Fence Calculator — Pickets, Posts & Rails
Price your whole fence before you buy a single board. Enter your run for exact pickets, posts, rails, and concrete — privacy or spaced picket. Free, instant, no signup.
Quick answer
Divide the fence length (in inches) by (picket width + gap) for pickets. A 100-ft privacy fence with 5.5-inch pickets needs about 219 pickets, 14 posts at 8-ft spacing, and 26 rails.
A standard 1×6 picket is 5.5" wide. Use 0 gap for a privacy fence, 2–3" for a spaced picket look.
Rails per section
Your fence estimate
Pickets to buy
219
13 sections · 8-ft 2×4 rails assumed
- Posts (4×4)
- 14
- Rails (2×4 × 8 ft)
- 26
- Concrete (50-lb bags, ≈)
- 14
Add 5–10% extra pickets for miscuts and warps. Set posts 2 ft deep — below the frost line in cold climates.
How the calculation works
- Pickets: fence length in inches ÷ (picket width + gap). A 1×6 picket is really 5.5" wide — always use the actual width, not the nominal size.
- Posts: length ÷ post spacing, rounded up, plus one. 100 ft at 8-ft spacing = 13 sections = 14 posts.
- Rails: sections × rails per section. 8-ft 2×4s fit 8-ft post spacing with no cutting.
- Concrete: about one 50-lb bag per post — the standard 10" × 2-ft hole.
Common fence materials
| Material | Typical picket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated pine | 1×6 × 6 ft (5.5" wide) | Cheapest; lasts 10–15 years |
| Cedar | 1×6 × 6 ft (5.5" wide) | Weathers beautifully; 15–20 years |
| Redwood | 1×6 × 6 ft (5.5" wide) | Premium look; 20+ years |
| Composite | Varies by system | Zero maintenance; highest cost |
Tips from the pros
- Call 811 before you dig. It's free, and hitting a gas line is not.
- Crown every post or cap them — standing water on post tops rots fences from the top down.
- Keep pickets 2" off the ground.Ground contact is the #1 killer of wood fences.
- String a line between end posts before setting the rest — a straight fence starts with straight posts.
- Buy 5–10% extra pickets. Warped and split boards are normal; cull the bad ones at the store if you can.
Common questions
Convert your fence length to inches, then divide by (picket width + gap). Example: 100 ft = 1,200" ÷ (5.5" + 0" gap) = 219 pickets for a privacy fence. Add 5–10% extra for warped boards and miscuts.