Fence Materials Calculator — ft, posts, boards, cost
How to use this calculator
Enter total fence length and height, choose a fence type (privacy, picket, horizontal, or post & rail), then configure post spacing, sizes, and board dimensions. Results update instantly with posts, rails, boards, concrete bags, and linear feet of lumber.
Fence types — Privacy uses vertical boards with no gaps, Picket adds a gap between boards, Horizontal runs boards flat between posts, and Post & Rail has no infill boards.
Concrete — auto-calculates bags needed per post hole based on post size and depth.
Hardware — optional nails/screws, post caps, and gate hardware.
Saved Calculations
| Time | Length | Height | Posts | Rails | Boards | Concrete | Total $ |
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How to Calculate Fence Materials
This fence calculator estimates posts, rails, boards or pickets, concrete bags for post holes, total linear feet of lumber, and optional hardware and cost for four fence styles: privacy, picket, horizontal, and post & rail. Enter total fence length in feet and inches, select height (4, 5, 6, or 8 ft), post spacing (6 or 8 ft o.c.), and board dimensions.
Concrete for Post Holes
Each post hole is calculated as a cylinder: diameter = post width + 4" for 4×4 posts or + 6" for 6×6 posts, depth per your selection (2, 2.5, or 3 ft). Volume is converted to 80 lb bags at approximately 0.6 ft³ per bag. Typical recommendation: 2–3 bags per post for 4×4, 3–5 bags for 6×6.
Board and Picket Count
Privacy fence: boards = (fence length × 12) / board width. Picket fence: pickets = (fence length × 12) / (picket width + gap). Horizontal fence: boards per section = fence height / board width, multiplied by number of sections. Post & rail: no infill boards calculated.
Export & Save
Save calculations to history and export as text, CSV, JPG, or PDF. All estimates are for planning — verify with local codes and a licensed contractor.
