# Wood Fence Installation in Ontario, CA > Wood fence installation in Ontario, CA: redwood, cedar and fir privacy fences on treated wood or steel posts, set for sandy soil, Santa Ana wind and the permit rule. URL: https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/wood-fence-installation/ Service Redwood, cedar and fir privacy fences, dog-ear and board-on-board, on wood or steel posts. Get an Estimate [(909) 324-5352](tel:+19093245352) Last Updated: October 31, 2026 Most wood fences here fail at the posts, not the boards. a steel posts on the owner's side b 6 ft: the side and rear limit c bottom board held off the soil 1. **a** steel posts on the owner's side 2. **b** 6 ft: the side and rear limit 3. **c** bottom board held off the soil On a steel-post wood fence the posts and rails sit on the owner's side and the boards face out. The bottom edge stays clear of soil and sprinkler spray. Wood fence installation in Ontario, CA starts with two facts many buyers do not expect: the city requires a building permit for any wood fence taller than 3 feet, and the sandy ground under most of Ontario gives a post less grip than firmer soil does. [Grove Ontario Fence Builders](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/) plans and installs redwood, cedar and fir fences across Ontario and the west Inland Empire, from 6-foot side-yard privacy runs to 3-foot front-yard pickets. Installation is carried out by licensed and insured fence contractors. This page covers the decisions that set how long a wood fence stands here: the species and grade of the boards, what the posts are made of, how they are set, and which style suits a yard that takes Santa Ana wind. Wood is still the lowest-cost way to put up a 6-foot privacy screen in Southern California and the easiest fence to repair one board at a time. Its weak points are local too: long, hot summers, termites, and posts that spend their whole life in the ground. ## What happens on the first visit The first visit is a walk of the line. The run is measured, corners and gate openings are marked, and grade changes are noted, because Ontario measures fence height from the lowest adjacent finished grade (Development Code 6.02.020.C). A fence on the high side of a slope loses usable height. Where the property line is uncertain, that question comes up before any price is final. An old fence does not prove where the line is, and the [property line and survey guide](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/fence-property-line-survey/) explains when a licensed surveyor is needed. The walk also records what shapes the post plan: whether an old fence is coming out and how its footings were set, where gates need heavier posts, how close the line runs to the house, and whether a neighbor shares the fence. A shared fence brings in California Civil Code 841, which presumes both owners benefit and share the reasonable cost after 30 days’ written notice; the [good neighbor fence law guide](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/good-neighbor-fence-law-california/) walks through that notice. After that come the permit, any HOA approval and a DigAlert ticket, which Government Code 4216.2 requires at least two working days before the first post hole is dug. The [fence installation process guide](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/fence-installation-process/) follows the job from there to the last gate. ## Redwood, cedar or fir: species and grade Species gets the attention, but grade often matters more. Redwood and western red cedar owe their decay resistance to heartwood, the darker wood from the center of the log. Sapwood, the paler outer band, has little natural resistance in any species. A redwood board graded Construction Heart is all heartwood. Construction Common allows sapwood and more knots, costs less and weathers less evenly. Cedar fence boards are mostly sold in knotty grades where the heartwood share varies from board to board. Fir is the budget wood. Douglas fir and the red-stained fir pickets sold for fencing are strong and take stain well, but they resist decay less than redwood or cedar heartwood, so they depend on a finish and on staying off the soil. Board width and thickness move the material cost as much as species does: a wide, thick fir board can cost more than a thin cedar one. The [cedar vs redwood guide](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/cedar-vs-redwood-fence/) compares the two premium woods in depth, and the table below this article sets all three side by side. Sun is the other half of the choice. NOAA’s 1991-2020 climate normals for Ontario International Airport average 93 days a year at or above 90°F and 19 at or above 100°F, with under 12 inches of rain. Wood in that climate dries, checks and turns gray faster than it does near the coast. A penetrating stain with UV-blocking pigment slows the change, and it needs renewing every few years; no stain or sealer reverses rot once it has started. Frost is not a concern: the same normals show fewer than