Cedar Fence Installation in Portland & Vancouver

A properly built cedar fence typically lasts 20 to 25 years here. The failure point is almost always the posts, which is why we set them in concrete below the rot line and keep the boards off the ground so they can dry out.

In most cities in our service area, a standard backyard fence up to 6 feet doesn't require a permit, while front-yard fences have lower height limits. Rules vary by city, so we confirm your city's requirements before we build, as part of every quote.

Cedar can be left to weather to a silver-gray naturally, or stained to keep the warm color. If you want to stain, wait a few weeks for the wood to dry out first. We'll leave you written care recommendations either way.

Usually, yes. We can replace damaged sections and match board style and height. If the existing posts are failing, we'll tell you honestly whether a repair is worth it or whether replacement saves you money over the next few years.

Solid privacy butts the boards edge to edge, which looks clean on day one but opens small gaps as the wood shrinks through its first dry summer. Board-on-board overlaps each board with its neighbor, so the fence stays fully private even after shrinkage, and both faces look finished. It uses more lumber and costs a bit more per foot, and it's the upgrade we recommend most for year-round screening.

A top cap is a flat board running along the top of the fence. It sheds water off the board ends and gives the line a finished look. Picture framing adds trim around each panel face so the boards read like framed sections. Both dress up a standard privacy fence for modest added cost, and the cap protects end grain, which is where cedar soaks up water first.

Small surface checks and minor cupping are normal as fresh cedar dries from mill moisture down to Northwest air, mostly through the first summer. The grain opens hairline splits that don't affect strength. What isn't normal: boards splitting at fasteners or cupping hard enough to pull nails. We fasten with ring-shank nails placed to let the wood move, and we'll swap any board that fails beyond ordinary seasoning.