Metal Fence Installation
Metal fences keep a property open to view while marking it clearly: pickets you see through, posts that do not rot, and a finish that needs little more than a rinse. They are the usual choice for pools, front yards, slopes and commercial sites.
Three kinds cover almost every job. Which one fits depends on whether rust, strength, looks or budget matters most.
Schedule your no-obligation on-site consultation today.
For as long as you own the property
Metal Fence Types
Aluminum or Steel?
From the street the two can look the same. The difference is in the weight and in what happens when the coating is scratched.
Rust
Aluminum does not rust, which matters in a climate where a fence spends half the year wet. Steel rusts where its coating is broken, so scratches need touching up.
Strength
Steel is heavier and harder to bend or cut, which is why it is used for security fencing and busy commercial sites. Aluminum is strong enough for most homes and much lighter.
Slopes
Many aluminum panels rack to follow the ground with the pickets kept vertical. Steel is usually stepped or built to the slope.
What Metal Fences Are Used For
Pools
Narrow picket spacing and self-closing, self-latching gates meet pool-barrier rules without walling the pool in. See pool fences.
Front yards
An open fence frames the house without hiding it, and fits the lower height limits near the street. See height rules by city.
Security and business
Taller steel with spear tops or chain link around storage and work yards, with gates that control entry. See security fencing and commercial fencing.
Metal Fence Cost
Ornamental aluminum and steel
About $62 a foot installed for a 6-foot fence on level ground, and about $50 at 4 feet, a common front-yard and pool height.
Chain link
About $28 a foot at 6 feet: the lowest price per foot of any fence we build.
Price yours
Choose “Ornamental iron” or “Chain link” in the fence cost calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is aluminum or steel better in Seattle’s rain?
Aluminum, for rust: it does not rust at all. Powder-coated steel lasts well too, but chips in the coating need touching up before rust spreads.
Do metal fences need maintenance?
Very little: rinse off dirt and moss, keep plants off the panels, and check gate hinges and latches once a year.
Can a metal fence give privacy?
Not on its own; it is an open fence. Aluminum slat panels give a horizontal look with partial privacy, see horizontal fences; for full privacy choose wood, vinyl or composite.
Do you build matching metal gates?
Yes: walk gates, double gates and driveway gates in the same style as the fence.