Still, building a split-rail fence isn’t entirely haphazard and improvised. There are guidelines — calling them rules might be a bit of a stretch — that’ll make the whole project go a lot ...

Now, let's talk money. A split rail fence made of pine typically costs around $3 to $6 per linear foot. On the flip side, vinyl split rail fences usually run about $20 to $26 per linear foot.

Split rail fences were common in the mid-west and areas to the east where trees were plentiful. Wood, like cedar or cypress, didn’t rot down as fast as other types and were often the wood of choice.