two nights a year at or below freezing. ## Posts: pressure-treated wood or galvanized steel Most wood fence failures in the Inland Empire start at the posts. A post carries the wind load of its whole panel into the ground, and it is the only part of the fence that sits in soil. UC IPM’s pest note on subterranean termites (Publication 7415) says wood in contact with soil should be chemically treated or naturally resistant, and lists untreated fence posts near a structure among the things that can contribute to an infestation. Its drywood termite note (Publication 7440) adds that the western drywood termite is common in Southern California and nests in wood without needing soil contact, so rails and pickets are exposed as well. The [termites and fence posts guide](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/termites-fence-posts/) explains how to tell the two kinds apart. That leaves two sound choices. A pressure-treated post rated for ground contact, usually treated Douglas fir or hem-fir in the West and southern pine elsewhere, is the traditional option. It matches the fence and is easy to fasten to. A galvanized steel post, with wood rails bolted to it through brackets and the boards hiding it from the street side, cannot rot or feed termites and is stiffer in wind. It costs more in material, and the frame has to be planned before the boards are cut. With either post, the top of the concrete footing is crowned so water runs away from the post instead of pooling where wood meets concrete. The [steel vs wood posts guide](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/steel-vs-wood-fence-posts/) covers post sizes and bracket types. Setting is where Ontario’s soil comes in. USDA soil survey data puts central Ontario on Tujunga loamy sand, about 80 percent sand, and much of Ontario Ranch on Delhi fine sand at roughly 96 percent sand. Both drain quickly and barely shrink or swell, which helps, but loose sand holds a post less firmly than heavier ground. The city’s structural design criteria (Information Bulletin 103) assume wind Exposure C, meaning open terrain, with ultimate wind speeds of 103 mph for Risk Category I structures and 110 mph under the residential code; which category a fence falls in is the plan checker’s call. No single post depth is correct everywhere. Depth follows from fence height, post spacing, soil and wind, and a 6-foot solid fence in sand generally needs deeper or wider footings than a short open one. The [Santa Ana wind guide](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/santa-ana-winds-fence/) explains what a gust does to a fence line. ## Wood fence styles and what each does in the wind Every solid style takes the full force of the wind, so choosing between them is about looks, privacy and board count more than strength. - **Dog-ear.** Boards with clipped top corners, butted edge to edge on two or three rails. It is the most common privacy fence on Southern California tract lots and uses the least material per foot. Small gaps open as the boards shrink in dry weather. - **Stockade and flat-top.** The same solid face with pointed or square tops, often finished with a cap rail and trim board that also shield the board ends from sun and rain. - **Board-on-board.** Boards overlap on alternating sides of the rails, so no gap appears when they shrink. It takes more boards per foot and is fully solid to wind, which moves it toward the top of the price range. - **Shadowbox.** Boards alternate on each side of the rails with space between them, so the fence looks finished from both sides and air passes through at an angle. How much load that relieves depends on the gaps, so the posts are still planned close to a solid fence. - **Lattice-top.** A solid lower section under an open lattice band. The lattice adds height that lets air through and softens the top line of a 6-foot fence. - **Picket.** Spaced boards on a low fence, the usual front-yard choice. In Ontario a front-yard fence tops out at 3 feet, and at that height no building permit is needed. - **Split rail and ranch rail.** Two to four horizontal rails, mostly open, for larger lots. In Ontario’s AR-2 and RE-2 equestrian zones the Development Code prefers wood rail or plank fencing along the trail easement and holds it to 48 inches at the easement edge. The real decision on a windy line is privacy or semi-privacy. A semi-privacy style such as shadowbox or a lattice top gives up some screening for a fence that catches less wind and looks the same from both sides, which helps when a neighbor shares the line. A horizontal slat fence is a different build, framed to keep long boards from sagging, and it has its own [horizontal fence installation page](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/horizontal-fence-installation/). If you are still choosing a material, the [vinyl vs wood fence guide](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/vinyl-vs-wood-fence/) and the [vinyl fence page](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/vinyl-fence-installation/) cover