Aluminum fence vs wood fence cost in California

Aluminum fence in its general price range costs about the same per foot as a wood privacy fence in California, and privacy-style aluminum costs about 1.5 to 4 times as much. Wood privacy fence starts at $38 to $50 a foot installed in Sacramento in 2026, general aluminum runs $32 to $70 in California, and full-privacy aluminum $120 to $180+ in Los Angeles.

Wood needs stain and eventually replacement, so the gap narrows over 20 years; in the worked example below, semi-private aluminum pulls even with wood that has to be replaced once. For Zone 0, most homes do not need to choose: the state rule asks for a 5 foot noncombustible span where a fence meets the house, and the rest can stay wood. A new wood section at the house is barred from the day the rule takes effect, so build that part in metal now.

How much do wood, aluminum and steel fences cost per foot in California?

Installed prices, 2025 and 2026. California figures come first; national ranges fill the gaps.

The Los Angeles aluminum figures are planning allowances, not fixed prices, and wood averages vary by species and region, so treat each line as a range.

Is aluminum fence cheaper than wood?

Sometimes, and rarely for privacy. The general aluminum range, $32 to $70, overlaps the Sacramento wood range almost entirely. Once you ask aluminum to block the view like a 6 foot wood fence, the Los Angeles figures jump to $75 to $110 for semi-private slat and $120 to $180 for full privacy. Full-privacy panels use more aluminum and catch more wind, which drives the price.

Materials alone show the same overlap at the low end: wood at $10 to $60 per foot and aluminum at $13 to $75. For an apples-to-apples comparison, get quotes for the same height, style and length.

Which lasts longer, and what does upkeep cost?

Aluminum needs almost nothing. It can easily last 20 years or longer, and the only routine upkeep is pulling vines off it.

Wood lifespans vary widely: 8 to 20 years is typical, around 25 years with regular maintenance and 30 to 40 years with sealant, while spruce and pine may last only 5 to 15. Staining costs about $1 to $4 per linear foot, every 2 to 3 years.

Steel falls between. Metal fences last for decades when cleaned and painted, and painting a fence averages $1,000 to $2,500. Rust and coatings are compared on aluminum vs steel fence.

What does each fence cost over 20 years? A worked example

This example is built from the figures above. It is a planning sketch, not a quote. Assumptions:

• A 100 foot, 6 foot tall fence, new installation, no old fence to remove at the start.
• Wood at $44 a foot, the middle of the two Sacramento lines.
• Wood stained every 3 years at $2.50 a foot, the middle of the $1 to $4 range.
• If wood is replaced at year 15 (inside its 8 to 20 year life), removal at $6 a foot, the middle of the $3 to $9 removal range. The Sacramento prices already include removal, so this line may overstate wood.
• Aluminum and steel at the middle of their ranges, with no upkeep cost.
• Today’s prices throughout, no inflation.

What the table shows: if a wood fence lasts the full 20 years, it stays the cheapest privacy fence. If it needs replacing once, semi-private aluminum comes out slightly ahead. Full-privacy aluminum costs more than wood in both cases. Change any assumption, such as a shorter wood life or a pricier stain job, and the order can shift, so run your own numbers with real quotes.

Do you have to replace a whole wood fence for Zone 0?

No. Under the state Zone 0 rule, fences attached to the house or within 1 foot of it need “a five (5) foot Noncombustible span from the point of attachment” (14 CCR 1298.04(b)(9)(A)), and existing wood fence beyond that can stay and be repaired with wood. An existing home gets 3 to 5 years from the day the rule takes effect. What happens to the rest of an old fence is on existing wood fence and Zone 0.

That makes a hybrid much cheaper than a full switch. Take the same 100 foot wood fence, with both ends meeting the house. In San Diego County, a 5 to 10 foot aluminum section at the house runs $2,000 to $2,500 installed, and from $3,000 with a gate.

The hybrid keeps your wood upkeep for the remaining 90 feet, but it costs roughly half or a third as much as a full aluminum replacement. A short section costs far more per foot than a long run, which is explained on aluminum fence cost per foot, and the whole Zone 0 budget, cleanup included, is on Zone Zero compliance cost.

Two cases push toward a bigger job. If the wood fence is near the end of its life, a whole 30 to 50 foot side run costs $2,500 to $5,000 in San Diego County, not much more than a section. And if you want an insurance designation, the Wildfire Prepared Home standard counts every fence within 5 feet of the house, not only the end that touches it (Wildfire Prepared Home fence requirements).

What should you ask for in a quote?

• Price per foot and total for the same height and style in each material, so wood and aluminum quotes line up.
• Whether removal and haul-away of the old fence is included.
• For wood, the species, and whether stain or sealer is part of the price.
• For a Zone 0 section, the noncombustible length measured from the house wall (at least 5 feet), where the new post lands and how it joins the wood.
• For aluminum or steel at the house end, the product’s ASTM E136 test report, since the state rule defines noncombustible by that test (is aluminum noncombustible).