Fence Materials Estimator
Enter your fence length, height and gates to count posts, rails, pickets and concrete. Send the result to a local pro for a real quote.
Estimate your fence materials
How the estimator counts
- Posts: one every 8 ft (or 6 ft) along the fence, plus one at the end, one extra per corner and one extra per gate opening.
- Rails: 8 ft rails, 2 per section on a 4 ft fence and 3 per section on 6 ft and 8 ft fences.
- Pickets: standard 5.5 in wide pickets. Side-by-side places them edge to edge. Board-on-board covers about 9 in per front-and-back pair, so it takes more pickets.
- Concrete: a 10 in diameter hole, buried one third of the fence height but at least 24 in, minus the post. Bags are 50 lb fast-setting mix at about 0.375 cu ft each (Quikrete data sheet).
It skips gate frames, hardware, fasteners, stain and waste. Add about 5 to 10 percent extra pickets for cuts and culls. Rock is common in the Hill Country and changes how posts are set, so a pro's count can differ.
Before anyone digs
Texas law requires a call to 811 before digging (Texas 811). Check whether your project needs a city permit (New Braunfels building permits) and read your HOA rules on height and style. See the cost guide for what changes the price of a quote.