the main alternative. ## Ontario’s permit and height rules for a wood fence The City of Ontario’s Building Permit FAQ requires a building permit for wood fences over 3 feet, so almost every privacy fence in the city is a permitted job, held to 6 feet on side, street-side and rear lines by Development Code 6.02.020. Ontario Ranch tracts add specific plan and HOA rules that can set fence and wall materials on certain lines, and the [Ontario Ranch page](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/service-areas/ontario-ranch/) covers them. Rancho Cucamonga draws its permit line at 6 feet instead, as the [Rancho Cucamonga page](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/service-areas/rancho-cucamonga/) explains. CAL FIRE maps no fire hazard severity zones inside Ontario, but foothill cities have them, and the [wildfire zone fence guide](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/fences-wildfire-zones/) covers wood near a house there. The full height and permit rules are in the [Ontario fence permit guide](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/fence-permits-height-rules-ontario-ca/). ## What a wood fence costs in Ontario A typical Southern California range for a 6-foot redwood or cedar privacy fence, installed, is about $30 to $70 per linear foot. At those rates a 100-foot run works out to roughly $3,000 to $7,000 before gates, removal and the permit. That is a budgeting figure, not a quote. Redwood heart grades, board-on-board and cap-and-trim styles, steel posts, slopes that need stepped sections and hard digging push a job toward the top. A plain dog-ear run on an open, level line, especially in fir, sits toward the bottom. Taking out an old fence and hauling it away typically adds $3 to $8 per linear foot, more when old concrete footings have to come out; the [fence replacement page](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/fence-replacement/) covers that work, and a fence that only needs posts or boards belongs on the [fence repair page](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/fence-repair/). Gates are priced by size, frame and hardware, through [gate installation](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/gate-installation/) or, for 12 to 16 foot openings, [RV and driveway gates](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/rv-gate-installation/). The permit is part of the budget in Ontario. The city sets building permit fees by project valuation, and as an example from its [published fee table](https://www.ontarioca.gov/government/community-development/building/building-department-fees), a $6,000 valuation gives a $125.25 permit, or about $226 if plan check at 80 percent of the permit fee applies and the small state fee is added. Labor costs a little more here than nationally: fence erectors in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro earn a mean $26.95 an hour, about 11 percent above the $24.29 national mean, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A wage is not a billing rate, since a contractor’s price also carries materials, insurance, licensing, vehicles, disposal and overhead. The [fence cost estimator](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/tools/fence-cost-estimator/) turns length, height and gates into a range, and the [Ontario fence cost guide](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/fence-cost-ontario-ca/) breaks the numbers down further. ## What's included - Walking and measuring the line, with corners, gate openings and grade changes marked - Property-line and shared-fence questions raised before the price is final - The City of Ontario permit, an HOA submittal where the tract requires one, and a DigAlert ticket - A post plan sized for the fence height, the soil and the wind exposure - Ground-contact treated wood or galvanized steel posts set in crowned concrete footings - Rails, boards and any cap, trim or lattice in the species and grade you choose - Stepped or racked sections where the ground slopes - Tear-out and haul-away of an old fence when one is being replaced (priced separately) - A final walk of the line, gates and latches, and debris haul-away ## Redwood, cedar or fir for a 6-foot privacy fence | | Redwood | Western red cedar | Fir | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Decay resistance | High in heartwood grades such as Construction Heart; lower where sapwood is allowed | High in heartwood; knotty grades vary board to board | Lower; depends on a finish and on staying off the soil | | In the sun | Stable as it dries; grays without a UV-blocking stain | Light and stable; grays quickly without a UV-blocking stain | Moves more as it dries; needs a finish sooner | | Where it fits | Street-facing runs and board-on-board styles where looks matter most | Privacy runs where an even, lighter color is wanted | Long side and rear runs on a tighter budget | | Place in the price | Toward the top of the $30 to $70 per foot range, especially heart grades | Across the range, set by