# Chain Link Fence Installation in Johns Creek, GA > Chain link fences in Johns Creek, GA: galvanized and black vinyl-coated fabric, framework and tension, dog runs, where streets limit chain link, and prices. URL: https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/chain-link-fence-installation/ Service Galvanized and black vinyl-coated chain link for pets, property lines and dog runs, placed where Johns Creek allows it. Call (678) 509-2926 Last Updated: November 5, 2026 - **Permit** Johns Creek requires a fence permit for new fences and for replacing an existing one. - **HOA** The city does not enforce subdivision covenants, so HOA approval is a separate step. - **Digging** Georgia 811 must be called before digging with powered equipment, including a gas auger. - **Soil** Most Johns Creek yards sit on Piedmont soils with clay subsoil; some areas are stony. - **Finished side** The zoning code calls for the finished side to face the neighbor (confirm with the city). [Upright Johns Creek Fencing](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/) installs chain link fences across Johns Creek and north Fulton, with the work done by licensed and insured fencing contractors. Chain link is the lowest-cost way to fence a yard and one of the most durable. It keeps pets in, marks a line, and lasts for decades when the framework is set properly. Its limits are privacy, which it does not give, and placement, because several local codes restrict where it can go. ## What happens on the first visit The visit measures the line, checks the grade and marks gates, and asks what the fence is for. Keeping a dog in calls for a tight bottom and a latching gate; marking a boundary or fencing a garden is simpler. Where the fence runs is checked against the local code: in Johns Creek subdivisions, chain link cannot adjoin a street, and in [Sandy Springs](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/service-areas/sandy-springs/) and [Peachtree Corners](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/service-areas/peachtree-corners/) it must be vinyl-coated and kept to side and rear yards. HOA rules on chain link are checked as well; some do not allow it at all. The estimate lists the fabric and coating, height, framework, gates, tension wire, the [Johns Creek permit](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/johns-creek-fence-permit/) and tear-out of any old fence. ## Where chain link is allowed The Johns Creek zoning code does not allow wire or plastic fencing, including chain link with plastic or wooden inserts, adjoining a street right-of-way in single-family detached developments (confirm with the city). The code does allow chain link security fencing around stormwater facilities, which is common in subdivisions. Sandy Springs allows chain link only in side and rear yards, not parallel to a street, and only vinyl-coated. Peachtree Corners permits vinyl-coated chain link in side and rear yards only and does not allow uncoated chain link or woven wire. On corner lots and along roads, aluminum is often the alternative; see the [aluminum fence page](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/aluminum-fence-installation/). ## How a chain link fence is built A chain link fence is a framework with fabric stretched across it. Terminal posts at the ends, corners and gates carry the pull of the fabric, so they are larger than line posts and set deeper in concrete. Line posts are spaced evenly between them. A top rail runs along the posts, and a bottom tension wire keeps the bottom of the fabric tight to the ground. The fabric is attached at one terminal post with a tension bar and bands, stretched to the next terminal post with a stretcher, and fixed there the same way. Then it is tied to the line posts and top rail. A fence that is stretched properly stays flat for years; one that is only tied to the posts sags between them. Each terminal post gets a gravel base in its hole so the clay does not hold water against the steel, and concrete crowned to shed water. ## Galvanized or black vinyl-coated Galvanized chain link has a zinc coating that protects the steel. It is the lowest-cost option and starts bright, dulling to gray over time. Black vinyl-coated chain link has a vinyl or polymer coating over galvanized steel and comes with matching black posts and rails. In wooded Johns Creek backyards it nearly disappears against the trees, which is why many homeowners and HOAs prefer it. It is also the only type allowed in Sandy Springs and Peachtree Corners. Fabric gauge and mesh size matter too. Heavier gauges resist bending from dogs and impacts, and smaller mesh is harder to climb. For pool barriers, mesh openings have to be small enough to meet barrier guidelines; see the [pool fence page](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/pool-fence-installation/). ## Keeping dogs in Chain link is a common choice for dogs because it is strong, does not block the view and costs less than other materials. Most escapes happen in three places. At the bottom, a bottom tension wire keeps the fabric from being pushed up, and dogs that dig need a buried wire apron or a concrete strip. Over the top, jumpers need taller fabric. And at the gate, a latch that closes on its own matters more than any other detail. The [dog fence guide](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/best-fence-for-dogs/) covers each case. ## Privacy slats and screening Slats woven into chain link add some screening, but they also turn an open fence into a solid one that catches wind, so posts and footings need to be heavier. Johns Creek does not allow chain link with inserts along streets in subdivisions. For a rear line that needs real privacy, a [wood privacy fence](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/wood-fence-installation/) usually screens better. The [chain link vs wood guide](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/chain-link-vs-wood-fence/) compares the two. ## Gates in chain link Chain link walk gates are