Wood fence in Gatineau and Ottawa

The real failure point

A wood fence does not fail at the boards. It fails at the posts.

The ground here freezes deep every winter. Water in the soil expands as it freezes and pushes up on anything that is not anchored below that line. That is frost heave.

A post set above the frost line lifts a little the first winter, a little more the second, and never settles all the way back. After two or three winters the fence line waves, the gate drags on its frame, and boards split where the tension builds. The wood itself is often still fine. The footing moved.

So we dig below the frost line, put gravel in the bottom of the hole so water drains away, and anchor every post. That part of the job disappears the day the boards go on. It is also the part that decides whether the line is still straight ten years from now.

What you get

What actually gets built on your property

It is all written into the quote, line by line. You know the wood, the height, how many posts and how many gates before anything starts.

Cedar or pressure treated

Pressure treated costs less and is made to sit against damp soil. Cedar is more stable, twists and splits less over the years, and greys to an even tone if you leave it bare. We show you both during the visit, with the price difference.

Horizontal slats or vertical boards

Horizontal reads modern and stretches the yard visually. Vertical is the classic neighbourhood look. Both last just as long. The post decides that, not the direction of the boards.

Full privacy or spaced

Boards tight together for a solid screen, spaced to let air and light through, or staggered on both faces of the frame so the view is blocked but the wind still passes.

Height that fits your by-law

Fence by-laws differ between Quebec and Ontario, and between municipalities. We confirm the rules that apply to your address before we start. That happens before any material is ordered.

Posts set below the frost line

Hole dug to depth, drainage gravel in the bottom, post aligned and plumb. This is the line in the quote we do not cut.

Gates and hardware

Single, double, or wide enough for a vehicle. Braced frame so it does not sag, adjustable hinges and a latch. Set up to keep closing as the wood moves.

Old fence taken out

If you are replacing, we pull the old one, posts and concrete included, and haul it away. It is priced on its own line so you see exactly what it costs.

Yard left clean

Soil put back around the posts, offcuts and old material picked up. You get the yard back usable, not as a work site.

What drives the price

The four things that move the number

We will not give you a figure over the phone without seeing the ground. A made up range does not help you decide, and it ends up wrong in one direction or the other.

Length

Linear feet is the first factor. It sets how much wood you need and, more to the point, how many post holes get dug. Digging is the long part of the job.

Material and style

Cedar costs more than pressure treated. A solid privacy screen takes more boards than a spaced fence. Height moves the number too, at the same length.

Number of gates

Every gate is a built piece: frame, hardware, hanging and adjustment. Two gates change the price far more than another ten feet of fence.

The ground

A slope, rock, roots, or a narrow side access to the back yard all add digging time. That is exactly what we look at on site.

The visit is free. The quote is free, written and itemized. You get a firm price instead of a verbal estimate, and there is nothing to sign that day.

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After the install

5 year warranty, and financing if you want it

5 year warranty on the installation

In writing, in the quote. It covers the installation itself: the posts, the alignment, the hardware and the workmanship, for 5 years. A post that moves or a gate that stops closing properly, we come back.

What it does not cover

Damage from an impact, from an exceptional storm, or from a change someone else made to the fence. We say that up front and write it down, not in small print at the bottom of a page.

Financing available

A fence is one large purchase for something you keep for a long time. You do not have to pay for all of it at once. See if you pre-qualify before you decide, with no impact on your credit score.

Service in English and French

The whole crew is bilingual, on both sides of the river. You get served in your language, from the first visit to the last gate adjustment.

Common questions

Wood fences, what people ask us

Cedar or pressure treated, which one?

Pressure treated is the common choice. It costs less, it is built to sit in contact with moisture, and it takes stain well once it has dried out. Cedar costs more, but it is more stable: it twists and splits less as the years go by, it smells good, and it greys to an even tone if you leave it bare. Our simple way to decide: if the fence is in full view from the house and you do not want to maintain anything, cedar earns its price. If the budget is the deciding factor and you are willing to stain, pressure treated does the job.

Do I need a permit for a wood fence?

Fence by-laws differ between Quebec and Ontario, and between municipalities. We confirm the rules that apply to your address before we start. That includes the allowed height, how far the fence has to sit from the sidewalk or the curb, and whether a permit is required at all. We check it before any material is ordered, so nothing has to be built twice.

Why is my wood fence leaning?

Almost always the posts, not the boards. If the hole was not dug below the frost line, frozen ground pushes the post up every winter and lets it back down badly every spring. After a few cycles the line waves. Poor drainage at the bottom of the hole speeds up the same thing. Look at the base of your posts. If they are lifted, twisted or rotted at ground level, replacing boards will not fix anything. Depending on the condition, we can sometimes redo only the affected posts instead of the whole fence. We will tell you straight during the visit.

Should I stain the wood, and when?

Cedar can be left bare. It will grey on its own, and that is a legitimate look. Pressure treated is better off stained or sealed, but not right away: it leaves the yard still full of moisture and the stain would sit on top instead of soaking in. The test is simple. Pour a little water on a board. If it beads and stays in droplets, the wood is not ready. If it soaks in and darkens the board, you can stain. How long that takes depends on the wood and the weather, so use the water test rather than a date on the calendar.

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