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Fence Calculator

Calculate posts, rails, pickets, concrete, and total material cost for wood, vinyl, chain link, or aluminum fencing.

Costs are material-only estimates. Labor typically adds 50-100% depending on terrain, soil type, and fence complexity.

Total Material Cost

$668

100 LF Wood Privacy · 14 posts · 6ft tall

Fence Length100 LF
Fence TypeWood Privacy
Height6 ft
Posts14 posts
Rails (3 per bay)42 rails
Pickets (3.5" w/ 1/4" gap)320 pickets
Concrete Bags (80 lb)28 bags
Gates (1 @ $150 each)$150
Fasteners (est.)120 lbs
Fencing Material (100 LF @ $3.50/LF)$350
Concrete Cost$168
Total Material Cost$668
construction

Contractor Note — Mike Callahan

Dig your post holes 1/3 the fence height plus 6 inches. A 6-foot fence needs 30-inch holes minimum. And set your corner and end posts first — run a string line between them before setting the middle posts or you'll be pulling posts all afternoon.

Methodology

Posts = ceil(total length / post spacing) + 1. Wood privacy: rails = posts x (2 for 4ft, 3 for 6ft+); pickets = total length / (3.5" board + 0.25" gap). Vinyl: panels = ceil(length / 6ft section). Chain link: fabric rolls = ceil(length x height / 50 sqft per roll). Concrete: 2 bags (80 lb) per post for a solid set. Gate cost is per-unit and added separately. Material costs are per-linear-foot averages — actual pricing varies by region, supplier, and material grade.

Frequently Asked Questions

How deep should fence posts be?
The standard rule is 1/3 of the total post length underground, plus 6 inches for a gravel drainage base. For a 6-foot fence using 8-foot posts, dig 30 inches deep (24" for the 1/3 rule + 6" gravel). In frost-prone areas, posts should extend below the frost line — typically 36-48 inches in northern states. Always check local building codes for minimum depth requirements in your jurisdiction.
How far apart should fence posts be?
Standard post spacing is 6 to 8 feet on center. Use 6-foot spacing for taller fences (8 ft), high-wind areas, or heavy materials like composite. Use 8-foot spacing for standard 4-6 foot wood or vinyl privacy fences in sheltered locations. Chain link fences typically use 10-foot spacing for line posts with terminal posts at corners and ends. Closer spacing costs more but significantly increases wind and impact resistance.
Wood vs vinyl fence: which costs more?
Vinyl costs roughly 2-3x more upfront than wood privacy fencing ($8-12/LF vs $3-5/LF for materials). However, vinyl requires almost zero maintenance — no staining, painting, or replacing rotted boards. Over a 20-year lifespan, vinyl often breaks even or saves money when you factor in the cost of staining wood every 2-3 years ($1-2/LF per application) and replacing damaged boards. Wood gives you more style flexibility and a natural look, while vinyl offers durability and low maintenance.
How many bags of concrete per fence post?
Plan for 2 bags of 80-lb concrete mix per post for a standard 4x4 post in a 10-inch diameter hole that is 24-30 inches deep. For 6x6 posts or deeper holes, use 3 bags. Each 80-lb bag yields about 0.6 cubic feet of mixed concrete. For a 10-inch round hole at 24 inches deep, you need about 1.1 cubic feet — roughly 2 bags. Pre-mix concrete (like Quikrete) can be poured dry into the hole and wetted, which is faster for fence posts than traditional mixing.

How the fence calculator works

The Buildermuse fence calculator produces a post, concrete, and material takeoff from your fence length, type, height, and post spacing. The post count is the fence length divided by the post spacing, rounded up, plus one for the final end post — so a run always closes with a post on both ends. Every post is set with two 80-pound bags of concrete, priced at 6 dollars per bag.

Material cost combines three parts: the fencing itself at a per-linear-foot rate, the gates you add at their own unit price, and the concrete. Fencing rates are 3.50 dollars per linear foot for wood privacy, 6.00 dollars for chain link, 8.00 dollars for vinyl, and 12.00 dollars for aluminum. Type-specific parts are broken out too. Wood privacy adds rails — two per bay for a 4-foot fence, three for anything taller — and pickets sized to a 3.5-inch board with a 0.25-inch gap. Vinyl is counted in 6-foot panels. Chain link adds fabric rolls at 50 square feet per roll, top rail equal to the fence length, and a cap on every post.

Worked example: 100 linear feet of 6-foot wood privacy fence at 8-foot post spacing with one 150-dollar gate. Posts are ceil(100 / 8) plus 1 = 14, each needing 2 bags for 28 bags of concrete. Rails come to 14 x 3 = 42, and pickets to about 320 — a 3.5-inch board plus a 0.25-inch gap is 3.75 inches, or 0.3125 feet, so 100 feet holds roughly 320 pickets. The fencing material is 100 x 3.50 = 350 dollars, concrete is 28 x 6 = 168 dollars, and the gate is 150 dollars, for a 668-dollar material total.

Costs are material-only. Labor typically adds 50 to 100 percent depending on terrain, soil type, and fence complexity, so add your own labor rate before quoting a customer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the calculator count fence posts?

It divides the fence length by your post spacing, rounds up, and adds one end post so the run closes with a post on both ends. At 8-foot spacing a 100-foot fence needs 14 posts.

How much concrete does it budget per post?

Two 80-pound bags per post at 6 dollars per bag. A 14-post fence therefore uses 28 bags of concrete.

Which fence types can I estimate?

Wood privacy at 3.50 dollars, chain link at 6.00 dollars, vinyl at 8.00 dollars, and aluminum at 12.00 dollars per linear foot, each with its own parts list for rails, pickets, panels, or fabric.

How does it estimate wood pickets?

It assumes a 3.5-inch board with a 0.25-inch gap, or 3.75 inches per picket, so 100 linear feet of wood privacy fence needs about 320 pickets.