Every Fence Material Fights Back Differently
Fence removal sounds straightforward: pull it down, haul it away. But a 100-foot run of fencing generates more waste, more labor, and more disposal headaches than most people expect. And the material type determines everything about the job.
Wood fences rot from the bottom up. The posts are set 2 to 3 feet deep in concrete footings. Chain link has tension bands, rail ends, and post caps that all need disassembly. Vinyl snaps together with internal aluminum rails that corrode and seize. Each type requires different tools, different techniques, and different disposal paths.
A typical residential fence removal in Oregon — 150 to 200 linear feet of 6-foot privacy fence — takes 4 to 8 hours with a two-person crew and generates 1,000 to 3,000 pounds of material depending on the fence type.
Wood Fence Removal: Posts and Concrete
Wood fence panels come down relatively easily. Unscrew or pry the rails from the posts, and the pickets come off in sections. The panels themselves are light — a 6x8 foot cedar panel weighs 40 to 60 pounds.
The posts are the problem. A 4x4 post set in a concrete footing creates a combined unit that weighs 80 to 150 pounds and sits 24 to 36 inches below grade. Getting them out requires:
- Post puller or hi-lift jack — Clamps to the post and uses leverage to pull it straight up, concrete and all. Works on posts that aren't too rotted to clamp.
- Dig and rock — Dig around the concrete footing with a shovel, rock the post until it loosens. Brute force, slow, effective.
- Cut and leave — Cut the post at ground level, leave the concrete footing buried. This is the fast option but complicates future fence installation or landscaping.
Disposal: untreated cedar and pine fence boards can go to yard waste or wood recycling. Pressure-treated fence posts (most are) go to the landfill — no recycling, no burning. The concrete footings? Concrete recycling if clean, or C&D disposal at a transfer station.
Chain Link: Metal With Resale Value
Chain link fence removal is more disassembly than demolition. The fabric (the mesh itself) is held to the posts by tension bands and tie wires. Line posts have rail ends and loop caps. Terminal posts have tension bars and brace bands. It all comes apart with a wrench, pliers, and patience.
The process:
- Remove tension bars from terminal posts (releases the mesh)
- Unclip tie wires from line posts
- Roll up the chain link fabric (it rolls into a cylinder naturally)
- Remove top rails and rail end caps
- Pull posts (chain link posts are typically set in concrete, same as wood)
Here's the upside: chain link fence has scrap metal value. Galvanized steel mesh, posts, and rails are all recyclable. A 200-foot chain link fence generates 200 to 400 pounds of steel — worth $10 to $30 at a scrap yard. Not much, but it means free disposal and maybe gas money.
Aluminum chain link (less common) is worth significantly more per pound. If your fence is non-magnetic (test with a refrigerator magnet), you've got aluminum — take it to a scrap yard separately.
Vinyl Fence: Deceptively Difficult
Vinyl (PVC) fencing looks clean and modern, but it's a pain to remove. The panels slide into routed slots on the posts. Over time, UV exposure makes the vinyl brittle, so panels crack and shatter when you try to flex them out of the posts. The internal aluminum reinforcement rails corrode and bond to the vinyl, making separation difficult.
Disposal is the bigger challenge. Vinyl fencing is PVC plastic — theoretically recyclable, but practically not. Almost no facility in Oregon accepts post-consumer PVC fencing for recycling. It goes to the landfill as solid waste.
Vinyl fence posts are typically set in concrete or driven into sleeves. Removal is similar to wood posts: dig, rock, pull, or cut. The vinyl post is lighter than wood but more awkward because it's hollow and tends to split when you try to clamp it with a puller.
What Fence Removal Costs in Oregon
| Fence Type | Cost per Linear Foot (Removal + Disposal) | 100 ft Fence |
|---|---|---|
| Wood privacy (6 ft) | $3 – $6 | $300 – $600 |
| Wood picket (4 ft) | $2 – $4 | $200 – $400 |
| Chain link (4-6 ft) | $3 – $5 | $300 – $500 |
| Vinyl (6 ft) | $3 – $7 | $300 – $700 |
These include post removal. If you leave the posts in the ground (cut at grade), subtract about $1 per linear foot. Post removal is 30 to 40% of the labor on most fence jobs.
For a full perimeter fence (300 to 500 linear feet), a demolition service is more cost-effective than paying by the linear foot. Bundled jobs run $800 to $2,500 depending on material, length, and access.
Ready for the New Fence?
The old fence has to come out before the new one goes in. Don't let your fence contractor charge premium rates for removal — get a separate removal quote and compare. In many cases, a dedicated junk removal crew handles fence teardown faster and cheaper than a fence installer. Get a quote and get that rotting fence out of your yard.
