Wood privacy fence installation in Rapid City, SD
The standard backyard fence in Rapid City, built so it stays upright through wind, chinooks and dry summers.
A wood privacy fence closes in the yard for kids and dogs, blocks the view of the alley or the neighbor's patio, and gives the house a finished edge. Around Rapid City most are cedar or pressure-treated pine, in straight board, board-on-board, shadowbox or horizontal slat styles, usually 6 feet tall in back yards.
What keeps a wood fence standing here?
- Posts sized for wind. A solid 6-foot fence takes a lot of load when a northwest wind hits it broadside. Ask about post size, spacing and whether corners and gate posts get heavier stock.
- Depth below frost. Western South Dakota frost commonly reaches around 42 inches. Posts that stop short are the ones that heave and lean after a winter of freezing and thawing.
- Steel or wood posts. Wood posts rot at the ground line first. Galvanized steel posts hidden behind the boards are common on newer fences and outlast the boards.
- Gap at the bottom. Boards kept a little above the soil dry out instead of wicking water. A treated kickboard takes the abuse instead.
- Stain or sealer. Rapid City gets about 17 inches of precipitation a year and plenty of sun. A finish slows graying, checking and cupping.
Cedar or treated pine?
Cedar is lighter, more stable and naturally rot resistant, and it takes a stain well. Treated pine costs less and resists rot where the treatment reaches, but it tends to twist and check as it dries in the western South Dakota air. Ask what grade of board the contractor uses. If you're in Summerset, note that the city requires wood fences to be decay resistant or treated and prohibits untreated natural wood.
Height, permits and the property line
Rapid City's code caps residential fences at 6 feet outside the front yard and 4 feet in the front yard, and requires a building permit for anything taller than 6 feet. Corner lots have their own rules for the second street side. Before posts go in, confirm where the property line is and talk with your neighbor about which side faces out.
What goes into the price?
- Length, height and style
- Board species and post material
- Number and width of gates
- Slope, rock and tearing out an old fence
- Stain or sealer
Pricing comes from the contractor, after they've walked the line, looked at the grade and the soil, counted gates and heard what the fence has to do. We don't quote prices, and any figure given over the phone before someone sees the property is a rough guess at best.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Why do wood fences lean in Rapid City?
Usually because posts weren't set deep or heavy enough for the wind and the freeze-thaw cycles, or because wood posts rotted at the ground line.
Can I build a 6-foot privacy fence in my front yard?
Not under Rapid City's code. Front yard fences in residential districts are limited to 4 feet. Six feet is the limit in other yards.
Related services
More background: Rapid City fence guide.
Backyard to close in, a gate that drags, or a fence the wind laid over?
Call the number above and a fence contractor who works in your part of the Black Hills will set a time to look at the line.