# Fence calculator

> 100′ wood fence, 6′ tall: 17 posts, 45 rails, 230 pickets (1×6 × 6′) and 67 bags of concrete. Posts, rails, pickets or panels, concrete and gate hardware for a wood, vinyl or aluminum fence.

## What to buy (100′ wood fence, 6′ tall)

Every line shows the quantity to buy and how StudSheet got it: the spacing, the waste and the package size, so you can check it before the supply house or the quote.

| Buy | Material | How StudSheet counts it | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| **17 posts** | Pressure-treated 4×4 post (4×4 × 10′, ground contact) | 2 end, 2 corner and 11 line posts, + 2 gate posts: 6′ above the ground + 36″ in it. | Railing posts. |
| **67 bags** | Fast-setting concrete mix, 50 lb (50 lb bags) | 22.6 cu ft around 17 posts (10″ holes, filled to 2″ below the ground), +10% for uneven holes; 50 lb bag ≈ 0.375 cu ft (Quikrete) — about 3.6 bags a post. Regular mix in a tub costs about half as much per post on a job this size. | For posts: pour it dry into the hole and add water, no mixing. Sets in 20–40 minutes; about 0.375 cu ft per bag (Quikrete). |
| **10 bags** | Drainage stone, ¾″ clean (0.5 cu ft bags) | 6″ in the bottom of every hole so water drains away from the post end: 4.6 cu ft. | No fines, so water drains instead of pushing on the wall. |
| **45 boards** | Pressure-treated 2×4 (2×4 × 8′) | 3 rows of rails × 15 bays, one 8 ft board per bay, ends meeting on the posts. | Treated against rot — for wood touching concrete or outdoors. |
| **3 boards** | Pressure-treated 2×4 (2×4 × 8′) | 1 gate leaf 48″ wide: 3 rails and a diagonal brace each. | Treated against rot — for wood touching concrete or outdoors. |
| **230 boards** | Treated fence pickets (1×6 × 6′ dog-ear) | 100′ of fence and gates ÷ 5-1/2″ boards side by side = 219, +5% for splits and culls. | Pressure-treated pine pickets, ⅝″ thick, dog-ear or flat top. They shrink as they dry, so side-by-side boards open small gaps. |
| **2 boxes** | Ring-shank fence nails, hot-dip galvanized (2″ (6d) ring-shank, 5 lb box (≈750)) | ≈1380 nails: 2 per board at each of the 3 rails. Hot-dip galvanized (or stainless) with treated lumber. | The rings stop pickets working loose. Hot-dip galvanized (or stainless) is required with treated lumber. |
| **≈198 screws (2 boxes of 100)** | Coated deck screws (3″ coated or stainless) | Two at each end of every rail, and the gate frames. | Exterior-rated screws for treads and risers. |
| **3 hinges** | Heavy-duty gate hinges (heavy-duty strap or T-hinges) | 3 per leaf (tall gates get a third). | Galvanized or black strap or T-hinges, with their screws. Self-closing hinges for a pool gate. |
| **1 latch** | Gate latch (gravity latch) | One per gate. | A gravity latch, or a self-latching pool-safe latch where the fence guards a pool. |
| **1 kit** | Anti-sag gate kit (cable + turnbuckle) | One per leaf, from the top hinge corner to the bottom latch corner, to pull a settling gate back up. | Cable and turnbuckle that pull a wood gate’s latch side back up as it settles. |
| **2 five-gallon buckets** | Fence stain and sealer (semi-transparent or solid) | 1380 sq ft — both sides, + 15% for rails, posts and edges — at about 150 sq ft per gallon on rough wood (read the can). | Semi-transparent or solid exterior stain for rough fence boards. Rough wood drinks more than the can’s smooth-wood coverage. |

### In Canada (30.48 m wood fence, 1.83 m tall)

Set to Canada, the Sheet works the job out again for Ontario: metric sizes, bag sizes, the frost depth and the code notes. It doesn't just convert feet to meters. The first lines:

