🚧Fence Calculator: Posts, Rails & Pickets
Enter your fence length, post spacing, height and gates to get a full shopping list.
Your fence
You'll need
14 posts
plus 36 rails and 212 pickets
Posts
14
Rails
36
Pickets
212
Concrete bags
28
Call 811 (or your local utility line) before you dig post holes — it's free and saves nasty surprises.
How it works
- Fence run = total length − (gates × gate width)
- Sections = fence run ÷ post spacing (rounded up) + one per gate
- Posts = sections + 1
- Rails = sections × rails per section (2 up to 4 ft tall, 3 up to 6 ft, 4 above)
- Pickets = fence run in inches ÷ (5.5 in picket + 0.5 in gap), plus waste
- Panels = fence run ÷ post spacing
- Concrete = 2 bags per post
Worked example
100 ft of 6 ft fence, posts every 8 ft, one 4 ft gate. Fence run = 96 ft → 12 sections + 1 gate = 13 sections → 14 posts, 36 rails, 96 × 12 ÷ 6 = 192 + 10% → 212 pickets, and 28 bags of concrete.
Questions people ask
6 to 8 feet. Closer spacing makes a sturdier fence, especially in windy areas.
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Last updated September 28, 2026. These results are friendly estimates to help you plan — always double-check before buying or making big decisions.