Free fence material calculator

Fence Material Calculator — Every Post, Panel & Bag

This fence material calculator breaks a fence into the actual shopping list: posts, panels, rails, pickets, concrete bags, gates, and fittings — each with quantity and cost. Pick a fence type, enter the run, and read the list your supplier needs.

  • Posts: line, end, corner, and gate
  • Panels or pickets per fence type
  • Concrete: 2 bags per post, 3 per gate post
  • Chain link fittings included
Open the calculatorHow to calculate fence materials

Each line is one material category with its counting rule. Costs are ballpark CAD from the FenceTracer starter pricebook — materials only, no labour or tax.

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.
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Material by material

How each line on this list is counted

MaterialCounting ruleTypical unit (6 ft fence)
PostsLength ÷ spacing, rounded up, + 1 for the start post. Heavier posts at gates.4×4 line post, 8 ft long
Panels (vinyl)Length ÷ panel width (8 ft), rounded up.6 ft × 8 ft vinyl panel
Pickets (wood)Length in inches ÷ (board width + gap), + 1 starter board.1×6 × 6 ft dog-ear
RailsBays × 2 (under 6 ft) or × 3 (6 ft+).2×4 × 8 ft
Concrete2 × 50 lb bags per line/end post, 3 per gate post.≈ 0.6 ft³ mixed per hole
GatesOne per opening, plus 2 gate posts, hinge set, latch set.4 ft walk gate
Fabric (chain link)Run length minus gate openings, + 5% waste, in 50 ft rolls.2 in × 9 ga galvanized
Tension hardware2 tension bars per terminal post, height + 1 bands per bar.6 ft bars, 7 bands each

Where estimators miss quantity

The four classic shortfalls: gate posts counted as line posts, tension hardware skipped on chain link terminals, pickets counted at 16 per bay on a tight-board job, and concrete budgeted at one bag per hole. Each one is a mid-job supplier run that costs more than the materials themselves.

Why the +1 starter board matters

A run never starts mid-board. Dividing length by exposure tells you how many gaps there are; you need one more board than gaps. On a 200 ft fence that single board difference is real money when repeated across every bay, every job, every month.

Waste that should be in the list

This calculator adds 5% waste on chain link fabric and keeps wood quantities exact, but pro estimators add more: 10% on pickets for warped boards, an extra rail for cuts, and a spare hinge set per job. FenceTracer’s recipes let you bake your own waste rules into the takeoff so every estimator applies the same buffer.

Starter pricebook reference

What the calculator prices against

Ballpark CAD unit costs from the FenceTracer starter pricebook. Your supplier’s catalogue will differ — the point of the column is consistency, not a quote.

Item (6 ft fence)WoodVinylChain link (res.)
Line post$23.00$48.00$28.50
End / terminal post$23.00$50.00$34.25
Gate post$52.00$56.00$70.00
Panel / 8 ft baybuilt from pickets$205.00$182.00 per 50 ft roll
Rail (each)$8.50in rail set ($37)$24.00 per 21 ft stick
Picket (1×6)$3.25——
50 lb concrete bag$5.50$5.50$5.50
4 ft walk gate$180.00$320.00$220.00

These are the same defaults FenceTracer loads into a new company workspace, so what you see here matches what a new account produces on its first quote. Read the fence cost calculator guide for a full per-foot breakdown with regional notes.

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Estimating guides

FAQ

Questions contractors ask about this calculator

How do I calculate how many fence panels I need?

Divide the fence length by your panel width and round up. A 100 ft run of 8 ft panels needs 13 panels. The calculator does this per fence type: wood panels are 8 ft bays you build, vinyl panels are pre-built sections, and chain link comes as 50 ft fabric rolls instead.

How many rails does a wood fence need?

Two rails for 4–5 ft fences, three rails for 6 ft and up. Privacy and board-on-board fences should get three rails regardless of height — the extra rail holds boards straight and adds wind resistance. The calculator applies 2 rails under 6 ft and 3 rails at 6 ft+.

How many pickets per 8 ft section?

With 5½ in pickets and a ½ in gap, each picket covers 6 in, so an 8 ft (96 in) section needs 16 pickets plus one starter board. Tight-board (no gap) uses 18 per section; board-on-board with a 1 in overlap uses about 21 per side. The calculator picks these counts automatically from the board style.

Do vinyl fences need concrete too?

Yes — vinyl posts set in concrete the same way wood posts do: two 50 lb bags per line or end post, three per gate post. Vinyl gate posts also take an aluminum stiffener insert, which the calculator adds per gate post.

What fittings does chain link need besides posts and fabric?

Top rail (21 ft sticks), tension bars, tension bands, tie wire, post caps, and brace bands. A common miss is tension hardware at the terminals — the calculator counts two tension bars per end/corner post and height-plus-one bands per bar.

Why do my supplier prices differ from the calculator?

The calculator uses the FenceTracer starter pricebook in CAD so the numbers stay consistent and checkable. Real suppliers differ by region, species, gauge, and volume — FenceTracer maps your own catalogue onto the takeoff so the same material list prices out with your numbers.

FenceTracer

From material list to priced estimate in one step

FenceTracer turns the same takeoff into a quote with your supplier pricing, tax, margin, and a branded PDF. Free for 30 days, no credit card.
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