Wood Fences in the Rio Grande Valley, TX
A cedar picket delivered green can lose a quarter inch of width in its first Valley summer. Board on board overlaps the boards, so no gap opens toward your neighbor.
A cedar privacy fence on steel posts lasts 15 to 20 years in Valley heat. We build with 6 foot pickets, three rails and posts set 24 inches deep in concrete. Wood fence is priced by the linear foot, and you see that number before anyone digs.
What the job includes02
What a fencing job with us includes
Wood fails at the ground line first. A cedar post set straight into Valley soil takes water at the collar, and termites finish what the moisture starts. Steel posts move that failure point off the ground entirely. Above ground the sun is the enemy, and bare cedar goes silver gray in two summers. The face checks and splits along the grain.
- —Western red cedar pickets, graded and sorted, with the split boards left out
- —Galvanized steel line posts, so the post does not rot where it meets dirt
- —Three rails on a 6 foot fence, two on a 4 foot fence
- —Rails hung on brackets, not toe nailed into the side of the post
- —Ring shank nails or exterior screws, never smooth shank staples
- —A 2 inch gap kept under the pickets so the bottom edge stays out of the mud
- —Gate frame braced corner to corner, with a cable and turnbuckle on wide gates
- —You can rock a post back and forth with one hand
- —A screwdriver sinks into the post at ground level with light pressure
- —Pickets have gone gray and are splitting from the bottom up
- —Nails have backed out and boards hang from a single rail
- —The gate drags on the concrete every time you open it
Price range03
How much does fencing cost in the Rio Grande Valley?
2 days for 150 linear feet, one to set posts and one to build
One day for a short run. Four days when the old fence and its footings come out.
Which material holds up best in Valley weather?
| Material | Holds up because | Watch out for | Best for | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar picket, 5/8 inch | Thick enough to stay flat, and it holds a screw without splitting | Costs more per picket than the standard thin board | A front facing fence you want to still look straight in year 10 | 15 to 20 years on steel posts |
| Cedar picket, 1/2 inch dog ear | The common Valley fence, in stock at every yard from Roma to Weslaco | Thin boards cup and twist faster in direct afternoon sun | Long back yard runs where budget per linear foot decides | 12 to 15 years on steel posts |
| Pressure treated pine | Cheapest wood per linear foot and the most resistant to termites | Comes wet, so it shrinks and warps more than cedar as it dries | Utility runs, side yards and rails under a cedar face | 8 to 12 years above ground |
| Board on board cedar | Overlapped boards mean no gaps open when the wood shrinks | Uses about 30 percent more cedar, so the per foot price goes up | Anyone who wants real privacy from the neighbor, permanently | 15 to 20 years on steel posts |
How we work this job04
How does the job actually run?
A written estimate before anything starts, a start date we commit to, and one person responsible from the first walkthrough to the last inspection.
- 01We measure and choose the postDavid walks the run and counts linear feet. He shows you a steel post and a wood post side by side.Day 1
- 02Layout, locate and demolitionUtility locate goes in and the line gets strung. The old fence and its footings come out before the auger starts.Build day 1, morning
- 03Posts set in concrete and left to cureHoles 24 inches deep, 30 inches at gates and corners, every post plumbed on a string line and left overnight.Build day 1
- 04Rails, pickets and gatesRails go on brackets and pickets run off a level line, with a 2 inch gap at the bottom. Gates hang last.Build day 2
From the build site05
Which homes has David Aceves helped build?
Homes built by Cuates Construction, with David Aceves on the build. Look at the property edges, the ironwork and the concrete at the lot line: David plans a fencing job with that same eye.
Questions we get06
Questions homeowners ask us about this work
Cedar or pressure treated pine for a fence in South Texas?
Cedar for anything you look at, pine for anything you do not. Cedar holds its shape in this heat and lasts 15 to 20 years on steel posts. Treated pine costs less per linear foot and resists termites. It arrives wet, though, and warps as it dries in the sun.
Why do you recommend steel posts under a wood fence?
Because the post is what fails, not the pickets. A wood post rots at the collar where soil, water and air meet. Here that is usually year 8 to year 12. A galvanized steel post has nothing to rot. When the pickets wear out you replace boards, not the whole fence.
Why did gaps open between my pickets after the first summer?
The wood dried. A cedar picket delivered green loses up to a quarter inch of width in its first Valley summer. Five pickets in a row turn that into a gap over an inch wide. Board on board construction overlaps the boards, so shrinkage never opens a line of sight.
Do I need to stain or seal a new cedar fence?
Not immediately. Let a new fence weather 30 to 60 days, so the mill glaze and moisture leave the wood. Then seal it. After that, plan on a fresh coat every 2 to 3 years on the sun facing side. Skip it and the fence still stands, it just turns gray and checks sooner.
Will termites get into a new wood fence?
They get in where wood touches dirt. That is why we keep a 2 inch gap under the pickets and use steel posts. Subterranean termites are active year round in the Valley. A cedar picket sitting in wet soil is an open invitation.
A remodeling contractor based in Rio Grande City, working across the four Valley counties. The team is led by David Aceves, whose background is building custom homes, from the slab and the framing to the finish work.
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