Wood Fence Calculator
A wood fence calculator finds all the lumber for a wood fence: posts spaced about every 8 feet, 2 or 3 horizontal rails per section, and pickets sized by their width to fill the length. Enter your fence length, post spacing and picket width below to get the full board count and concrete.
Enter the fence length to see the materials.
How Do You Calculate a Wood Fence?
To calculate a wood fence, find the posts (length divided by spacing plus one), the rails (2 or 3 per section times the number of sections), and the pickets (fence length in inches divided by the picket width plus a small gap). A 100 foot, 6 foot tall privacy fence at 8 foot spacing needs about 14 posts, 39 rails (3 per section), and roughly 215 pickets at 5.5 inches wide. The calculator does all three plus concrete.
How Many Rails Does a Wood Fence Need?
A wood fence uses 2 rails per section for fences up to about 5 feet tall, and 3 rails for 6 foot privacy fences, to keep the pickets from warping. The rail count is the number of sections times the rails per section. Taller and heavier fences need the extra rail. The calculator lets you set 2 or 3 rails so the lumber count matches your fence height.
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Frequently asked questions
- How do I calculate wood fence materials?
- Posts equal length divided by spacing plus one; rails equal sections times 2 or 3; pickets equal fence length divided by picket width. The calculator does all three.
- How many rails for a 6 foot fence?
- Use 3 rails per section for a 6 foot privacy fence, and 2 rails for fences up to about 5 feet, to keep pickets from warping.