Fence Calculator: Posts, Panels, Pickets and Cost

Fence Calculator

Estimate posts, sections, panels or pickets, rails, gates and material cost for one fence run or a closed perimeter. Enter your own dimensions and prices.

A closed perimeter reuses the first post at the end.

Use the actual panel width.

Optional prices

Use any currency, but keep every price in that same currency. Leave a price at 0 to exclude it.

Formula used

Net infill length = total fence length − (number of gates × gate width).

Infill sections = ceiling(net infill length ÷ section width). For panels, section width is the panel width. For pickets, it is the maximum post spacing.

Posts = sections + gates + 1 for an open run, or sections + gates for a closed perimeter. The calculator treats each gate as one additional span.

Pickets = ceiling[ceiling(net length ÷ (picket width + gap)) × (1 + waste percentage)]. Unit conversion is performed before this division.

Planning limit: this is a material estimate for a simplified layout. Corners, changes in grade, separate runs, bracing, double gates and local wind or structural requirements can add posts or hardware. Calculate separate runs individually when their spacing differs.

Checked examples

InputsMethodEstimated result
100 ft open run, one 4 ft gate, 8 ft panels, 5% sparePanels96 ft net, 12 sections, 14 posts, 13 panels
100 ft open run, no gates, 8 ft panels, no sparePanels13 sections, 14 posts, 13 panels
100 ft closed perimeter, no gates, 8 ft panels, 5% sparePanels13 sections, 13 posts, 14 panels
100 ft open run, one 4 ft gate, 5.5 in pickets, 1 in gapPickets178 base pickets; 187 with 5% spare
30 m open run, one 1 m gate, 2.4 m panels, 5% sparePanels29 m net, 13 sections, 15 posts, 14 panels
24 m closed perimeter, one 1 m gate, 2 m panels, no sparePanels23 m net, 12 sections, 13 posts, 12 panels

How to measure for this calculator

  1. Measure the complete fence path along the ground and enter it as total length.
  2. Include gate openings in that total, then enter the number and width of equal gates.
  3. For panel fencing, enter the true panel width. For individual boards, choose pickets and enter the desired maximum post spacing, board width and gap.
  4. Add a modest spare percentage for cuts or damaged material. Prices are optional and should use one currency.

The result is an ordering estimate, not an engineering or code-compliance design. Confirm post depth, footing size, fasteners, property boundaries and permit requirements locally.

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