- **17 posts, Pressure-treated 4×4 post:** 2 end, 2 corner and 11 line posts, + 2 gate posts: 1.83 m above the ground + 1.07 m in it.
- **67 bags, Fast-setting concrete mix, 30 kg:** 0.75 m³ around 17 posts (254 mm holes, filled to 51 mm below the ground), +10% for uneven holes; 30 kg bag ≈ 0.012 m³ (Quikrete) — about 3.5 bags a post. Regular mix in a tub costs about half as much per post on a job this size.
- **10 bags, Drainage stone, 19 mm clean:** 152 mm in the bottom of every hole so water drains away from the post end: 0.13 m³.
- **45 boards, Pressure-treated 2×4:** 3 rows of rails × 15 bays, one 2.44 m board per bay, ends meeting on the posts.
- **3 boards, Pressure-treated 2×4:** 1 gate leaf 1.22 m wide: 3 rails and a diagonal brace each.
- **230 boards, Treated fence pickets:** 30.48 m of fence and gates ÷ 140 mm boards side by side = 219, +5% for splits and culls.

## The steps, in order

> **DIY OK: you can do this yourself with standard tools.** About 37–58 hours of work for this example.

1. Call 811 (NJ One Call) at least 3 full business days ahead and wait for the utility markings.
2. Find your property line (the pins or a survey), check the height limit and the side that must face out, and talk to the neighbors.
3. Stake the ends and corners and pull a string line between them; mark a post about every 8′, and leave 4′ openings between gate posts.
4. Dig 17 holes 10″ wide: 42″ deep, 48″ for the gate posts.
5. Put 6″ of gravel in each hole; set the end and corner posts plumb, 36″ in the ground, then pull a string between them at the top for the line posts.
6. Set each post plumb and pour the fast-setting mix in dry, about 3.6 bags a hole, then add the water; crown the top so water runs off.
7. Let the concrete set before any rails or weight go on: about 4 hours for fast-setting mix, a day for regular.
8. Cut the posts to height with a level line and screw on the rails: 3 rows of 2×4, two 3″ screws at each end.
9. Nail the boards on tight side by side, 2″ off the ground, two nails at every rail; check plumb every few boards.
10. Build each gate on a Z-frame — rails and a diagonal brace running down to the hinge side — then hang it with 3 hinges, ½″ clear at the latch side; add the latch and the anti-sag kit.
11. Cap the posts.
12. Let the treated wood dry until water soaks in instead of beading, often 1–3 months; then stain both sides.

## Tools (25)

Must-have tools first, then the ones that help and the ones to rent for the day.

| Tool | Need | Why |
|---|---|---|
| **Tape measure (25 ft)** | **Must have** | The red boxes every 16″ on the blade are stud spacing. |
| **Mason's line + stakes** | **Must have** | Keeps every post on one straight line |
| **Line level** | **Must have** | A tiny level that hangs on a string line. |
| **Post level** | **Must have** | Plumbs a post both ways at once |
| **4-ft level** | **Must have** | Checks plumb and level over a long span. |
| **Post-hole digger** | **Must have** | Cleans out the auger holes and digs near the utility marks |
| **Power auger** | Rent | Drills 17 holes 10″ wide in a morning instead of a weekend |
| **Digging bar** | Good to have | Breaks rocks and roots in the holes |
| **Square shovel** | **Must have** | Cuts clean trench walls, moves gravel. |
| **Wheelbarrow** | **Must have** | Moves gravel, soil and block. |
| **5-gal buckets (2)** | **Must have** | Water for the fast-setting mix |
| **Clamps (2)** | Good to have | Hold braces while the posts set |
| **Circular saw** | **Must have** | Cuts posts, rails and boards |
| **Cordless drill/driver** | **Must have** | Drills holes, drives screws, mixes small batches. |
| **Impact driver** | **Must have** | Drives the rail screws |
| **Framing hammer** | **Must have** | Nails, taps and persuades. |
| **Speed square** | **Must have** | Triangle square for marking square and angled cuts on lumber. |
| **Sawhorses** | **Must have** | Cutting support. |
| **Siding nailer** | Good to have | A coil nailer with ring-shank coil nails puts boards up several times faster |
| **Air compressor + hose** | Good to have | Runs the nailer |
| **Pump sprayer** | **Must have** | Sprays the stain on fast |
| **9″ roller frame** | Good to have | Back-roll the boards so the stain soaks in evenly |
| **Work gloves** | **Must have** | Tack strip, block and lumber shred hands. |
| **Safety glasses** | **Must have** | Every cut, every nail, every time. |
| **Hearing protection** | **Must have** | Saws and augers are loud |

