Fence Calculator

Enter your total fence length and select your fence height. Choose a fence type — privacy, wood, picket, vinyl, metal, or chain link. Set your post spacing (8 ft is standard for panel fences, 10 ft for chain link). Add gates and corners if your project has them. Click "Calculate Materials" to get your complete material list and estimated cost.

Panels are calculated by dividing usable fence length by panel width (8 ft for most types, 6 ft for metal) and rounding up. Posts are counted by role: end posts at fence terminations, corner posts at each turn, gate posts flanking each gate, and line posts spaced evenly along each run. Concrete is based on post hole volume minus post displacement, using 80-lb bag yield (0.60 cu ft per bag).

Standard post spacing is 6 to 8 feet for panel fences and up to 10 feet for chain link. Eight-foot spacing matches standard 8 ft panel widths and requires fewer posts. Six-foot spacing is recommended for tall fences (8 ft+), high-wind areas, or lighter panels. Chain link typically uses 10 ft spacing with line posts between terminal posts (ends, corners, and gate posts).

The calculator estimates concrete by computing the cylindrical volume of each post hole (π × radius² × depth), subtracting the post's displacement, multiplying by the number of concreted posts, and dividing by 0.60 cu ft per 80-lb bag. A typical 4×4 post in a 10-inch hole, 30 inches deep, needs about 2 bags. Chain link terminal posts (2-3/8 in. OD, 8 in. hole, 30 in. deep) need about 3 bags each.

A 10% waste allowance is recommended for most projects — it covers cuts, mistakes, and damaged materials. Waste affects purchase quantities (panels, fabric, rail, wire) but not installed quantities (posts, fittings, caps). For long straight runs with minimal cuts, 5% may suffice. For complex layouts with many corners or slopes, increase to 15%.

Gates add two gate posts per gate and reduce usable fence length by the gate width. Corners add a corner post at each turn and split the fence into multiple runs, which affects line post distribution. When corners or gates are present, line posts are labeled "Estimated" because they're distributed evenly across runs — actual placement depends on your specific layout.

Cost estimates multiply purchase quantities by unit prices. When you click "Calculate Materials," the calculator resolves live retailer prices from Home Depot for configured products. If no exact product price is available, it falls back to market estimates or planning defaults. The price source for each material is always displayed. The total range (±10%) reflects typical price variation.

Chain link fences use a different material set than panel fences: fabric (sold in 50 ft rolls), line posts (1-5/8 in. OD), terminal posts (2-3/8 in. OD, includes end/corner/gate posts), top rail (1-3/8 in. x 10.5 ft sticks), tension wire, post caps, rail ends, brace bands, tension bars, tension bands, and tie wires. Terminal posts are set in concrete by default; line posts can be concreted optionally.