grade and board size | Often at the low end; grade and board width move it | ## Related resources Decision Guide Cedar or redwood fence: which wood is better? The species name gets the attention, but the grade stamped on the board tells you more about how a fence will hold up. Here is how to compare the two woods honestly. Decision Guide Is a wood fence with metal posts better than one with wood posts? Galvanized steel and ground-contact treated wood both hold up a good fence. The difference shows at the grade line, in the wind and in sandy ground. Learn Are termites eating your fence posts? How to tell and what to do Two kinds of termite damage wood fences in Southern California, and they leave different evidence. Here is how to read it, and what it means for the posts. Learn How much wind can a fence withstand in a Santa Ana? There is no single wind rating for a fence. What it survives depends on how solid it is, how far apart the posts are and how deep they sit in sandy ground. Cost Guide How much does fence installation cost per linear foot in Ontario, CA? Typical installed ranges by material, the site conditions that push a job up or down, and the public figures that sit inside an Ontario fence price. Learn Which fence lasts the longest in Ontario, CA? No material comes with a guaranteed number of years. What decides how long a fence stands here is how it meets the ground, the sun and the wind. Learn Do you need a permit for a fence in Ontario, CA? Heights, rules and approvals What the City of Ontario permits and reviews, how tall each part of a fence can be, and the state, HOA and neighbor rules that sit on top of the city code. ## From first call to final gate 1. First call Address, fence length, height and material in a few minutes, plus photos if you have them. 2. Site walk and layout The line is walked and measured, gates and slopes marked, and survey questions raised where the property line is unclear. 3. Permits, HOA and DigAlert The permit and any HOA approval are lined up, and DigAlert marks utilities before digging. 4. Posts, then panels Posts are set and cured before rails, boards or panels go on, and gates are hung last so they close square. 5. Walk-through The finished line, gate swing and latches are checked with you, and debris is hauled away. ## What this work looks like New board-on-board redwood fence in a backyard, two staggered layers of vertical redwood boards overlapping by about an inch so no gaps show New redwood privacy fence on round galvanized steel posts set in concrete along a backyard lawn Redwood privacy fence with horizontal boards and a square lattice top section between wood posts, beside a planting bed Long dog-ear redwood privacy fence on steel posts running down a side yard beside a planting strip Before After ## Wood fences questions ### Are steel posts worth it on a wood fence? Often, on a long or windy line. Galvanized steel posts do not rot or feed termites, and they flex less in a Santa Ana gust, while the boards look the same from the street side. They cost more in material and the bracket hardware has to be planned before the boards are ordered. Treated wood posts rated for ground contact remain a sound choice where the budget is tight. ### Does redwood or cedar last longer in the Inland Empire sun? Grade decides more than species. The heartwood of either tree resists decay well, while boards with a lot of pale sapwood do not. Both are stable woods that gray in strong sun. With about 93 days a year at or above 90°F at Ontario's airport, either one needs a UV-blocking stain renewed every few years to keep its color. ### Do wood fences attract termites? They can host them. UC IPM notes that untreated wood in contact with soil can contribute to subterranean termite problems, which is why posts should be treated for ground contact or made of steel. Drywood termites, common across Southern California, nest in wood without touching soil, so rails and pickets near the house deserve a look when an old fence comes out. ### Can I put a wood picket fence in my front yard in Ontario? Yes, up to 3 feet tall, which is the front-yard limit in Ontario's Development Code. At that height no building permit is required, although the city's Planning Director can review the design and location of any fence. Rancho Cucamonga works differently: open picket fencing there can reach 6 feet in a front yard. ### What should I send to get a wood fence estimate? The property address, a rough length for the line, the height you want, the style and species you are considering and how many gates you need. Photos of the old fence, the corners and any slope help, as does a plot plan or survey if you have one. That is enough for a first price range, and the site walk confirms it. ## Related services ### Horizontal fences → Horizontal slat fences in wood or vinyl, framed to stay straight. ### Fence replacement → Tear-out, haul-away and a new fence on the line. ### Gates → Walk gates and side-yard gates, framed and hung so they close square, plus gate repair.