Enter the length of the fence run and how you plan to build it. The calculator counts posts, rails and pickets and the bags of concrete to set the posts.
How the fence calculator works
- Sections = fence length ÷ post spacing, rounded up.
- Posts = sections + 1, plus one extra post for each gate.
- Rails = sections × rails per section. Fences up to 4 ft often use 2 rails; 6 ft fences usually use 3.
- Pickets = fence length ÷ (picket width + gap), plus extra, rounded up.
- Concrete assumes 10 in round holes around 4×4 posts, using the same method as our fence post concrete calculator.
Worked example
A 100 ft privacy fence with posts every 8 ft has 13 sections and 14 posts; with one gate that is 15 posts. Three rails per section is 39 rails. Butted 5.5 in pickets need 1,200 ÷ 5.5 = 218.2, and 5% extra makes 230 pickets. Holes 30 in deep take about 2.1 bags of 80 lb concrete each, so 32 bags.
Materials per fence length
8 ft post spacing, no gates, 3 rails, 5.5 in pickets with no gap, 5% extra, 30 in holes, 80 lb bags.
| Fence length | Posts | Rails | Pickets | Concrete bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft | 8 | 21 | 115 | 17 |
| 100 ft | 14 | 39 | 230 | 30 |
| 150 ft | 20 | 57 | 344 | 43 |
| 200 ft | 26 | 75 | 459 | 55 |
Step by step: planning a wood fence
Tips before you order
- Call 811 before you dig so buried utility lines are marked.
- Check property lines, height limits and permit rules with your city or HOA.
- Corner and gate posts take the most load; many builders use larger posts or deeper holes there.
- Run each straight section separately and add the results if the fence turns corners.
