Fence Companies Detroit installs fences across St. Clair Shores, a lakefront community on Lake St. Clair with 26 miles of canals. You get a local crew, honest up-front pricing, and a fence built for Michigan: posts set below the 42-inch frost line in concrete, so it stands straight through every freeze-thaw winter instead of leaning by spring.
The classic backyard privacy fence
A 6-foot wood privacy fence is still the best value in the Detroit area for turning a close-set backyard into your own space. We build with quality cedar or pressure-treated pine, proper post spacing for our wind and snow, and clean gate work that latches right for years.
Every fence we build is set for Michigan. The frost line here runs about 42 inches deep, so we set posts below it in proper concrete footings. Posts set shallower get gripped by the freeze-thaw cycle in our clay-heavy soil and jacked out of plumb a little more every winter, which is why so many older fences lean. Ours do not.
Styles we build
- Solid privacy - full 6-foot screening between close neighbors.
- Board-on-board and shadowbox - looks good from both sides.
- Picket and decorative - classic curb appeal for front-facing runs where allowed.
- Custom gates - single walk gates and double drive gates, framed square so they do not sag.
Which wood fence style fits your purpose?
Wood is the most flexible fencing material there is, and the right style depends on what you are solving for. Solid stockade privacy is the classic pick when the goal is full screening between close-set lots, the kind you find on the bungalow blocks of Warren, Dearborn and Livonia. Board-on-board overlaps the pickets so gaps never open up as the wood dries, which is worth the upgrade if the fence line faces your patio. Shadowbox alternates boards on each side of the rail, so it looks finished from both yards and lets breeze through, a genuinely good-neighbor fence on a shared line. Picket stays low and open for curb appeal, the style front-yard rules and historic guidelines are friendliest to.
On material, cedar resists rot and insects naturally, weathers to a clean silver-grey if you let it, and takes stain beautifully. Pressure-treated pine is the budget workhorse and lasts well in our climate as long as the posts are set right and the boards stay off the soil. We quote both so you can compare real numbers instead of guessing.
Privacy fences for St. Clair Shores homes
St. Clair Shores pairs mid-century brick ranches with 26 miles of residential canals, where thousands of homes have boat docks out back. On close-set postwar lots we build 6-foot privacy fences; on the water we build ornamental layouts that keep the sightline to the canal while securing the yard.
St. Clair Shores fence permits
St. Clair Shores requires a fence permit through Community Development, with a site drawing and a final inspection. Privacy fences top out at 6 feet 6 inches, and corner lots step down toward the front. The key local rule: privacy fences are not allowed on waterfront or canal lots. We handle the permit and build the right style for your lot.
Why St. Clair Shores homeowners choose us
- Posts below the frost line, 42 inches down in concrete, so the fence never leans.
- Honest, itemized pricing with gates and tear-out priced clearly.
- Permits handled, including neighbor forms and HOA paperwork where they apply.
- Local crew that answers the phone and shows up when we say.
Serving St. Clair Shores and nearby
We cover St. Clair Shores and the surrounding Detroit-metro cities. Wherever you are within about 30 miles of Detroit, the standard is the same.
Common questions
How long does a wood fence last in Michigan?
Built right, a cedar privacy fence lasts 15 to 20 years or more here. The keys are posts set below the 42-inch frost line, quality lumber, and keeping boards off the soil. Staining or sealing every few years extends the life further.
Cedar or pressure-treated pine?
Cedar costs more up front but resists rot and insects naturally and looks better as it ages. Treated pine is the budget workhorse. We quote both so you can compare, and we build either one the same correct way.
How deep do you set fence posts?
Below the Michigan frost line, roughly 42 inches, in concrete footings. That is the single biggest difference between a fence that stands straight for decades and one that leans after a few winters.
Can I put a privacy fence on my canal lot in St. Clair Shores?
No. The city prohibits privacy fences on waterfront and canal lots, so we build ornamental aluminum that secures the yard while keeping the water view. On interior lots, privacy fences run up to 6 feet 6 inches. We handle the permit.