Estimate fence-line length, post layout, panels or pickets, rails, gate openings, post-hole concrete, waste, and optional material cost from project-supplied dimensions and spacing.
Straight fences use their measured run. Rectangles use twice the sum of length and width. Custom sections are treated as one continuous open run.
Post layout uses the complete geometric fence line because gates still need support. Panel and picket material uses the fence line minus gate openings. The calculator uses the entered post spacing for arithmetic and does not select it.
2 × (length + width)ceiling(length ÷ user-entered spacing) + 1sum of ceiling(each side ÷ user-entered spacing)ceiling(material length × (1 + waste % ÷ 100) ÷ panel width)ceiling((material length + gap) ÷ (picket width + gap)), then multiply by (1 + waste % ÷ 100) and round upwardπ × (hole diameter ÷ 2)² × hole depth × holesA 100 ft open fence with a user-entered 8 ft post-spacing limit has 13 spans, 14 posts, and about 7.69 ft actual spacing. With 10% extra and 8 ft panels, 110 ft requires 14 panels.
A closed 50 × 30 ft rectangle has a 160 ft perimeter. Using an 8 ft project-supplied post-spacing limit, its four sides need 7, 4, 7, and 4 spans, so 22 shared-corner posts.
For 100 ft of picket material, 5.5 in pickets, and 0.5 in gaps, the boundary-aware formula gives 201 base pickets. With 10% extra, 221.1 rounds upward to 222 pickets.
Enter spacing from the fence system, manufacturer information, project design, and applicable local requirements; presets are editable starting values, not universal recommendations.
Gate openings reduce panels and pickets but do not remove their length from the approximate post layout.
The calculator applies extra material once to panels, pickets, and rails; posts use geometry plus your manual extra-post allowance.
An open line needs a post at both ends. A closed rectangle shares each corner post, so its post count equals the sum of side spans without another end post.
Panel width determines purchase count but does not override the dedicated post-spacing calculation. Picket mode supports zero gap for privacy layouts. Rails per span are user-entered because fence systems vary.
Fence configurations vary by purpose, material, terrain, loading, manufacturer instructions, and local requirements. Extension guidance documents multiple fence systems with different post layouts, so the calculator does not treat one spacing value as universally appropriate.
Gate placement is not modeled, so exact spacing and posts around openings may differ. Optional extra posts provide a separate allowance for heavy-duty gate posts without automatically double-counting endpoints.
Concrete uses the shared cylinder geometry and volume conversions. It estimates the full cylindrical hole before post displacement; real holes and soil conditions are irregular. Use Post Hole Calculator when post displacement, gravel, bag yield, or multiple hole groups are needed, and Post Spacing Calculator for position-by-position layout.
Optional prices cover selected posts, panels or pickets, rails, gates, and concrete volume. They exclude labor, permits, demolition, coatings, delivery, hardware, taxes, and structural design.
For an open line, divide length by the user-entered spacing, round spans up, and add one end post. Closed rectangles sum the rounded-up spans on all four sides.
Use the project-specific value from your fence system, manufacturer information, design, and local requirements; this calculator does not select structural spacing.
Subtract gate openings, apply your chosen extra-material percentage once, divide by actual panel width, and round up.
Round up the span count for each side separately and add those spans because corner posts are shared.
The calculator uses picket width plus gap and a boundary-aware count, then applies the selected waste allowance once.
Yes. Zero-gap privacy fencing is supported.
They are subtracted from panel or picket material, but the full perimeter remains the basis for approximate post spacing.
They may. Because placement is not modeled, use the manual extra-post allowance where dedicated gate posts are needed.
Enable rails and enter rails per span. Waste is applied once to the resulting rail-piece count.
Enable concrete and enter hole diameter, depth, and hole count. The result is an approximate full-cylinder volume.
Choose an editable allowance based on cuts, defects, the fence system, and supplier guidance; the preset values are not recommendations.
No. It estimates quantities from the project-supplied spacing you enter.
No. The optional total is a material-only estimate.