Fence Calculator
A 150 ft wood privacy fence needs 20 posts, 330 pickets, 38 rails, and 17 bags of concrete — $2,250–$5,250 in materials. Enter your length and type for an exact estimate.
Inputs
Estimate
- Posts needed20
- Pickets needed (with 5% waste)Wood/vinyl/composite fences only. Chain link uses fabric, not pickets.344
- Top + bottom rails8 ft rails, 2 per section (top + bottom).38
- Concrete bags for posts (½ cu ft per post)1 bag of 60 lb concrete per post for a 24 in deep × 8 in hole. Double for 36 in deep posts.17bags
- Estimated material cost — low$2,250
- Estimated material cost — high$5,250
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Try Remodel AI freeHow to calculate fence materials
A fence has four material categories: posts (vertical supports), pickets (vertical boards between posts), rails (horizontal supports connecting posts), and concrete (anchoring posts in the ground). Material counts depend on fence length, post spacing, and picket width.
Post count = fence length divided by post spacing, plus 1 for the corner/end post. Standard residential post spacing is 8 ft. Closer spacing (6 ft) is needed for high-wind areas or heavy fence styles.
Pickets are typically 5.5 inches wide (the actual width of a nominal 1×6 wood board). Picket count = fence length × 12 / picket width × 1.05 (5% waste). Rails are usually 8 ft long, with 2 per fence section (top + bottom).
Formulas used
- Post count
(fence_length / post_spacing) + 1Standard 8 ft spacing means a 100 ft fence needs 13 posts. - Picket count
(fence_length × 12 / picket_width) × 1.05Linear inches divided by picket width, plus 5% waste. - Concrete per post
0.5 cubic feet (24 in × 8 in dia hole)Each post needs about 1 bag of 60 lb concrete for a 24-inch-deep hole. Double for 36-inch-deep holes in frost zones.
Frequently asked questions
How many posts do I need for a 150 ft fence?+
At standard 8 ft post spacing, a 150 ft fence needs 20 posts (150 / 8 + 1, rounded up). At 6 ft spacing for high-wind areas, you'd need 26 posts.
How many pickets do I need for a 100 ft fence?+
With standard 5.5-inch-wide pickets, a 100 ft fence needs 218 pickets + 5% waste = 229 total. Adjust the picket width input to recalculate for 4-inch or 6-inch pickets.
How deep should fence posts be set?+
24 inches minimum in mild climates. 36–48 inches in cold climates with deep frost. The general rule: post depth = ⅓ of the above-ground fence height.
How much concrete do I need per fence post?+
About 1 bag of 60 lb concrete for a standard 8-inch-wide × 24-inch-deep post hole. Double for 36-inch-deep holes. A 100 ft fence with 14 posts needs roughly 14–28 bags of concrete.
How much does a 100 ft fence cost in 2026?+
Wood: $1,500–$3,500. Chain link: $1,000–$2,000. Vinyl: $2,500–$4,500. Aluminum: $3,000–$5,500. Wrought iron: $3,500–$7,500. Costs include materials only — labor doubles the price for professional installation.