Enter your fence length to calculate posts, rails, and pickets needed for a wood privacy fence. Adjustable for height, post spacing, and waste.
Total Fence Length (linear feet)
Fence Height
Post Spacing
$ / Picket
$ / Post
$ / Rail
Waste Factor
10%Results
Enter fence length to calculate
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Try Suparate FreeSet corner and gate posts first
Install all corner and gate posts, let the concrete cure overnight, then string a taut chalk line between them to align your line posts. Rushing line posts before corners are plumb and cured is the most common cause of wavy, crooked fence lines that are impossible to fix without resetting posts.
Call 811 before you dig — every time
Dial 811 (the national Dig Safe line) at least 3 business days before digging any post holes to have underground utilities marked for free. Fence post holes hit buried power lines, gas pipes, and cable lines every year. Many municipalities also require a permit for fences over 4 feet tall — check local rules before you buy materials.
Use fast-setting concrete — no mixing required
Pour dry fast-setting concrete mix (60 lbs per hole, 80 lbs for corner and gate posts) directly around the post, then add water. It sets firm enough to work against in 4 hours, eliminating the need to brace posts overnight. This single change cuts a two-day job down to one.
Divide the total linear footage by your post spacing (typically 8 feet), round up to get the number of bays, then add 1 for the final end post. A 100-foot fence at 8-foot spacing needs 13 bays + 1 = 14 posts. Corner posts, gate posts, and any direction changes require additional posts beyond this baseline count.
8 feet on center is the standard for wood privacy fences because pre-cut fence rails are sold in 8-foot lengths. Spacing beyond 8 feet causes rails to sag and reduces the overall rigidity of the fence. For split-rail or ranch fences, 10-foot spacing is common. Gate openings always require a post on each side regardless of your bay spacing.
Standard dog-eared pickets are 5.5 inches wide (nominal 6") and are installed tight together for a privacy fence. Divide your total linear footage by 0.458 ft (5.5" ÷ 12) to get the raw picket count, then add 10% for waste and end cuts. For 100 linear feet: 100 ÷ 0.458 ≈ 218 pickets × 1.10 = 240 pickets.
The standard rule is to set posts one-third of their total length in the ground. For a 6-foot fence, use 9-foot posts set 3 feet deep; for an 8-foot fence, use 12-foot posts set 4 feet deep. In cold climates, posts must reach below the local frost depth — often 36–48 inches in northern states — to prevent heaving. Check your local building code before digging.
Professional installation of a 6-foot wood privacy fence typically runs $20–$45 per linear foot (materials and labor combined) as of 2024–2025. A DIY fence costs roughly $8–$18 per linear foot in materials depending on lumber prices in your region. Cedar and redwood cost more than pressure-treated pine but resist rot naturally without chemical treatment and are preferred where appearance matters.