light and stay square on properly set gate posts. Drive gates for trailers or equipment are often double gates with a center drop rod and a stop. Rolling and cantilever gates are used where a swing gate has no room. All gates get latches that close without lifting. More on gates is on the [gate installation page](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/gate-installation/). ## Commercial and stormwater fencing Chain link is the usual fence for stormwater ponds, utility areas, storage yards and other commercial and HOA sites, often with heavier framework and taller fabric. Commercial work is covered on the [commercial fencing page](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/commercial-fencing/). ## What chain link costs Chain link typically runs about $8 to $24 per foot installed in the Atlanta area, before gates, tear-out and the $75 Johns Creek residential permit. Galvanized fabric at standard heights sits toward the low end; black vinyl-coated fabric, heavier framework, taller fences and bottom barriers for dogs push toward the high end. The [fence cost guide](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/fence-installation-cost/) shows how an estimate adds up. ## Heights and fabric choices Residential chain link is most often 4 feet tall for yards and gardens, with 5 and 6 feet used for larger dogs and security. Taller fabric needs heavier terminal posts and closer line posts, because the fabric’s tension and the wind both increase with height. Heavier gauge fabric and smaller mesh cost more but resist bending and climbing, which matters for active dogs and around play areas. Fabric is ordered to the height of the fence, with no splices in a run. ## What's included - Layout and site plan for the permit and HOA - Terminal, line and gate posts set in concrete - Top rail, and bottom tension wire where pets push under - Fabric stretched from the terminal posts and tied to the framework - Walk and drive gates with latches and drop rods - Cleanup and a walkthrough of the line ## Galvanized or vinyl-coated chain link | | Galvanized | Black vinyl-coated | | --- | --- | --- | | Typical Atlanta-area range, per foot installed | Lower end of $8 to $24 | Higher end of $8 to $24 | | Look | Bright metal, dulls with age | Blends into wooded yards | | Rust | Zinc coating slows it | Coating covers the steel | | Allowed in Sandy Springs | No | Side and rear yards only | | Allowed in Peachtree Corners | No | Side and rear yards only | ## Related resources Decision Guide Is chain link cheaper than wood? Usually, yes. Chain link costs less per foot and lasts a long time, but it gives no privacy and local rules limit where it can go. Decision Guide What is the best fence for dogs? The one built for how your dog escapes. Jumpers need height, diggers need a barrier below grade, and barkers do better behind a fence they cannot see through. Learn Do you need a permit to build a fence in Johns Creek? Yes, for every new fence and every replacement. This guide covers the permit, the zoning rules behind it, HOA approval, property lines, utilities, protected trees, and how the rules change in the cities around Johns Creek. Cost Guide How much does fence installation cost in Johns Creek? Typical Atlanta-area ranges per foot, what a Johns Creek permit adds, and the handful of things that move a fence price more than the material does. ## From the first call to the last gate check ### First call What the fence is for, how long the line is, any HOA or pool deadline. ### Site visit and measure The line, grade, gates, trees, utilities and the soil. ### Approvals and locates HOA packet, Johns Creek permit and the Georgia 811 request. ### Installation Posts first, then rails, boards or panels, then gates. ### Walkthrough Gates swung and latched, line checked, debris gone. ## What this work looks like Black vinyl-coated chain link fence with a walk gate along the edge of the woods Black chain link terminal post with bands holding the fabric and top rail Galvanized chain link dog run with a gate and doghouse beside a house Bottom of a black chain link fence held tight to the ground by a tension wire Need to keep a dog in? Send the length of the run, the dog's size and whether it digs or jumps. Call (678) 509-2926 ## Chain link fences questions ### Can I put chain link along the street in Johns Creek? In single-family subdivisions, the Johns Creek zoning code does not allow wire or plastic fencing, including chain link with slats, adjoining a street right-of-way (confirm with the city). Chain link is usually used in side and rear yards. ### Is black chain link worth the extra cost? In wooded Johns Creek backyards it blends in far better than bright galvanized fabric, and the coating protects the steel. It is also the only chain link allowed in some nearby cities, such as Sandy Springs and Peachtree Corners. ### Do privacy slats work in chain link? They add screening, but they also add wind load, and Johns Creek does not allow chain link with slats along streets in subdivisions. A wood or vinyl privacy fence usually screens better on a rear line. ### How do you keep a dog from going under a chain link fence? A bottom tension wire keeps the fabric tight to the ground, and for dogs that dig, a buried wire apron or concrete strip along the bottom stops them. The gate also needs to latch on its own. ### Is chain link the cheapest fence? Usually. Chain link typically runs about $8 to $24 per foot installed in the Atlanta area, below wood privacy at about $20 to $30 for 6 feet. It gives no privacy, though. ## Related services Service Fence installation New fences planned around the Johns Creek permit, your HOA's rules and the clay and rock under the yard, with posts set for the ground that is actually there. Service Gates Walk, double and driveway gates hung on posts sized for them, braced to stay square and set back where the code says. Service Commercial fencing Amenity, stormwater, security and screening fences for HOAs, businesses and property managers.