A hog wire fence is a wood frame with welded mesh panels, built to mark a line without boxing in the view. Fence Pros San Diego is a referral service. We do not publish per-foot hog-wire rates or a 20-year life chart. Price comes from wood species, mesh coating, height, slope, and demo, in a written takeoff.
It is a contemporary take on farm mesh: cedar or redwood rails, taut steel grid, indoor-outdoor yards in Clairemont, Poway, and South Park that want a boundary and sunlight.
Why hog wire is a popular modern choice in San Diego
The style fits mid-century, modern farmhouse, and craftsman streets. Wood plus industrial mesh reads as a frame, not a wall. Unlike a solid privacy fence, it keeps canyon light and airflow.
It still contains small pets better than a two-rail ranch fence, if the openings and bottom gap match the animal. It does not give visual privacy. Planting on the grid (bougainvillea, jasmine) is a separate living screen.
The frame can be stained. Mesh is mill galvanized or powder-coated, often black. That is a modern fence choice, not a farm-supply roll stapled to posts.
What drives the bid (no per-foot card)
Ask every installer to break out:
- Wood: pressure-treated pine vs cedar vs redwood, post size, cap or picture-frame detail
- Mesh: gauge, opening size, Class of galvanizing or powder-coat
- Hardware: stainless or coated staples and screws, especially west of I-5
- Site: slope, rock, access, old-fence demo
- Height: more post embedment and more panel
A flat Rancho Bernardo lot is not a Fallbrook hillside. Get fence installation on paper after a site visit.
Gardens, patios, and property lines
Garden: the grid is a trellis if the openings are small enough for the vine and large enough that you intended them. It does not block sun the way a solid fence does. More garden fence ideas.
Patio or deck: it can act as a see-through rail. That is not a substitute for a building-code guardrail spec. If the drop is a real fall, the contractor must say which code path applies.
Property line: it marks the line without a visual wall. Before you set posts, confirm the survey. California Civil Code 841 covers notice and cost sharing on a dividing fence between private owners. Height and permit still follow the city or County, not a zoning homepage alone. Unincorporated parcels: County PDS 070 and Zoning Ordinance section 6708. City of San Diego: Table 142-03A and section 142.0310.
Does hog wire rust in coastal areas?
Farm-store field fence with a thin zinc coat rusts fast in La Jolla, Del Mar, and Carlsbad marine air. Ask for heavy galvanizing (the quote should name the coating class) or a powder-coated panel, plus stainless or equivalent fasteners. “Professionally built” is not a coating spec.
Pool enclosures: opening size is the statute
Do not assume hog wire is a legal pool barrier because it is 60 inches tall. For a covered new or remodeled private single-family pool or spa, Health and Safety Code section 115922 requires at least two of seven features. If you use an enclosure under 115923, that enclosure must, among other things, be at least 60 inches high, keep ground clearance to 2 inches or less, refuse a 4-inch sphere through any gap, use gates that open away from the pool with a self-latching device no lower than 60 inches, and have a non-climbable outside face.
A 4-by-4-inch grid typically fails the 4-inch-sphere rule. If you want hog wire near a pool, the mesh opening has to be specified smaller than that, or the enclosure has to be a different assembly, and 115922 still wants a second qualifying feature unless an exception in the statute applies. See pool fence. Confirm with the building official.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hog wire fence cost per foot in San Diego?
There is no supported per-foot band on this page. Wood, mesh coating, height, slope, and demo set the bid.
How long does a hog wire fence last in San Diego?
Wood finish and mesh coating decide that. Thin galvanizing near the ocean can rust early. We do not publish a 20-to-30-year warranty.
Do I need a permit for a hog wire fence in San Diego?
City Table 142-03A: under 7 feet, no permit under that fence division; 7 feet or taller needs a building permit. Zoning, coastal Map C-731, HOA, and hillside rules can still apply. County lots use PDS 070.
What wood should I use for a hog wire fence frame?
Cedar is the usual mid-grade; redwood is the premium look; treated pine is the budget frame and takes stain less evenly. Fence staining still extends the frame.
Can I use a hog wire fence around a pool in San Diego?
Only if the actual openings, height, gates, and latch meet 115923 when an enclosure is the chosen feature, and 115922’s two-feature rule is satisfied. Standard 4-inch hog wire usually does not.
Is a hog wire fence good for privacy?
No. Use a wood privacy fence or plants if you need a visual screen.
When to call us
Posts plumb, frames square, and mesh taut are the install, not a weekend staple job. Call (858) 400-4906 and we will connect you with an independent fence contractor. You contract with that contractor directly.