Fence Materials Calculator
Find how many pickets, posts, rails and bags of concrete a 6-foot wood privacy fence takes, from its length, its corners and its gates.
A wood privacy fence goes up in 8-foot sections: a post at each end, three rails across, and pickets nailed edge to edge. So the fence's length sets most of the list, and every corner and gate adds a post.
How long is the fence?
Add up every side. Three sides of a backyard, fenced from the house, is 2 corners.
How many gates?
Count each gate in the length above; it's built from the same pickets and rails, and adds a post.
How are the pickets hung?
Board on board hides the gaps that open up as pickets dry and shrink.
Fence pickets to buy
360 pickets
6-ft pickets for 150 ft of fence, with 10% spare
Posts go 8 feet apart, plus one at each corner and gate. Each 8-ft post goes 2 ft into the ground, leaving 6 ft for the fence. Dig each hole 2½ ft deep, with 6 inches of gravel under the post. Where the ground freezes deeper than 2 ft, dig below the frost line and buy 10-ft posts.
💡About this calculator▼
A wood privacy fence is built in 8-foot sections, each with a post at the end, three rails across and pickets nailed edge to edge. Once you know how long the fence runs, the shopping list mostly follows, and every corner and gate adds a post.
Enter the fence's total length, every side added up, and how many corners it turns. Then the number of gates and how you want the pickets hung. You get the pickets, posts, rails and bags of concrete to buy for a 6-foot fence.
Sections and posts. Picket makers space fence posts 8 feet apart on center, so standard 8-foot rails span each section with no cutting. The calculator divides your length by 8 and rounds up. A corner rarely lands exactly on the 8-foot mark, so each corner starts a new section. Then it adds one post to end the run and one for each gate, which gives the opening a post on both sides.
Rails. A 6-foot fence takes three 2×4 rails per section: one near the bottom, one in the middle and one near the top, so the pickets can't warp.
Pickets. A 1×6 picket is 5½ inches wide. For a privacy fence they go edge to edge with no gap, so the count is the fence's length in inches divided by 5½, plus 10 percent for splits and cuts, as the picket maker recommends. Board on board hangs two rows, the back row covering the gaps in the front, with each picket overlapping its neighbors 1 inch on both sides. Each picket then covers only 4½ inches, which takes about 22 percent more pickets.
Posts and concrete. An 8-foot 4×4 set 2 feet into the ground leaves 6 feet above it for the fence. Quikrete's method sizes the hole: 3 times the post's width, which is 10½ inches for a 4×4, with 6 inches of gravel in the bottom, so the hole is 2½ feet deep. Fill with concrete to 3 or 4 inches from the top. That's about 0.9 cubic feet per post, and a 50-pound bag of fast-setting mix makes 0.375, so about 2½ bags per post.
Worked example. 150 feet with 2 corners and 1 gate: 150 ÷ 8 = 18.75, so 19 sections, plus 2 for the corners makes 21. Posts: 21 + 1 + 1 gate = 23. Rails: 21 × 3 = 63. Pickets: 1,800 inches ÷ 5½ = 327, plus 10 percent = 360. Concrete: 23 × 2.35 = 54.1, so 55 bags.
📐How it's calculated▼
Sections = fence length ÷ 8 ft, rounded up, + corners.
Posts = sections + 1 + gates. Rails = sections × 3.
Pickets = length (in) ÷ 5½ in × 1.10, rounded up. Board on board: ÷ 4½ in instead.
Concrete = posts × 2.35 bags of 50 lb: a 10½-inch hole with 20½ inches of concrete around a 3½-inch post is 0.88 cubic feet, at 0.375 cubic feet per bag.
The picket maker's own example: 120 feet with one gate is 15 sections, 17 posts, 45 rails, and 1,440 ÷ 5.5 = 262 pickets before the 10 percent spare. The calculator gives 17 posts, 45 rails and 288 pickets.
📎Sources:Quikrete — Setting Posts (hole width, depth and fill),Quikrete — Fast-Setting Concrete Mix data sheet (bag yield),American Wood Council — NDS Supplement, nominal and dressed lumber sizes
🔍Finding your inputs▼
How long is the fence? Measure each side the fence will run and add them up, in feet. Include the gate openings. Leave out any stretch where the house or a neighbor's fence closes the gap.
Corners: Count every place the fence turns. A backyard fenced on three sides, starting and ending at the house, has 2 corners. The spots where it meets the house aren't corners.
How many gates? Each gate sits inside the length you entered. It's built from the same pickets and rails, so those are already counted; each gate adds one post.
How are the pickets hung? Side by side butts each picket against the next. Board on board hangs two overlapping rows so no gaps open as the pickets dry and shrink.
⚠️Special situations▼
Do I need gravel too?
Yes. Both Quikrete and the picket maker put 6 inches of gravel in the bottom of each hole so water drains away from the post. In a 10½-inch hole that is about a third of a cubic foot per post.
What about the gate itself?
The pickets and rails over the gate opening build the gate, so they are already in the count. Add a pair of heavy hinges and a latch for each gate. The picket maker suggests setting gate, corner and end posts at least 6 inches deeper for extra strength.
How many nails do I need?
Two nails per picket at each rail, so six per picket on three rails. The picket maker calls for 8d or 10d galvanized box nails for pickets, or use exterior screws of a similar length.
My ground freezes deep in winter
Dig below your frost line, which your building department can tell you. Buy 10-foot posts so 6 feet still stand above ground. A deeper hole takes more concrete than the about 2½ bags per post shown here, roughly in proportion to the extra depth.
❓Common questions▼
How many pickets do I need for a 6 foot privacy fence?
About 2.4 pickets per foot of fence with 5½-inch pickets butted edge to edge, including 10 percent spare. A 150-foot fence takes 360. Board on board takes about 22 percent more, 440 for the same fence.
How many fence posts do I need?
One every 8 feet, plus one to end the run, one more for each gate, and usually one more for each corner. A 150-foot backyard fence with 2 corners and a gate takes 23 posts.
How many bags of concrete per fence post?
About 2½ bags of 50-pound fast-setting mix for a 4×4 set 2 feet deep in a hole 10½ inches wide, filled to 3 or 4 inches from the top. Quikrete's own post calculator goes deeper: it calls for 3 feet in the ground for a post standing 6 feet tall, in a 12-inch hole, which takes about 6 bags per post. That holds up better to frost and wind; 2 feet is what most backyard fences use.
When do I need longer posts?
When your ground freezes deeper than 2 feet. The hole has to go below the frost line, and Quikrete and the picket maker both suggest burying a third of the post where you can. Buy 10-foot 4×4s so 6 feet still stand above ground.
How much will the fence cost?
Take this list to your lumberyard for a materials price. For an installed price by material, including labor, use our Fence Installation Cost Calculator.
🔗 Related Calculators
Fence Installation Cost
Estimate fence installation cost by length, material, and height — chain link, wood, vinyl, aluminum, or composite — with gates and old-fence removal included, plus every material priced side by side for your yard.
Fence Staining Cost
Estimate the cost to stain or seal a wood fence — DIY materials vs. hiring a pro — by fence length, height, sides, and finish (clear sealer, semi-transparent, or solid stain). See how many gallons you need and what a pro should charge.
Shared Fence Cost Split Calculator
Splitting a property-line fence with a neighbor? Estimate the fence cost by material and length, set your agreed split, and see exactly what you owe versus what your neighbor pays.