Plan your fence project with exact material quantities. Enter your total fence length, choose your style, height, and spacing — and get a complete shopping list with posts, rails, pickets or panels, concrete, and hardware. Add gates for full gate material requirements.
Pro tip: Set corner and gate posts in concrete at least 24 hours before hanging rails and pickets. These posts bear the most stress and need full cure time. Line posts can be set and built on the same day if you use fast-setting concrete.
Estimated material costs based on average retail pricing. Actual prices vary by region and supplier.
How to Calculate Fence Materials for Any Yard
Estimating fence materials starts with one measurement: total linear footage. Walk the perimeter where you want the fence, measure each straight run with a tape or measuring wheel, and add the sections together. Subtract the width of every gate opening—those spans don't receive pickets or panels. Once you have your net fence length, the rest of the math flows from three decisions: post spacing, fence height, and fence style. Those three variables determine how many posts you need, how many rails connect them, and how many pickets, boards, or panels fill the bays between posts.
Posts come first because every other component hangs from them. Divide total fence length by post spacing, then add one—a 100-foot fence with 8-foot spacing needs 13 posts, not 12, because you need a post at each end. Add two extra posts for every gate (one on each side of the opening) and count your corners separately because corner posts are usually larger-dimension lumber to handle stress from two directions. Rails typically run two or three per bay depending on fence height—fences under 5 feet get two rails, while 6-foot and taller fences use three for rigidity. Pickets for a privacy fence sit tight with no gap, so you divide total fence length in inches by picket width (usually 5.5 inches for a standard 1×6 dog-ear board). For a traditional picket fence, add 50 percent to the picket width to account for the gaps between boards.
Don't forget the invisible materials. Each post hole needs concrete—two 50-pound bags or one-and-a-half 80-pound bags per hole for a 4×4 post in a 10-inch diameter hole set 24–30 inches deep. Fasteners add up quickly: budget 6–8 screws per picket and 4 screws or bolts per rail-to-post connection. Adding 10 percent to your picket and rail counts covers mis-cuts, warped lumber, and future repairs.
Post Spacing: 6 ft vs 8 ft On Center
Post spacing is the most consequential decision in fence construction because it dictates structural rigidity, material cost, and the amount of digging you'll do. The two standard options are 6 feet and 8 feet on center. Six-foot spacing creates shorter, stiffer bays that resist wind loading better—critical in open areas, on hilltops, or in regions with frequent storms. It also means more posts, more post holes, and more concrete, so it costs more in materials and labor. Eight-foot spacing is the industry default for residential privacy fences in sheltered yards. It reduces post count by roughly 25 percent compared to 6-foot spacing, which saves real money on a long run. Standard dimensional lumber (2×4 rails and pre-cut 8-foot stringers) fits neatly without waste.
The trade-off is flex. An 8-foot bay on a 6-foot-tall privacy fence presents a large sail area to the wind. If the posts aren't set deep enough (a minimum of one-third of total post length underground), rails can bow and pickets can loosen over time. A practical middle ground is to use 8-foot spacing on sheltered runs and switch to 6-foot spacing on exposed sides of the property. If you are building in heavy clay or rocky soil, fewer post holes (8-foot spacing) dramatically reduces digging effort, while sandy or soft soils that provide less lateral support benefit from the extra anchoring that 6-foot spacing provides.
Privacy Fence vs Picket Fence: Material Differences
A privacy fence and a picket fence serve fundamentally different purposes, and their material requirements reflect that. A privacy fence uses tall boards (typically 6 feet) placed edge-to-edge with no gap, creating a solid visual and physical barrier. Each bay requires significantly more lumber because every inch of the span is covered. Three horizontal rails are standard to prevent the tall, unsupported boards from warping. The most common privacy picket is a 1×6 dog-ear or flat-top board, 6 feet long. For a single 8-foot bay, you'll need roughly 17 boards (96 inches divided by 5.5-inch actual board width). Over 100 linear feet, that's about 213 pickets—a significant material investment.
A traditional picket fence stands 3 to 4 feet tall and spaces pickets with visible gaps equal to roughly half the picket width, creating the classic American front-yard look. Because the boards are shorter and spaced apart, a picket fence uses 30–40 percent less lumber per linear foot than a privacy fence of the same length. Two rails suffice because the shorter boards resist wind and gravity loads more easily. Pickets are usually 1×4 with pointed, dog-ear, or French-Gothic tops. The gaps reduce wind load too, so post sizing can often step down from 4×6 to 4×4 on sheltered lots. Hardware requirements differ as well: privacy fence pickets are typically nailed or screwed from the back for a clean face, while picket fence boards are fastened from the front, requiring weather-resistant fasteners with finished heads.
