Fence Calculator
Posts, pickets, rails, and concrete for a wood fence.
A nominal 1x6 picket is actually 5.5 in wide, a 1x4 is 3.5 in.
0 for privacy fences, 1.5 to 2.5 for spaced picket styles.
You need
219 pickets
Straight run. Add 1 post per corner and frame gates separately.
- Posts
- 14 posts
- Rails
- 39 rails
- Fence sections
- 13 sections
- Concrete (2 x 60 lb per post)
- 28 bags
Estimates only. Verify quantities before ordering.
How this is calculated
Sections = fence length / post spacing, rounded up. Posts = sections + 1 for a straight run. Rails = sections x rails per section. Pickets = fence length in inches / (picket width + gap), rounded up. Concrete assumes two 60 lb bags per post.
Enter the total length of the fence run and how you plan to build it, and this calculator counts the posts, rails, pickets, and concrete you need. The counts assume a single straight run; every corner and every gate effectively starts a new run, so add one extra post for each corner and price gate hardware separately.
Post spacing drives the structure. 8 feet on center is standard and matches 8 foot rail lumber with no cutting. Use 6 feet in windy areas, on slopes, or for 6 foot tall privacy fences that catch a lot of wind. Pickets are counted from their actual width: a nominal 1x6 picket really measures 5.5 inches.
Materials for common fence lengths
Rows assume a 6 ft privacy fence in a straight run: posts 8 ft on center, 3 rails per section, and 5.5 in pickets butted tight. Add one post per corner.
| Fence length | Pickets | Posts | 60 lb concrete |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft | 110 pickets | 8 posts | 16 bags |
| 100 ft | 219 pickets | 14 posts | 28 bags |
| 150 ft | 328 pickets | 20 posts | 40 bags |
| 200 ft | 437 pickets | 26 posts | 52 bags |
| 300 ft | 655 pickets | 39 posts | 78 bags |
Common questions
How deep should fence posts be set?
Bury at least one third of the post's above-ground height, with a 2 foot minimum, and always get below your local frost line. For a 6 foot privacy fence that means holes about 2.5 to 3 feet deep using 9 or 10 foot posts, roughly 10 to 12 inches in diameter.
How much concrete does each fence post need?
A typical 10 inch diameter hole, 2.5 feet deep, around a 4x4 post takes about 1.2 cubic feet of concrete, which is two 60 lb bags or one and a half 80 lb bags. Windy sites and gate posts justify a wider hole and an extra bag.
Should fence posts be 6 or 8 feet apart?
8 feet on center is the standard because rails come in 8 foot lengths. Choose 6 feet for tall privacy fences in high-wind areas, on slopes where sections need to step, or when using lighter rail stock that would sag over an 8 foot span.
How many pickets do I need per foot of fence?
With standard 5.5 inch pickets butted tight, you need about 2.2 pickets per linear foot, so a 100 foot privacy fence takes roughly 220 pickets. Adding a 2 inch gap drops that to about 1.6 per foot. Buy a few extra to cull warped or split boards.