Is chain link still the lowest-cost way to fence in a backyard?

Usually, yes. HomeGuide says chain link almost always beats wood on price, and it skips the paint and stain that wood needs. Black vinyl-coated mesh narrows the gap, so price both finishes before you decide.

What wire gauge should a home chain link fence be?

Most residential fences use 9- to 12-gauge wire, and 11 gauge is the standard backyard choice. A smaller number means thicker wire, so 9 gauge is the heavier option for big dogs or kids who climb.

Can I make an old chain link fence private without tearing it out?

Yes. Slats woven into the mesh run about $5 to $18 per linear foot in national guides, and a fabric screen tied to the outside runs $2 to $6. Slats last longer, and screens are quicker to take down.

How long will galvanized chain link last here?

Guides give galvanized chain link 15 to 20 years. If the zinc wears and rust starts, it can be painted for about $4 to $7 a foot with a rust-inhibiting primer, then repainted every 3 to 5 years.

Do chain link posts have to go in concrete?

Not always. Driven posts can work in some soils, but HomeGuide says concrete footings give better long-term support, especially on taller fences and in strong wind. Ask the installer which they plan, and why, for your yard.

Chain Link Fences in Tallahassee, FL

Installed price: national guides put chain link at $10 to $40 per linear foot, or about $1,500 to $6,000 for 150 feet
Height: a 4 ft front-yard fence runs $10 to $20 a foot; 6 ft is $13 to $30 and 8 ft $20 to $40
Finish: plain galvanized is the cheapest; black or colored vinyl-coated mesh costs roughly $30 to $60 a foot
Speed: a crew sets 80 to 150 feet a day, so most yards take a day or two plus post cure
Before digging: a free Sunshine 811 locate, requested at least two full business days ahead

Tallahassee Expert Fencing is a free referral line to a chain link installer who works on homes and backyards. Tell us the footage, the height and the gate widths, and the installer phones you back to set up a measure.

Chain Link Fence Types for Homes

Chain link is a steel mesh hung on steel posts, with a top rail and a tension wire along the bottom. What changes from job to job is the finish, the height and what you hang on it.

A 4-foot galvanized chain link fence with a top rail around a grassy backyard

Galvanized Residential Chain Link

The silver, zinc-coated mesh is the most common chain link and the cheapest fence most people will ever price. A 4 ft fence is the usual front-yard height, and most backyard runs go 6 to 8 ft.

Mesh: 2 in diamond is standard; 1 in is a security mesh that can double or triple the cost
Wire: 9 to 12 gauge on homes, 11 gauge the everyday choice
Life: 15 to 20 years in national guides

Black Vinyl-Coated Chain Link

Black chain link is galvanized steel with a vinyl coat over it, which adds a layer of rust protection and makes the fence fade back against shrubs and lawn. HomeGuide lists vinyl-coated chain link at $30 to $60 a foot, while Fixr's black chain link figure is $18.75 to $32.50. Green is the other common color. Ask for black posts and rails as well, or the frame stays silver.

A 6-foot chain link fence with green privacy slats woven through the mesh

Privacy Slats and Screen

Slats slide down through the diamonds and turn an open fence into a screen. They can go in on day one or years later.

Privacy slats: $5 to $18 per linear foot
Fabric privacy screen: $2 to $6 per linear foot

One trade-off: open mesh lets wind straight through, and that's one of chain link's strengths. Filling it in gives back some of that advantage, so on a tall slatted run ask about post size and footing depth. Storm-related fence damage is covered on Storm Damage Fence Repair.

A galvanized chain link double drive gate across a gravel driveway

Chain Link Gates

Gates hang on terminal posts, which are heavier than line posts and set deeper. Typical gate prices before labor:

Single walk gate, 3 to 6 ft wide: $80 to $200
Double drive gate, 8 to 12 ft wide: $175 to $500

Measure the opening for the widest thing that has to fit through it: a mower, a trailer, a boat. If you want the drive gate automated later, see Driveway Gates, and a gate in a pool fence must self-close and self-latch under Florida's pool barrier rule.

An existing chain link fence made taller with post extensions and a new strip of mesh on top

Raising an Existing Chain Link Fence

A 4 ft fence that's now too short, for a new dog or a new hot tub, doesn't always have to come out. Installers extend the posts, often with metal sleeves, then either re-mesh the whole fence at the new height or add a strip of mesh above the old fabric. It only makes sense if the posts are plumb and the footings are sound. Ask for a price on both raising and replacing, since a fence near the end of its life may not be worth the extra height.

A row of freshly set pine fence posts with a string line, a post-hole digger and a stack of new boards in a shaded backyard

Why Tallahassee homeowners call Tallahassee Expert Fencing

The call and the form are free
Your request goes to one contractor, not a list of bidders
Ask for posts, gates, removal and cleanup priced line by line
Hold the final payment until the gates swing and latch

Sunshine 811 Before Chain Link Posts Go In

Florida law requires anyone digging to request a utility locate through the state's one-call system at least two full business days before the work starts. The service, Sunshine 811, is free: dial 811 or (800) 432-4770. Sunshine 811 says underground lines are hit about 100 times a day in Florida.

The homeowner exemption covers digging on your own single-family lot only to 10 inches. Chain link posts go far deeper than that:

Line posts
Holes about 18 to 24 inches deep and 6 inches wide
Terminal, corner and gate posts
About 30 inches deep and 8 inches wide
Spacing
Posts every 6 to 10 feet, never more than 10

A locate request stays valid for 30 calendar days. If the start date slips past that, a new request is needed. Ask the installer whether they place the request or expect you to, and don't let an auger start until the marks are on the ground.

Chain Link Prices by Height and Finish

National installed figures, not quotes:

Fence	Per linear foot	Note
4 ft galvanized	$10-$20	front yards
6 ft galvanized	$13-$30	most backyards
8 ft galvanized	$20-$40	taller screening
Vinyl-coated (black or green)	$30-$60	HomeGuide range
Slats added	+$5-$18	woven in

A 150-foot backyard typically lands between $1,500 and $6,000. For chain link on a business or job site, see Commercial Fencing; for fixing a sagging run, see Fence Repair.