Wood vs. Vinyl vs. Aluminum Fence in Louisiana

Most fence decisions in a Louisiana backyard come down to three materials. They are not really competitors: wood and vinyl are privacy fences, and aluminum is an open, decorative one. The real choice is usually wood against vinyl for privacy, and aluminum against a picket for a front yard. This page lays out how they compare.

Side by side

The prices are published ranges for the Baton Rouge area, installed, not quotes. The fence cost guide has the full table and what moves each number.

Wood

Wood is the classic backyard privacy fence and the lowest published range of the three, at $15 to $30 per linear foot. It comes in more styles than anything else — dog-ear, flat top, board-on-board, horizontal — and it can be stained any color or left to weather.

The tradeoff is upkeep, and Louisiana makes that part of the decision. USDA Forest Service research on climate and wood decay rates the southeastern United States among the regions with the greatest potential for decay. That does not rule wood out; it means the details matter. The American Wood Protection Association’s residential guide calls for posts in ground contact to be treated to Use Category 4A or higher — the rating is printed on the lumber’s end tag. Ask whether the posts are wood or metal, how they are set, and whether a finish is included. In Baton Rouge, termites are part of the picture too: The LSU AgCenter has reported Formosan termite numbers rising in East Baton Rouge Parish.

The wood privacy fence page covers styles, posts, and what the quote should list.

Vinyl

Vinyl does the same job as a wood privacy fence, at a published range of $20 to $43 per linear foot. Vinyl does not need painting or staining, though it still needs an occasional wash. It comes in solid privacy panels, semi-private styles with a lattice top, pickets, and ranch rail, in white and a handful of other colors.

The tradeoff is price and repair. Vinyl starts higher than wood, and damaged panels are replaced rather than patched — so ask whether replacement panels will be available in your style and color later. Ask how the posts are set and reinforced, especially at gates and corners. The vinyl fence page goes further.

Aluminum

Aluminum is the ornamental, picket-style metal fence — the look many people call “wrought iron.” Published ranges for aluminum or steel run $30 to $50 per linear foot, the highest of the three, but ornamental fences are often shorter runs, so the total can be closer than the per-foot number suggests. Aluminum is the lighter of the two metals; steel is the stronger.

It is an open fence, so it will not give you privacy, and wide picket spacing will not keep a small dog in. It shines along a front walk and around a pool. If it is a pool fence, tell the installer up front and ask what applies to it. More on the aluminum and iron fence page.

Which one for which job

• Backyard privacy on a budget: wood.
• Backyard privacy without refinishing: vinyl.
• A front yard you want to frame, not hide: aluminum or a short picket.
• Around a pool: aluminum, or a solid fence if you also want privacy — ask what applies.
• Keeping a dog in, cheaply, with no need for privacy: none of the three — look at chain link, at $10 to $20 per linear foot.

Mixing materials

Plenty of yards use more than one: an aluminum or picket fence across the front, and wood or vinyl around the back. If that is the plan, ask for both on the same visit so the installer can match heights, line up the corners, and price each section on its own line. The fence installation page covers how to measure and what the quote should list.

Getting quotes on two materials

The cleanest way to decide is to ask for two materials on the same footage and the same gates. The difference between the two quotes is the real price of the upgrade for your yard. Call (225) 351-2857 or send the form with both materials in mind; your request goes to one local installer who measures and quotes in writing.