Wood Privacy and Decorative Wood Fences

Get The Truth About The Wood Fencing Market in Augusta and Beyond

We offer all types of wood fencing.  That includes dog ear privacy, Charleston, shadowbox, ranch rail, picket, and all combinations of the above.  Not sure why, but shadowbox fencing seems to be the most popular style in Augusta.  It is required by several neighborhoods.  We have built over 2,500 wood fences and can honestly tell you the good, bad, and ugly that we have seen.  We have some basic information below, but feel free to call us and have a conversation about your project.  We can answer any and all questions you have.

Call or Text: 706-836-5398
Email:  Info@AugustaFenceBuilders.com

What To Consider Before Buying A Wood Fence

A Wood Fence Has A Limited Life - One of the first questions we ask is "How long do you anticipate being in your home?"  While a wood fence can provide privacy for as long as it is standing, it will start to noticeably age even after just a few years.  The color of the wood changes as soon as a couple months.  A wood fence is like a wood deck.  It has to be stained and maintained.  And even when you do your best to maintain it, it is still going to age and slowly deteriorate.  If you plan on being in your home for more than 5-10 years you might consider a lifetime warranty fence instead like vinyl or aluminum.
Everyone Thinks They Can Build A Wood Fence - Unlike vinyl, aluminum, and chain link fencing, all of which are usually purchased from through a specialty vendor, anyone with a truck and credit card can go to a big box store and buy some lumber and build a fence.  Augusta is also a hot market for new construction.  So we have been seeing an influx of new folks in town installing wood fences.  No doubt some are talented, but many more are watching Youtube videos then practicing in your yard.  Ask some tough questions and be sure you don't hire a jack of trades to build a fence that is flawed from the start.
Never Build a Gate Leaf Over 5' Wide - Just don't do it.  If you do, then you need a metal frame for support.  Any gate piece that is built over 5' wide that doesn't have a metal frame is 100% going to sag.  It's just a fact.
Don't Get Too Caught Up On Nails vs. Screws - Every couple months we have someone request to build their fence with screws instead of nails.  And we happily oblige (for a small extra cost).  But this is really overkill.  A wood fence ages and fails from wood warping and deteriorating.  It is rare that a wood fence has fastener issues.  Nailing pickets is 100% industry norm.  Most companies also nail framing.  We go above and beyond and use screws for top caps and gates.  But you really don't need to spend the extra money to entirely use screws for everything.
Don't Pay For Cedar Unless You Can Commit To The Upkeep - The standard wood of choice for Augusta, Aiken, and elsewhere is pressure treated pine.  Cedar looks awesome the first couple weeks.  Then it fades and looks just like pine.  However, if you stain a cedar fence regularly and treat it like an investment then it can last and look amazing much longer than pine.  It's just a big commitment that most people aren't willing to make.
Do You Have A Preference On Which Way Your Gates Swings Or How To Lock It? - Seems obvious, but if not given directions, we will swing a gate whichever way works best for the slope of the land and we will have a front gate lockable from outside the fence and a back gate lockable from the inside.  If you need something different, let's have that discussion early and often, lol.
You Must Have A Survey With Stakes In The Ground Before We Will Build - This applies to all fences, not just wood.  But if you think your fence will be close to your property line then you must have pins in the ground.  It's simply impossible to correctly place your fence without those pins.  A survey is maybe $600 - $800 and a fence is probably ten times that.  Always pay for the survey so you can have peace of mind that everything is built correctly.