Fence calculator: posts, pickets, concrete and cost per foot
A 6 foot cedar privacy fence takes a post every 8 feet, three rails per section and about 2.2 pickets per foot, and installed it runs about $34 to $59 per linear foot in 2026. Enter the fence length, rails per section and gate count, and this fence calculator counts posts, rails, pickets and post concrete, then adds labor at $20 to $38 a foot. A 150 foot run with one walk gate comes to $5,069 to $8,905.
Worked example: 150 ft fence length, 3 rails rails per section, 1 gates walk gates
That takes 18.8 sections (Fence sections at 8 foot post spacing). National-average costs:
| Line | Quantity | Cost range |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure treated 4x4 posts, 8 ft | 19 posts | $209 to $323 |
| 2x4 treated rails, 8 ft | 57 rails | $314 to $485 |
| Cedar dog-ear pickets, 6 ft | 344 pickets | $1,152 to $1,789 |
| Post concrete, 2 bags a post | 19 posts | $247 to $380 |
| Walk gate kit | 1 gates | $68 to $105 |
| Fence install labor | 150 linear ft | $3,000 to $5,700 |
| Galvanized ring-shank nails and rail brackets | 4% | $80 to $123 |
| Estimated total | $5,069 to $8,905 |
Enter the total fence length along the line, how many rails each section gets, and how many walk gates. The interactive calculator on this page recomputes these numbers for your dimensions and adjusts for any US state.
How to measure for fencing work
Find the line before you tape it
Set the run off survey pins or a plat, not a neighbor's memory. Most builders hold the fence a few inches inside the line so the posts and concrete never cross it.
Measure each side as its own run
Tape every straight side separately and note where it starts and stops: at the house, at a corner, or free. Three sides of a 50 by 50 yard with one end tied to the house is 150 feet.
Mark gates and corners on the sketch
Every corner and gate gets its own post no matter where the 8 foot spacing falls. A 4 foot walk gate needs a hinge post and a latch post, and the hinge side should be a 6x6.
Call in the locate
Call 811 before any hole goes in, and wait the few business days it takes for the flags. Sprinkler lines and invisible dog fence wire are not on that map, so ask the owner where they run.
What this calculator assumes
- Prices are 2026 national-average yard costs for a 6 foot cedar privacy fence on 8 foot treated 4x4 posts.
- Posts round up to one per 8 feet of fence and each gets two bags of fast-set concrete.
- Pickets are 5-1/2 inches wide, butted tight, with 5 percent extra for culls.
- The 4 percent allowance covers galvanized ring-shank nails and rail brackets.
- Old fence tear-out and haul-off, brush clearing, rock or caliche digging, permits and survey are not in the total.
- Install labor assumes reasonably level ground. A steep slope that needs stepped or racked sections prices higher.
Cost factors in fencing work
What the auger hits
Loam digs in minutes per hole. Rock, roots and caliche can triple that and send the crew for a hydraulic auger or a jackhammer, which is why rocky markets sit at the top of every per-foot range.
Fence style
Side-by-side pickets are the cheapest privacy build. Board-on-board, shadowbox and horizontal styles take more boards and more cutting, and a top cap and trim board adds lumber and an extra pass down the line.
Material type
Cedar is the baseline here. Vinyl privacy panels run $128 to $195 per 6 by 8 section, aluminum $145 to $225, and chain link fabric $3.75 to $5.80 a foot before its posts, so the material line changes shape with each.
Slope and grade
Flat yards hang in straight sections. A hillside means stepping each section down or racking the rails to follow the grade, which costs extra cuts, taller posts on the low side and slower layout.
Wind exposure
A 6 foot solid fence catches wind like a sail. Open, windy sites call for closer post spacing, deeper holes or 6x6 posts at $25 to $38 each, and every one of those adds to both material and digging.
Frequently asked questions
How many fence posts do I need for 150 feet?
19 at 8 foot spacing, since 150 divided by 8 is 18.75 and you round up. Add one more to close the run where it ends free, and plan a heavier post at each gate. Tighten to 6 foot spacing in high wind and the same 150 feet takes 25 before the end post.
How many bags of concrete per fence post?
Two 50 pound bags of fast-set fill an 8 inch hole 2 feet deep around a 4x4. A 10 inch hole, sandy soil or a gate post takes three. The 19 posts on a 150 foot fence need 38 bags at two apiece, or 57 if every hole gets three.
How many pickets for a 150 foot fence?
About 327 pickets if they are 5-1/2 inches wide and butted tight, which is 2.2 per foot. Add 5 percent for split and badly knotted boards and order 344. Board-on-board and shadowbox styles overlap the pickets, so they take more per foot and more labor.
What does a wood privacy fence cost per foot installed?
For 150 feet of 6 foot cedar privacy with one gate, this calculator lands at $33.80 to $59.36 per linear foot in 2026. Material and the nail allowance are about $13.80 to $21.36 of that, and install labor is $20 to $38. Rock, slopes and tear-out push past the top.
What does Staxen cost for fence builders?
Staxen costs $59 per month per AI employee and $149 per month for all three, and the first 7 days are free in the app. Pace the line, say the footage, height and gate count, and Eddie the Estimator returns a priced, line-item estimate the homeowner can sign from a text, deposit included.