Cedar Privacy Fence on Steel Posts in Eugene, Oregon

This one is the answer to the question the Eugene fence job raised. That fence failed because wood posts rot where soil meets air — so on a run this size, on a lot this exposed, we set the whole thing on steel.

During the build

Steel posts do not rot, do not twist, and do not need replacing in twelve years. Cedar rails and pickets hang off them, so what you see is a cedar fence; what holds it up is the part that outlives the boards. On a perimeter of this length that matters more than anywhere, because one leaning section spoils an otherwise straight run.

Finished

The ground drops away along one side. Rather than let the fence sag with the grade, we stepped it down in even increments so the top line stays deliberate instead of looking like it gave up.

Should I pay extra for steel fence posts?

On a short run in good soil, probably not. On a long run, wet ground, or anywhere you would hate to redo in a decade, steel is the cheapest thing you can buy — because the posts are what fails first, and replacing them means taking the fence apart.