Fence calculator
Posts, rails and pickets from one run length, priced by the running foot of finished fence.
Fence
Posts, rails and pickets from one run length, priced by the running foot of finished fence.
Assumes one run at 8 ft spacing. Add a post at every corner and gate.
$3,024
168.0 linear ft of pressure-treated pine at $18.00 / linear ft
Free. No signup. The quantities carry over as line items.
How this fence calculator works
One run length gives you everything: sections between posts, the posts themselves, rails and pickets. Priced by the running foot of finished fence.
The formula
sections = ⌈length ÷ spacing⌉ · posts = sections + 1 · pickets = ⌈length × 12 ÷ 5.5⌉
Assumptions and defaults
| Post spacing | 8 ft |
| Rails per section | 3 (6 ft privacy) |
| Picket width | 5.5 in |
| Default waste | 5% |
Pro tips
Add a post at every corner and both sides of every gate. The section maths assumes one straight run and a real yard never is.
Set posts a third of their length in the ground. A 6 ft fence wants 8 ft posts, and skimping there is why fences lean.
Order pickets by the bundle and expect to cull five per cent for crooks and knots, especially in pressure-treated pine.
Common questions
How many fence posts do I need?
Divide the run by your post spacing and add one for the far end. 160 ft at 8 ft spacing is 20 sections and 21 posts, plus extras at corners and gates.
How far apart should fence posts be?
Eight feet is standard and matches most rail stock. Go to six on tall privacy fence in high wind, or where the ground rolls.
How many pickets for 100 feet of fence?
At 5.5 in wide with no gap, about 218. Add a picket for every gap width if you are building a spaced fence.
Should I price fence by the foot or by the job?
Quote by the running foot and list gates separately. Gates are hardware and labour, not fence, and they are where the money leaks.