Free fence calculator

Fence Calculator — Posts, Panels, Pickets & Concrete

Enter the fence length, height, post spacing, number of gates, and fence type. This fence calculator returns a material list — posts, panels or pickets, rails, concrete, gate hardware — plus a ballpark material cost. No signup, nothing to install.

  • Works for wood, privacy, vinyl, and chain link
  • Post counts follow real takeoff rules
  • Concrete bags per post included
  • Material costs in CAD from a real pricebook
Open the calculatorHow to estimate a fence

Quantities use the same rules as the FenceTracer takeoff engine. Costs are ballpark CAD from the FenceTracer starter pricebook — update them with your supplier's numbers in a real estimate.

Estimated material list

308 items · $1,909
≈ $19/ft in materials
MaterialQtyEst. cost
6 ft fence — 14 × 4×4 line/end posts8 ft posts, one per 8 ft bay plus the two ends14$322
6×6 gate postsTwo gate posts per gate, 9 ft long2$104
2×4 rails3 rails per 8 ft bay39$332
1×6 picketsStandard boards, ½ in gap — one board every 6 in201$653
50 lb concrete bags2 bags per line/end post, 3 per gate post34$187
Post capsOne per post16$64
1 × 4 ft wood walk gatePressure-treated gate with frame1$180
Gate hinge + latch setsOne hinge set and one latch per gate1$67
How this list is calculated
  • One straight run of 100 ft with posts every 8 ft.
  • Pickets are 5½ in wide; board style: Standard boards, ½ in gap.
  • Gate openings replace fence line but gate posts are added on top — real corners change the post count slightly.
  • Prices are the FenceTracer starter pricebook in CAD. Your supplier's prices will differ.
Need a professional estimate? Build it in FenceTracerTurn this material list into a priced, branded quote — free for 30 days.

The math behind the numbers

How this fence calculator works

Posts: length ÷ spacing, plus one

A 100 ft run with posts every 8 ft has 13 bays, which means 14 posts (12 in the line, 2 on the ends). The calculator uses ceil(length ÷ spacing) + 1 and then adds two heavier gate posts per gate. Corner and terminal posts are counted separately where they matter, especially for chain link.

Pickets: board width plus gap

A 5½ in picket with a ½ in gap covers 6 in of fence line, so an 8 ft bay takes 16 pickets plus one starter board. Board-on-board (1 in overlap) covers only 4½ in per board — the main reason privacy fences use roughly a third more wood than basic board fences.

Concrete: 2 bags per post, 3 per gate post

Each line or end post gets two 50 lb bags (about 0.6 ft³ of mixed concrete per hole); gate posts get three because they carry the swinging weight of the gate. The hole is 12 in wide for a 4×4 and goes below frost line.

Cost: real pricebook, materials only

Prices come from the FenceTracer starter pricebook in CAD — the same defaults the product loads for a new company. They are deliberately typical rather than promotional: your supplier’s catalogue will differ, which is exactly why FenceTracer maps your own prices onto the takeoff.

Worked example

A 100 ft, 6 ft wood fence with one gate

The inputs

  • 100 ft straight run, 6 ft height
  • Posts every 8 ft
  • Standard 1×6 pickets with a ½ in gap
  • One 4 ft walk gate

What the takeoff returns

  • 14 × 4×4 posts (8 ft) + 2 × 6×6 gate posts (9 ft)
  • 39 × 2×4 rails (3 per bay across 13 bays)
  • 201 pickets (1200 in ÷ 6 in + 1)
  • 34 bags of concrete (28 + 6)
  • 1 gate, 1 hinge set, 1 latch set, 16 post caps
  • ≈ $1,960 in materials — about $19.60/ft

That $19.60/ft is materials at starter pricebook prices. If you sell a wood privacy fence at $45–$60/ft installed, materials are a third to half of the ticket — the rest is labour, equipment, disposal, and your margin. Run your own numbers in the calculator above, then compare them to what the fence pricing guide says a full job should carry.

Free tools

More fence calculators

Fence material calculator

Posts, panels, rails, pickets, concrete, and gates explained item by item.

Open calculator

Wood fence calculator

Pickets, rails, and 4×4 posts for basic board and picket fences.

Open calculator

Privacy fence calculator

Board-on-board, shadowbox, and tight-board picket counts.

Open calculator

Vinyl fence calculator

Pre-built panels, line/end/corner posts, and aluminum gate inserts.

Open calculator

Chain link fence calculator

Fabric rolls, terminal posts, tension bars, and tie packs.

Open calculator

FenceTracer ROI calculator

How much time and money quoting software saves your shop each month.

Open calculator

Learn the math behind the numbers

Estimating guides

FAQ

Questions contractors ask about this calculator

How many posts do I need for a 100 ft fence?

For a straight 100 ft run with posts every 8 ft, you need 14 posts: 12 line posts plus the two end posts. With one gate, add 2 heavier gate posts. This calculator applies that same formula — run length ÷ post spacing, rounded up, plus one for the starting post.

How much concrete do I need per fence post?

Plan on two 50 lb bags per line or end post and three 50 lb bags per gate post. The hole should be 3 times the post width (roughly 12 in for a 4×4) and deep enough to reach below your frost line — 36–42 in in most of Canada and the northern US.

What does this fence calculator not include?

It estimates materials only. It does not include labour, equipment, permits, locating utilities, gate automation, stain or paint, or disposal of the old fence. Material prices are the FenceTracer starter pricebook in CAD and will differ from your supplier's.

Is the price per foot shown here installed or materials-only?

Materials only. A typical installed wood privacy fence runs $35–$70 per linear foot all-in depending on region, height, and access; the material share is usually 40–50% of that. Use this calculator to sanity-check material cost, then apply your own labour and margin.

Why does the chain link option ask about corners?

Chain link ends and corners take heavier terminal posts with tension bars and bands, while the line between them takes lighter line posts every 10 ft. Skipping corners understates the post hardware on any real layout, so the calculator lets you count them in.

Can I get a professional estimate from this?

Yes — the same quantities this calculator produces are what FenceTracer's takeoff engine builds from a drawing, plus your own supplier prices, tax, margin, and a branded quote PDF. Link a real job and turn this list into a customer-ready estimate free for 30 days.

FenceTracer

Turn this material list into a professional estimate

FenceTracer builds the same quantities from a drawing — with your supplier prices, tax, margin, and a branded quote PDF. Free for 30 days, no credit card.
Build a fence estimateSee fence estimating software