Want a fence you can see through? Rancho Oxnard Fence installs aluminum, tubular steel and wrought iron fences throughout Oxnard. A metal picket fence does something wood and vinyl cannot: it marks your line and keeps a dog or a toddler in without hiding your house, your garden or your view of the water. Here, the material choice comes down to salt air and strength.
Where a metal fence fits
- Front yards, where height is limited and an open fence keeps your house in view
- Views of a garden, a channel or the harbor
- Pools, as part of a barrier built to California’s standard
- Driveway and walk gates that match the fence
- Security fronts on homes and small buildings, where steel or iron is stronger
What we settle on the first visit
Before we price it, we pin down five things with you: where the fence runs and how tall each section can be; whether it is part of a pool barrier; the material, based on how much salt it will see and how much security you need; picket spacing, which matters for small dogs and toddlers; and your gates, including whether a driveway gate swings or rolls. Your written estimate names the system, the coating, the hardware and the post spacing, so you can compare quotes on the same terms.
Aluminum, steel or iron?
Powder-coated aluminum
Aluminum does not rust, which makes it the easy-care pick near the beach. The powder coat gives it color and protects the surface. Panels and posts come from one system, so we can match a section later. It is lighter than steel and bends more under a direct hit.
Tubular steel
Stronger and harder to bend, steel suits security fronts and wide gates. It rusts wherever the coating chips or wears, so you need a coastal-grade coating and a plan for touch-ups.
Wrought iron
The strongest and most custom, often on older homes and for custom gates. It needs the most care: rust starts where water sits at the base and in the joints.
For a wider look at every material by the water, read coastal fence materials.
The local problem is rust
Much of the soil in central Oxnard and Port Hueneme eats bare steel and concrete, and near the harbor and the beach salt spray settles on everything. A metal fence fails at its weakest coating point:
- Steel screws and brackets in an aluminum system
- The base of a steel or iron post, where water and soil sit against it
- Chips from trimmers, gates or knocks
We use stainless or coated hardware and set posts so water drains away from the base, and we show you where to touch up. We name the coating system on your estimate.
How tall can it be out front?
Front yards are where open fences shine, and where height is most limited. Inside the City of Oxnard, front-yard limits are lower than side and rear limits, and we check yours. In El Rio and Nyeland Acres, the county allows a see-through fence up to 5 ft in the front setback, against 3 ft for a solid one. A see-through metal fence often gives you the most usable height out front. See the Oxnard fence rules guide.
Front fence or pool fence in mind?
Our estimate covers the height for each run, the system, the coating and the gate hardware.
How we install it
We set posts in concrete, in footings sized for your soil. On a gentle grade, many aluminum panels rack so the bottom rail follows the ground; on a steep one, we step the panels down in level sections. Gates get heavier posts, and self-closing hinges and latches where you need them. We write the system name on your estimate so you can replace a matching section years later.
Pools and views
Open pickets keep your view of the yard, the pool or the water. If your fence is part of a pool barrier, California requires at least two drowning-prevention features for a new or remodeled pool, and the barrier has to meet the state’s standard, including gates that close and latch on their own. We plan that work with your pool permit so the fence and the pool pass together.
Gates
We match walk gates and driveway gates to your fence. Aluminum gates stay light and never rust; for a wide driveway we use a steel frame, or an aluminum system rated for the width, so the gate does not sag. Swing and rolling driveway gates each have their place; see swing vs sliding gates, driveway gates and gate installation.
Matching your house and street
You can choose flat tops with the rail over the pickets, pressed spear tops, or finials on the posts. Black is the most common finish, and bronze, white and dark green are widely available. On a corner lot, or a street where front fences match, keeping the same height and style keeps it tidy, and an open design keeps sight lines clear near driveways. If you’re unsure which style suits the house, send us a photo of the front and we’ll sketch two or three options with heights marked, so you can see the picket spacing and post caps before you choose. Bring along any HOA guidelines as well, since many tracts specify the color and top style for front fences.
What does a metal fence cost?
Rancho Oxnard Fence’s typical range for ornamental aluminum or tubular steel is about $35 to $100 per linear foot installed. Height, close picket spacing, heavier posts, the finish and any welding on site push you toward the top; gates are separate lines. See the Oxnard fence cost guide.
Fixing older iron
Old wrought iron usually fails at the base, where water sits against the post. We can cut out and sleeve or replace a rusted base, restore the coating and rehang gates without replacing the whole run, and straighten or replace bent pickets. See fence repair. If you want see-through on a budget instead, black vinyl-coated chain link costs less.
