Fence Calculator
Estimate materials for a wood fence — posts, rails, pickets and the bags of concrete to set them. Choose your style (solid privacy, spaced picket or board-on-board shadowbox), then open Advanced options to dial in picket width, gaps, gates, corners and waste for an exact takeoff. (Building chain link? Use the chain-link calculator. Vinyl uses different parts — that one's on the way.)
Your measurements
Sets post length & burial. Taller fences need more rails — set them under Advanced.
Center-to-center distance between posts (8 ft is standard). The first and last posts sit at the ends of the run.
Privacy = solid boards (no gap). Picket = spaced boards. Shadowbox = board-on-board, alternating sides.
Each gate adds 2 posts and a ~3.5 ft opening. Gate posts get heavier footings.
Posts
16
8 ft · 4×4
Pickets
262
5.5" × 6 ft · solid
Rails
45
45 × 2×4 × 8 ft
Concrete
32
50 lb fast-set bags
Materials count
Typical installed cost
Installed, materials + labor — a ballpark to sanity-check bids, not a quote. See the cost breakdown.
Estimates only. Verify against your supplier's coverage figures before ordering.
Elevation
Fence elevation
8 ft spacing · 15 sections · 3 rails/section · 262 pickets
Layout
- Style
- Privacy (solid)
- Sections
- 15 sections
- Post spacing
- 8 ft
- Fence height
- 6 ft
- Post length
- 8 ft(bury ~2 ft)
The formula
Posts = ⌈Length ÷ spacing⌉ + 1 + 2/gate · Pickets = ⌈Length×12 ÷ (picket + gap)⌉ × (1 + waste) · Concrete = posts × bags
Example: A 120 ft, 6 ft privacy fence at 8 ft spacing = 15 sections, 16 line posts, 45 rails, ~262 pickets (add 10% waste → ~289), and about 32 × 50 lb bags of fast-set concrete.
How it works
- 1Divide total length by post spacing and round up to get the number of sections.
- 2Posts = sections + 1, plus 2 dedicated posts per gate and any corner/end posts.
- 3Rails = sections × rails per section (2–4 depending on height); rails are usually 8 ft boards.
- 4Pickets depend on style: privacy boards butt together, picket boards add an air gap, and shadowbox boards overlap on alternating sides (using more boards). We divide the net run by the per-board advance, minus gate openings, plus any waste allowance you add.
- 5Concrete = 2 × 50 lb bags of fast-set per line post (3 for gate and corner posts).
- 6Set posts about one-third of their length deep — and always below your local frost line.
Frequently asked questions
What fence style should I pick?
Privacy is a solid wall of boards with no gap — the most common backyard fence. Picket leaves an air gap between boards for a classic, semi-open look. Shadowbox (board-on-board) staggers boards on alternating sides so it looks finished from both yards and lets air through; it uses roughly 20–40% more boards than a solid privacy fence. This calculator covers wood fences — chain link and vinyl use different parts.
How much concrete do I need per fence post?
Plan for 2 × 50 lb bags of fast-setting concrete per line post for a typical 4×4 post in an 8–12 in wide hole. Use 3 bags for gate, corner and end posts, which carry more load and need deeper, wider footings.
How many rails does a fence need?
Use 2 rails for fences up to about 5 ft, 3 rails for a 6 ft privacy fence, and 4 rails for fences 7 ft and taller. More rails keep tall pickets from bowing.
How deep should fence posts be set?
Bury roughly one-third of the post's total length, and always below the frost line (12 in in the south to 48 in or more up north). A 6 ft fence usually uses 8 ft posts set about 2 ft deep.