Chicago Wood Fences

Across America's landscape, very few home accents carry the same weight as the wood fence. Chicago residents might, because of the area's climate, do well with some other fencing material such as aluminum or vinyl, but when you want the classic look and feel of wood, nothing else will do. In fact, ServiceMagic processes more requests in the Chicago area for wooden fences than any other fence material. If you're looking to accent your home, mark your property line, get some extra privacy, or create a barrier to help keep pets and small children near the house and out of harm's way, wooden fences are just as stylish and functional today as they were hundreds of years ago.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Chicago Wood Fences
The appeal of a wooden fence goes far beyond the simple draw of wood itself. In fact, one of the best reasons for installing a wood fence in Chicago is the amount of variety and versatility that goes along with the material. Other types of fencing certainly have their good points: aluminum and vinyl fences can last an extraordinarily long time with relatively little maintenance, wrought iron has strength and elegance that's hard to beat. The problem with these other materials is that, not only are they more expensive, but they offer far fewer options for the homeowner.

A wood fence can be made to just about any specification you like. Since wood is so easy to work with, the number of styles of wooden fences far outnumber those of vinyl or aluminum. For those who like a change from time to time, wood fences can be painted and repainted over and over again (something that is not an option with other fences). No matter what color, style, or function you want your fence to have, there's a Chicago wood fence contractor that will be able to handle the job quickly, and in many cases, relatively inexpensively.

There are some drawbacks to installing a wooden fence in Chicago that should be taken into account. First, they generally require far more maintenance than other fences. Especially with the annual temperature changes and precipitation levels in the Windy City, Chicago wood fences are likely to need attention at least every few years. Additionally, it is a near certainty that a new wood fence will not last as long as a vinyl or aluminum fence. Unlike these other materials, wood is susceptible to moisture, mold, and insect damage. Though you can treat your wood to reduce these problems, there's no guarantee that these treatments will be successful (unlike vinyl or metal that will be a disappointment to a hungry termite 100 percent of the time).

Prices of Chicago Wooden Fences
One of the other great things about a wooden fence in Chicago is the price. The national average cost of installing a vinyl fence, according to our records at ServiceMagic, is just less than $4,000. The price for a Chicago wood fence is generally in the $2,000 range, with smaller jobs going as low as $1,000 and more elaborate work hitting around $4,000. Maintenance and repairs are certainly things to consider when deciding to choose wood over another material, but in many cases, these kinds of jobs are simple enough to be handled by the homeowners themselves. If you're not the "handy" type, wood fence repairs usually range somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 to $500.