Wood costs less up front. National 2026 ranges are $20 to $50 a foot for wood and $30 to $60 for vinyl, both installed. Vinyl earns some of that back because it never needs stain, while wood needs sealing and the odd board replaced.
Every dollar range on this page is a national figure that HomeGuide published for 2026. None of them is a quote from Fence Company San Jose. Wages in the South Bay, the cost of lumber and metal, and what we find on your lot all move the real price. Figures last checked October 2026.
Side by side
- Price: wood $20 to $50 a foot, vinyl $30 to $60 a foot (national figures).
- Care: wood is sealed or stained every few years. Vinyl is rinsed.
- How it fails: wood posts decay at the soil and boards crack in the sun. Vinyl can chalk with years of UV and can crack from a hard hit.
- Fixing it: wood is repaired a board at a time. Vinyl is repaired a panel or rail at a time.
- Appearance: wood takes any stain and weathers to grey if left. Vinyl stays one color from a short list.
Should I choose redwood, cedar or pressure-treated pine?
For boards, redwood or cedar. Both are naturally durable, both are stable in dry heat, and redwood has been the standard fence wood around San Jose for generations. Pressure-treated pine is less expensive and is best used below the boards: for posts, and for a kick board along the ground. A common build here is treated or steel posts, redwood rails and redwood or cedar pickets.
Which fence lasts longest through dry summers and wet winters?
Metal and vinyl, because they do not decay and do not shrink. San Jose has no freezing winter to plan around. The local cycle is drought then saturation, and what it attacks is the buried part of a wood post. So for wood, the fence that lasts longest is the one with the deepest, best-drained posts and boards that never touch soil.
Which fence is best for my yard?
- For privacy: a 6-foot solid fence in redwood, cedar or vinyl, on posts set deep for the wind load.
- For a big dog: 5 to 6 feet of wood, vinyl or chain link, tight to the ground.
- For small children: a solid or close-picket fence with a self-latching gate and the latch out of reach.
- For a pool: aluminum or vinyl built to the state barrier specifications, since the inspector checks height, gaps and gates.
- For the lowest price: chain link, with slats if you want screening later.
- For the least upkeep: vinyl or aluminum.
- For deer on a foothill lot: a tall open metal or mesh fence, after checking the height your city allows.
Is aluminum fencing strong enough to hold a big dog?
Yes for nearly all dogs. They do not break aluminum fences. They go over or through them. Pick a height the dog cannot clear and a picket spacing it cannot squeeze past, and add a closer-spaced bottom section for small breeds.
We have a large dog, want privacy and have a limited budget. What do you suggest?
A plain 6-foot board fence without extras. Skip the cap, trim and lattice, and use dog-ear pickets. That gives full screening and containment at the lowest solid-fence price. Another saving is to mix materials: boards where neighbors or the street can see in, chain link along a back line that faces a wall or a creek.
The neighbor has wood and wants me to match it and split the cost, but I want vinyl. What are the options?
There are three. Agree on wood for the shared line and use vinyl everywhere else. Persuade the neighbor to accept vinyl and write down who pays what. Or build your own vinyl fence just inside your boundary and pay for all of it. Only one fence can stand on the line itself, so the shared stretch has to be something you both sign off on.
Does the fence look as good on the neighbor's side?
With the right style it does. Shadowbox, board-on-board with a cap, and most vinyl panels look alike from both yards. A standard picket fence has rails and posts showing on one face. Decide together which yard gets which face, or alternate by bay. Some cities and associations have a rule on it, so we check.
For a price on your own fence line, book the free site visit. We measure, then send the quote in writing. Call (408) 539-3039.