Cedar shows up on more fences in Tacoma than any other material, and once you look at the reasons, it makes sense. The wood fits the Pacific Northwest look, holds its own against the rain when you stay on top of maintenance, and gives homeowners far more style choices than any other wood option out there. The tradeoff is cost. Cedar runs higher than chain link and usually higher than most other fence materials once you break it down per foot.
If you’re planning a cedar fence project in Tacoma and want numbers you can actually use, working with a trusted fence company means getting real pricing instead of guesswork, and this guide walks through what the costs look like in 2026, along with the factors that push them higher or lower.
We’ve been installing cedar fencing across Tacoma, Puyallup, Spanaway, and South Hill for nearly 20 years. The pricing in this guide reflects what we see on actual jobs in Pierce County, not what national guides report from lower-cost markets elsewhere in the country.
What Cedar Fencing Actually Costs in Tacoma Right Now
For most residential cedar fence installations in the Tacoma area, the installed cost runs approximately $35 to $65 per linear foot. Jobs on flat, accessible lots with a standard privacy configuration land at the lower end of that range. Projects with significant slope, limited access, or premium cedar styles sit closer to the higher end or beyond it.
For a planning reference point, a 150-foot cedar privacy fence on a flat Tacoma lot might run $5,250 to $9,750 all in, depending on style and height. That’s a planning range, not a quote. The only accurate number for your specific property comes from an on-site visit. Two yards with the same linear footage can carry noticeably different costs depending on what’s actually there.
Those figures are also specific to the Tacoma and Pierce County market. Washington State construction labor runs roughly 20 to 30 percent above national averages. The $18 to $28 per linear foot figures that appear on national cost websites are built on wage rates from other regions and don’t reflect what local contractors actually charge here.
The Five Cedar Styles and How They Affect Price
Not all cedar fencing costs the same per foot. We install western red cedar in five styles, and the style you choose affects where in the pricing range your project lands. Knowing the difference before your estimate helps you get a number that actually fits your goals.
The basic cedar fence is the most straightforward to install. It’s a clean, solid privacy fence that delivers good performance without extra framing complexity. It typically sits at the lower end of the cedar price range. The traditional cedar fence and the Kirkland style both involve more precise framing and panel layout. They take slightly more time to install and sit a bit higher per foot as a result.
The lattice top cedar fence adds a decorative upper section that requires additional materials and more careful fitting. The horizontal cedar fence is a premium style in both material and installation. Horizontal boards require tighter framing tolerances to stay flat over time in Pierce County’s wet climate. Wood expands and contracts with moisture, and a horizontal run that isn’t framed to account for that movement can develop gaps or waviness within a few seasons. Installed correctly, it’s one of the sharpest-looking options we offer. This style typically runs at the higher end of our cedar pricing.
What Else Moves the Price on a Cedar Fence Project
Style is one variable. Several others matter just as much. Height is straightforward: a 6-foot cedar privacy fence uses more material than a 4-foot fence and takes more time to set and level. Most Tacoma homeowners request 6-foot privacy configurations. If your HOA allows a taller fence, expect a proportional cost increase in both materials and labor.
Terrain is the biggest wildcard on most residential jobs. Sloped lots require posts set at varying depths and panels that step or rack to follow the grade. Parts of Tacoma, particularly the north end of the city, have significant grade changes that affect installation costs more than buyers typically expect before they get their first quote. Access to the fence line matters too. When materials can be unloaded close to where they’ll be used, jobs run at a normal pace. When the work area is behind a narrow gate or across ground that can’t support equipment, the labor cost goes up.
Gate additions always increase the project total. A manual swing gate on a cedar fence requires additional framing, hardware, and fitting. If you’re adding an automated driveway gate with a LiftMaster system, that’s a separate scope item with its own labor, motor, wiring, and permit requirements through Pierce County. We handle the permit process on gate installations as part of the job.
Cedar vs. Vinyl: The Cost Comparison That Matters in Pierce County
The most common comparison we walk homeowners through is cedar versus vinyl fencing. The short version: cedar typically costs less upfront, and vinyl typically costs less over time. Cedar starts at approximately $35 per linear foot installed in the Tacoma market. Vinyl starts around $28 to $30 per linear foot but can exceed cedar in total cost depending on style and site specifics. The two materials often land closer in actual price than the base numbers suggest.
The more meaningful difference is what happens after installation. Cedar needs to be sealed or stained every two to three years to reach its full 15 to 20-year lifespan. Skip that maintenance and it starts to grey and crack faster. Vinyl requires essentially no maintenance. It holds its color and structure for 20 to 30 years without annual upkeep. If you’re planning to stay in your Tacoma home for the long term and don’t want to deal with fence maintenance, vinyl often makes more financial sense over the full lifespan. If you want the natural look of wood and are comfortable with the maintenance schedule, cedar is the right call.
Cedar also pairs well with custom deck and outdoor carpentry projects. If you’re building or replacing a deck alongside a fence, running both under one contract means the materials can be matched and the crew handles everything together without the scheduling complexity of coordinating two separate contractors.
Financing a Cedar Fence Project in Pierce County
Cedar fence projects, particularly those that include gate work or deck installation in the same scope, can carry significant upfront costs. We offer Hearth financing for customers who want to spread the project cost into monthly payments. Hearth is a third-party financing provider with a clear application process and straightforward payment plan options. It’s available for fencing, gate, deck, and carpentry projects.
Veterans, first responders, and seniors also qualify for a 5% discount on any project, up to $300. We’ve served Pierce County since 2006, and that discount is part of how we give back to the community we work in every day. If you’re ready to get a real number for your property, request a free on-site estimate with no obligation to move forward.
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