Wood costs less up front ($20 to $50 per foot installed). Vinyl costs more ($30 to $60) and asks for almost no upkeep. Add years of sealing and replaced boards to the wood fence and the two end up close.
Price ranges are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026, not our own quotes. Twin Cities labor, material prices and the conditions in your yard move a job up or down within a range. Last checked October 2026.
| Wood | Vinyl | |
|---|---|---|
| Installed cost per foot | $20 to $50 | $30 to $60 |
| Upkeep | Seal or stain every few years | Rinse it off |
| Weak point | Posts rot at the ground | Gets brittle in deep cold and can crack if hit |
| Repairs | One board at a time | Often the whole panel |
| Look | Natural grain, any stain color | Even finish, a few colors |
Cedar or pressure-treated pine?
Cedar for the boards, treated pine for the posts, if the budget allows. Cedar has natural resistance to rot and insects, warps less and weathers to a gray many people like. Pressure-treated pine is cheaper and takes ground contact well. All-pine is the lowest price for a solid fence.
Which fence lasts longest through freeze and thaw?
The one with the deepest posts. In Minnesota the ground does more damage than the weather above it, and any material tips over when frost gets under a shallow post. Aluminum and vinyl cannot rot. Vinyl turns brittle in hard cold, so keep the snowblower chute and shovel away from it. Wood lasts when posts are deep and boards stay out of soil and piled snow.
What type of fence is best for my yard?
| You want | Good choices | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy | 6-foot wood or vinyl | Minneapolis limits some side yards to 4 feet |
| A large dog | 5 or 6 foot wood, vinyl or chain link | Leave no gap at the bottom |
| Small children | A solid fence with a self-latching gate | Put the latch out of reach |
| A pool | Aluminum or vinyl built to the pool rule | Gates must close and latch by themselves |
| Lowest cost | Chain link | Slats are not allowed in Minneapolis |
| Low upkeep | Vinyl or aluminum | Costs more on day one |
| A front yard | Open ornamental metal or picket | 3 feet solid, 4 feet if open and decorative |
Is aluminum fencing strong enough for a large dog?
Yes for most dogs. What matters is height and picket spacing, not strength. A jumper needs a taller fence, and a small dog can slip between wide pickets unless the lower part has closer spacing.
We have a large dog, want privacy and do not want to spend a fortune. What makes sense?
Pressure-treated pine privacy fence, 6 feet where the city allows it. It is the cheapest solid fence and high enough for most big dogs. To save more, put the solid fence only on the sides where you are seen and run plain chain link along the rest. Remember that slats cannot be added to chain link in Minneapolis.
My neighbor has wood and wants me to match it so we can split the cost. I want vinyl.
A shared run has to be one material, so one of you gives way on that stretch. Settle the material, the height and each share on paper first. If you cannot agree, put your own vinyl fence just inside your line and leave theirs alone. Your other sides can be any material you like.
Will the new fence look the same on my neighbor's side?
With shadowbox wood and most vinyl, yes, both faces look finished. A standard picket or privacy fence has a rail side and a board side. Minneapolis requires the finished side to face the adjoining property or the street, so the rails end up on your side.
A free on-site estimate gives you a real number for your yard. Call (612) 688-5135 or text us a photo of the fence line.