The Top Rail Fence has been in business for two years and currently employs five people.

Top Rail Fence Seattle builds a wide variety of fencing solutions, including wood, ornamental metal, chain link, vinyl, and hogwire fences. Top Rail Fence also installs railings and gates and offers staining, coating, and repair services. Railings are most often steel or aluminum, with wood used less frequently.

Top Rail Fence also occasionally resurfaces decks using composite materials. John notes that the skills required overlap significantly with fencing, describing a deck as “basically just a fence that’s laying down on the job.”

Customer service is a central focus of Top Rail Fence. They offer a lifetime warranty on workmanship and encourages customers to call if adjustments are needed after installation. John explains that wood gates often change shape as the wood dries, particularly during the first year. When that happens, “we tell our customers to just give us a call and we'll come give it a firm talking to,” John says, and Top Rail will make corrections at no charge. He says that addressing these issues early helps ensure fences perform better over the long term.

Material quality is another priority. Top Rail Fence Seattle partners with a local mill in Orting, south of Auburn, for most of its wood pickets. This allows the company to obtain higher-quality boards in custom sizes while also supporting a local supplier.

John also offers advice specific to fencing in Seattle’s climate. He notes that the region’s frequent rain significantly shortens the lifespan of untreated wood fences. To combat this, he recommends coating fences with stain or a clear sealant rather than paint. According to John, paint does not penetrate wood very well and tends to degrade less evenly. He says a properly coated wood fence can gain approximately five additional years of life, and recoating every five years can extend that lifespan even further, assuming the fence was built correctly. Top Rail Fence Seattle offers professional staining and coating services for customers who want help maintaining their fences.

Before entering the fencing industry, John spent 30 years working in the software business. The move into construction was unplanned. A broker contacted him on LinkedIn to discuss franchising opportunities, which initially did not interest him. After further discussions, however, John ultimately bought into a fencing franchise and opened Top Rail Fence Seattle. He had prior construction experience and worked as a product manager in software, giving him a background in managing complex projects. Combined with the appeal of running his own business, those experiences led him to change careers.

John grew up in Yakima, known for apples, hops, and significantly sunnier weather than Seattle. He now lives in Seattle with his wife Wendy, who works in the legislative branch at Seattle city hall. Their daughter is a sophomore at Gonzaga University studying to become a veterinarian. The household also includes a dog named Rocket and a cat named Phinney, formally Phineas Black.

Outside of his work with Top Rail Fence Seattle, John has several creative and technical interests. He is a semi-professional musician whose work is generally considered world fusion blending instrumental music styles like Celtic, Indian, and other international styles. He has released five albums, including one that received rave reviews in Billboard magazine. While he does not currently perform with a band, he now focuses on creating music on his own. His recent work centers on electronic music and incorporates synthesizers and other electronic elements.

John is also a pilot, holding a commercial helicopter rating and a private fixed-wing rating, though he is not currently flying due to the closure of the company he previously rented aircraft from at Boeing Field. In addition, he is a photographer, and both his photography and music projects can be found at www.johnschussler.com

For neighbors considering a new fence, railing, or gate, Top Rail Fence Seattle invites residents to reach out and start a conversation. Whether the project is large or small, residential or commercial, the Top Rail Fence works with customers from initial planning through installation to help ensure the final result meets their needs and expectations.

 

(206)877-2579