prices it.

The same 220 feet in 6 foot wood privacy would start at the bottom of $25 to $55 a foot, with no screen needed and staining every few years.

Frequently asked questions

Is 9 gauge or 11 gauge chain link better for a big dog?

Nine gauge is thicker and stiffer, and it is the safer choice for a large, strong dog that jumps up on the fence or charges it. Eleven gauge is fine for most dogs on a fence with a top rail and good terminal posts. The posts matter as much as the wire.

How much more does black vinyl-coated chain link cost?

It sits toward the top of $15 to $30 a foot rather than the bottom, because the fabric, posts and fittings are all coated. Prices vary by height and gauge, so ask for both versions on the same quote to see the real difference.

Do privacy slats make chain link a privacy fence?

Partly. Depending on the slat they block much of the view but not all, and they add wind load the fence may not have been built for. If full privacy is the goal, wood or vinyl is usually the better fence; slats suit an existing chain link fence that needs screening.

Can chain link be installed on a slope?

Yes, and more easily than solid panel fences. The fabric follows the ground, so the fence runs parallel to the slope without stepping, and only the bottom gap at dips needs attention, especially with a dog that digs.

Related guides

• Fence installation cost — every material per linear foot, and what to settle before building
• Fence-line landscaping cost — planting a screen instead of slats
• Land clearing cost — opening up a wooded lot line
• Stump grinding cost — clearing stumps out of the post line