How Deep Should Fence Posts Be?
The standard rule is to bury one-third of the total post length underground. A 6-foot above-ground fence needs posts that extend at least 2 feet below grade, making the total post length 8 feet. For an 8-foot fence, you need 12-foot posts with 4 feet underground. This depth serves two purposes: it resists lateral forces from wind and leaning, and it places the post base below the frost line in most temperate climates, reducing heave. In regions with deep frost lines (the northern United States, Canada), local building codes may require post depths of 36–42 inches regardless of fence height.
Post hole diameter matters as much as depth. A hole should be three times the width of the post—12 inches for a 4×4 post, 18 inches for a 6×6. This provides enough room for concrete to form a bell-shaped footing that resists uplift. Drop 4–6 inches of gravel into the bottom of the hole before placing the post to create a drainage pad that prevents water from pooling against the end grain, which is the primary cause of premature rot. Set the post, brace it plumb in two directions, then pour concrete to within 2–3 inches of grade level. Crown the concrete so water sheds away from the post. Fast-setting concrete firms up in 20–40 minutes, but structural load (hanging rails and pickets) should wait at least 4 hours—and ideally 24 hours for corner and gate posts that bear the heaviest lateral stress.
Wood vs Vinyl Fencing: Cost and Durability Comparison
Wood remains the most popular residential fencing material in the United States because of its lower upfront cost, natural appearance, and ease of repair. Pressure-treated pine is the budget choice at roughly $1.50–$3.00 per linear foot for pickets, while western red cedar costs $4–$7 per linear foot but resists rot naturally without chemical treatment. Wood fences need maintenance: expect to stain or seal every 2–3 years and budget for individual board replacements as they warp, crack, or decay. A well-maintained wood privacy fence lasts 15–20 years; cedar can push 25 years with regular care.
Vinyl (PVC) fencing costs 2–3 times more per linear foot than pressure-treated wood but arrives as pre-assembled panels that slot into routed posts, cutting installation time significantly. Vinyl never needs painting, staining, or sealing, and it won't rot, warp, or attract termites. Cleaning requires nothing more than a garden hose and occasional soap. Quality vinyl fencing carries manufacturer warranties of 20–30 years or even lifetime limited coverage. The trade-off beyond price is aesthetics and repairability: vinyl comes in limited colors and profiles, and a cracked panel usually means replacing the entire section rather than swapping a single board. In high-wind areas, vinyl's hollow construction can be a liability unless reinforced with metal inserts, which adds to the cost. For most homeowners, the choice comes down to budget versus maintenance tolerance: wood costs less now but more over time, while vinyl costs more now and almost nothing after installation.
Looking for related tools? Try our Concrete Calculator for detailed post-hole concrete estimates, or explore all Home & Real Estate tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to build a fence per linear foot?
Wood privacy fence runs 15 to 35 dollars per linear foot installed, or 7 to 15 dollars DIY. Chain-link is 10 to 25 dollars per foot installed. Vinyl runs 25 to 45 dollars per foot. A 150-foot wood privacy fence typically costs 2,250 to 5,250 dollars installed.
How deep should fence posts be set?
Set posts at least one-third of their above-ground height, or below the local frost line, whichever is deeper. For a 6-foot fence, that's 24 to 36 inches deep. Corner and gate posts should go 6 to 12 inches deeper than line posts. Use 60-80 pounds of concrete per post.
Do fence posts need concrete?
In most climates, yes for wood and vinyl. Concrete resists frost heave and prevents wobble. Chain-link terminal posts always need concrete; line posts can sometimes be driven depending on soil. Gravel-only installations work in well-drained sandy soils but fail in clay.
How many pickets do I need per 8-foot section?
With 5.5-inch wide pickets spaced 1/2 inch apart, an 8-foot section holds 16 pickets. With no gap (shadowbox or board-on-board), it takes 17 to 18 pickets depending on overlap. Always order 5 to 10 percent extra to account for warped boards and end cuts.
Do I need a permit to build a fence?
Many jurisdictions require permits for fences over 6 or 7 feet tall, and most HOAs have strict rules on height, materials, and color. Pool fences have specific code requirements (IRC Appendix G): minimum 48 inches tall, no footholds, self-closing and self-latching gates. Always call 811 before digging.