Free home project calculators
Figure it out before you build.
Start with your fence: enter it below for posts, rails, pickets and concrete. More tools for posts, wood fences, cost and pickets are below.
FigureWright:
Your estimate
Imperial unitsMetric units- Fence posts
- 22
- 8 ft+ long
- Rails
- 66
- incl. 10% waste
- Pickets
- 351
- incl. 10% waste
- Concrete bags
- 55
- 50 lb bags
Fence line
- Total fence line
- 150 ft
- Gate openings
- − 4 ft
- Fenced length
- 146 ft
- SectionsAcross 2 separate runs.
- 20
- Average post spacingOn center, with posts spread evenly.
- 7 ft 3⅝ in
Posts
- End posts
- 2
- Gate postsOften upsized (e.g. 6×6) to carry the gate.
- 2
- Line postsPosts along the straight runs.
- 18
- Total postsAs few as 21 if every run divides evenly by the spacing.
- 22
- Minimum post lengthFence height plus hole depth.
- 8 ft
Rails & pickets
- Rails per sectionChosen from the fence height.
- 3
- Rails before waste
- 60
- Rails to buyEach at least 7 ft 3⅝ in long.
- 66
- Pickets before waste5.5 in wide, no gaps.
- 319
- Extra for waste
- + 32
- Pickets to buy6 ft long to match the fence height.
- 351
Concrete
- Concrete per hole
- 0.92 ft³
- Total concrete
- 20.26 ft³
- 50 lb bags per hole
- 2.46
- 50 lb bags54.01 rounded up to whole bags.
- 55
- Posts, rails, pickets, panels and bags are rounded up to whole units.
- Corners and gates split the fence into 2 runs. Because each run is rounded up separately, the count allows one extra section per run.
- The 10% waste allowance applies to pickets and rails, not posts or concrete.
- Gates themselves (frame, boards, hinges and latch) are not included in these quantities.
A planning estimate, not a contractor quote. Fence rules, permitted heights, post depth and setbacks vary by location. Check with your local building authority before you build.
Calculators
Focused tools for real projects. Each one explains its formula, shows a worked example and works in imperial or metric.
Fencing
Fence Calculator
Posts, rails, pickets or panels, and concrete for a whole fence project.
The best place to start: one form covers length, height, style, corners and gates.
- Posts, rails and pickets or panels
- Bags of concrete for the post holes
- A to-scale drawing of one section
- Copy or print the material list
- Posts
- Rails
- Pickets
- Concrete
Fence Post Calculator
How many posts a fence run needs, the real spacing, and concrete per hole.
- Posts
- Spacing
- Concrete bags
Wood Fence Calculator
Boards, rails and lumber for privacy, picket, board-on-board, shadowbox or horizontal styles.
- Boards
- Rails
- Linear lumber
Fence Cost Calculator
A line-by-line project estimate using prices you can edit to match your area.
- Materials
- Labor
- Total
- Per foot
Fence Picket Calculator
Pickets needed for a given width and gap, with waste and exact even spacing.
- Pickets
- Waste
- Even gap
What the calculators can estimate
For fences today: everything on a typical shopping list, with the assumptions shown next to each number.
Posts & spacing
End, corner, gate and line posts, and the real spacing once they’re spread evenly.
Rails & boards
Rails per section and boards for privacy, picket, board-on-board, shadowbox and horizontal styles.
Pickets
Picket counts for any width and gap, with the exact even gap to use.
Concrete
Concrete volume per hole and bags to buy for your hole size and bag type.
Project cost
A line-by-line budget with your own prices, labor and tax, and cost per foot.
Waste allowance
Extra material for cuts and defects, rounded up to whole pieces you can buy.
Why accurate planning matters
A fence is mostly repetition: the same section, built dozens of times. A small miscount in posts or pickets gets multiplied along the whole line: into a second trip to the store, a stalled weekend, or a pile of leftover lumber.
Planning first also shows where the money goes. Post spacing, fence height and the number of gates change the material list more than most people expect, and it’s far cheaper to try options on a calculator than on site.
How the calculations work
- 1
Divide the line into sections. Fenced length ÷ post spacing, rounded up, with corners and gates handled as separate runs.
- 2
Count what fills them. Rails per section, pickets by width and gap, panels one per section.
- 3
Round up only at the end. Exact values carry through; final quantities round up to whole pieces, and the results say so.
Every formula is written out on the methodology page.
Common fence materials
The material decides how the fence is built, and what the calculators count.
Pressure-treated pine
The most common budget wood fence. Treated to resist rot and insects; usually stained or sealed after it dries out.
Cedar
Naturally rot-resistant, lighter and more stable than pine, and weathers to silver-gray. Costs more per board.
Vinyl
Pre-built panels and posts that need little maintenance. Panel width sets the post spacing.
Chain-link
Galvanized or coated fabric stretched between steel posts. Fabric and top rail are bought by length.
Composite
Wood-plastic boards or panel kits. Low maintenance and heavy, usually with a higher upfront cost.
Compare them on price with the fence cost calculator, using prices from your own supplier.
Metric and imperial measurements
Every calculator works in feet and inches or in metres and centimetres. Flip the toggle at the top of any calculator: what you’ve typed is converted, and your choice is remembered on the other tools.
Inside, every calculation runs in the same base units, so a fence entered in feet and the same fence entered in metres give identical counts. You can type fractions like 5 1/2 too.
| Measurement | Imperial | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Typical post spacing | 6–8 ft | 1.8–2.4 m |
| Privacy fence height | 6 ft | 1.8 m |
| 1×6 board face | 5½ in | 14 cm |
| 4×4 post (actual) | 3½ in | 9 cm |
| Concrete volume | ft³ | m³ / litres |
Start with your fence line.
Enter a length and height and get a complete material list in seconds.
Calculate Your Fence