Fence Calculator
Turn your fence line into a materials list: enter total length, height, and post spacing to get posts, panels, rails, pickets, a recommended post-hole depth, concrete bags, and an estimated installed cost.
Estimate fence posts, panels, and cost
How the fence calculator works
Fencing is a line of panels hung between posts, so the count comes down to two numbers. This tool divides your total length by the post spacing to get panels, then adds one post to close the run: a 150-foot fence at 8-foot spacing is 19 panels and 20 posts, plus one more for each gate. From there it fills in three rails per section, pickets butted across each panel, and the concrete to set every post.
Standard spacing is 8 feet for wood and up to 10 feet for chain link, because chain-link fabric spans farther between posts. Corners, ends, and gate posts carry more load, so they get the deepest holes and the most concrete regardless of the spacing you choose for the line posts.
Wood, chain link, and post depth
The same post-and-panel math drives every style, but the fill changes. Used as a wood fence calculator, the tool counts pickets side by side — about 5.5-inch boards butted tight for a privacy screen or spaced for a picket look — over three horizontal rails. For a metal line it works like a chain link fence calculator, replacing rails and pickets with a top rail, tension wire, and rolled fabric between wider-spaced posts.
Post depth is where a fence lives or fails. Bury roughly one third of the fence height, a minimum of 2 feet, and set the hole below the frost line in your region so winter heave cannot lift the posts. This tool estimates a 50-pound fast-set concrete bag count per post from a 10-inch-diameter hole; end, corner, and gate posts should go deeper and get an extra bag.
How to use this calculator
- Measure the fence line in feet. Walk the yard and add up every straight run to get the total length in feet. Mark where gates go, since each gate opening needs its own post and breaks a panel out of the run.
- Count posts, panels, and rails. Divide the length by your post spacing for panels, add one for the closing post, and the fence material calculator returns rails and pickets too — three rails per section on a 6-foot privacy fence and pickets butted side by side.
- Set the fence post depth. The fence post depth calculator recommends burying about one third of the fence height, at least 2 feet, and always below your local frost line so posts do not heave. Deeper holes and concrete matter most on corners, ends, and gate posts.
- Add a fence cost calculator estimate. Enter your installed price per linear foot and the tool doubles as a fence cost calculator, multiplying length by that rate. Chain link sits at the low end of the range and wood privacy at the high end.
Frequently asked questions
How does a wood fence calculator count posts and pickets?
It divides the fence length by the post spacing for panels, adds one to close the run, and multiplies the length in inches by picket width to count boards. For a butted privacy fence, figure a 5.5-inch picket with no gap.
How deep should fence posts be set?
Bury about one third of the fence height, at least 2 feet, and always below the frost line. A fence post depth calculator uses that rule so posts resist wind load and winter heave; corners and gate posts should go deeper.
How is a chain link fence calculator different?
Chain link uses wider post spacing — up to 10 feet — and replaces wood rails and pickets with a top rail, tension wire, and rolled fabric. The post and gate counts follow the same divide-and-add-one method.
What is the cost to install a fence in 2026?
In 2026, installed fencing runs about $15 to $40 per linear foot: chain link at the low end, pressure-treated wood in the middle, and cedar or vinyl privacy at the top. Materials alone are roughly half of that. Enter your own rate for a local estimate.
How much fencing material do I need for a gate?
Each gate needs its own post on the hinge side, so a single gate adds one post and removes one panel from the run. Set the gate field and the fence material calculator adjusts the post count for you.
Fence length vs posts, panels, and cost
| Length | Posts (8 ft spacing) | Panels | Installed @ $25/ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft | 8 posts | 7 panels | ~$1,250 |
| 100 ft | 14 posts | 13 panels | ~$2,500 |
| 150 ft | 20 posts | 19 panels | ~$3,750 |
| 300 ft | 39 posts | 38 panels | ~$7,500 |
Counts exclude extra gate posts. Chain link installs near the low end of the price range, pressure-treated wood in the middle, and cedar or vinyl privacy at the high end; the installed rate roughly doubles a materials-only figure.