How much does a metal fence cost per foot in DFW?

These are general installed estimates for the Dallas-Fort Worth market, not fixed prices. Treat them as planning ranges. Every number moves with height, gauge, finish, and what your ground looks like.

Tubular steel and picket fence: roughly $30 to $55 per linear foot. This is the workhorse residential style-clean vertical pickets on steel rails, usually 4 to 6 feet tall.

Ornamental steel: roughly $40 to $80 per linear foot. Scrollwork, finials, rings, and decorative panels add labor and material, so the more detail you want, the higher the range tends to climb.

Horizontal slat steel: roughly $50 to $95 or more per linear foot. Modern horizontal designs use more steel and tighter framing, and a custom-welded version generally sits at the top of that range.

Wood and metal combination: roughly $40 to $70 per linear foot. Cedar pickets on steel posts and steel framing blend the warmth of wood with the strength of steel. For comparison, all-cedar privacy fence in DFW commonly runs around $30 to $55 per foot, and moving to steel posts and framing typically adds to that.

Aluminum ornamental, for comparison, runs roughly $40 to $75 per linear foot. It will not rust, but it is lighter and less rigid than steel for security or longer spans.

Height. Taller fences need more material and heavier posts, and they are harder to set. As a rough rule of thumb in DFW, an 8-foot run can cost meaningfully more than the same 6-foot run-often in the neighborhood of one and a half times as much, though it varies.

Material grade and gauge. Thicker steel, heavier posts, and welded construction cost more than light pre-fab panels-and they tend to last longer in Texas heat and wind.

Finish. A hot-dip galvanized base under a powder coat resists rust far better than paint alone in DFW humidity and sun. Galvanizing protects the steel and the powder coat protects the galvanizing, and that added protection is reflected in the price.

Gates. A walk gate typically adds roughly $300 to $800. An automated or electric driveway gate is a separate project and commonly runs about $4,000 to $15,000 or more once you factor in the operator, sensors, and electrical.

Terrain and soil. Sloped lots need step-downs, longer posts, or rackable panels, which adds cost. North Texas clay also matters: it swells when wet and shrinks when dry, so posts generally need to be set in concrete-often around 24 inches deep for a standard fence, and deeper for taller fences or poor soil-to handle that movement and wind. That prep is real work that cheap bids sometimes skip.

Length and access. Longer runs can lower the cost per foot a little, while tight access, demolition of an old fence, and tricky layouts push it up.

A metal fence is not a catalog item. The same 100 feet can be a simple powder-coated picket line or a heavy welded horizontal slat run with an automated gate-and the price reflects that.

At CJM Metals, every fence is designed, welded, and installed by hand, one project at a time. We measure your actual site, look at your soil and grade, and quote the real scope rather than a sticker number.

The honest answer to cost is this: tell us the style, height, total footage, and gates you want, and we will give you a firm quote. The ranges above are for planning a budget, not for signing a contract. Call (214) 603-9142 or email support@cjmmetals.com to get an exact figure for your Arlington or DFW property.