## Mistakes and how the math works

### Mistakes that cost a callback or a second trip

- **Building on the wrong side of the line:** A fence over the property line can be ordered moved at your cost. Find the pins or get a survey first.
- **Posts set too shallow or out of plumb:** They lean in the wind and heave in frost. 36″ in the ground here, plumb both ways before the concrete sets.
- **Water sitting at the post:** Concrete flared over the ground gives frost something to lift, and a cupped top holds water against the wood. Gravel under the post, concrete crowned just below the ground.
- **Boards touching the ground:** They wick water and rot. Keep them 2″ up; a straight 2×4 on the ground is an easy spacer.
- **A gate brace running the wrong way:** The diagonal must run from the bottom of the hinge side up to the latch side, or the gate sags.

### What the calculator assumes

- Posts about 8′ on center: one per bay, + one per gate and one per two free ends; each corner or gate adds a short bay, because a stretch rarely ends on an even bay.
- Holes: ½ of the height above ground, at least 2 ft (Quikrete), + 6″ of gravel; gate posts 6″ deeper. To the frost depth where it’s known, up to 4 ft.
- Concrete to 2″ below the ground, +10% for uneven holes: 50 lb fast-setting ≈ 0.375 cu ft, 80 lb regular ≈ 0.6 cu ft (Quikrete). Fast-setting mix takes rails after about 4 hours.
- Boards +5% for splits and culls; board-on-board overlaps 1″ each side, shadowbox ¾″. Rails: 2 rows up to 4′ 6″, 3 up to 6′ 6″, 4 above.
- Fasteners: hot-dip galvanized or stainless with treated lumber (the treatment eats plain steel), stainless with cedar.

## Code, permits and safety

The Sheet sets its code notes for the job's state or province. These are New Jersey's and Ontario's; the [code reference](https://studsheet.com/codes) has more. Always confirm with your building department.

- **Call 811 first — it’s the law:** In New Jersey, call 811 (NJ One Call) at least 3 full business days before digging. Free. Wait for the utility markings.
- **Know your property line:** A fence over the line can be ordered removed. Find the property pins or get a survey, and set the fence inside your line unless you and your neighbor agree in writing. Many towns and HOAs want the finished side facing out.
- **Post depth:** Holes 42″ deep (36″ of post in the ground, on 6″ of gravel), gate posts 48″. Frost line: 36″ in Mercer/Middlesex and north, 30″ south. Confirm with your building department. These holes reach below it.
- **Height limits come from zoning:** New Jersey towns set fence heights in their zoning ordinance — often about 4 ft in front yards and 6 ft behind. Ask your town. Many towns want the finished side facing the neighbor or the street.
- **Ask your town:** Most New Jersey towns want a zoning permit for a fence, and a pool barrier needs a construction permit and inspection. Ask your town’s zoning officer before you dig.
- **Click Before You Dig:** Before you dig, request a free utility locate from Ontario Dig Authority (ontariodigauthority.ca) at least 5 business days ahead, and wait for the markings.
- **Fence by-laws set the height:** Your municipality’s fence by-law sets the heights: Toronto allows 2.0 m in back and side yards and 1.2 m in a front yard near the street; Ottawa 2.13 m in back and side yards and 1.0 m in front. Confirm with your building department.
- **Usually no building permit:** Most Canadian cities need no building permit for a fence; the fence by-law sets the heights and where it can go. Ask your municipality’s building department if unsure.

## Questions

### What materials do I need to build a wood fence?

For the worked example, a 100′ wood fence, 6′ tall, the Sheet counts 12 lines with waste included, starting with pressure-treated 4×4 post (17 posts), fast-setting concrete mix, 50 lb (67 bags), drainage stone, ¾″ clean (10 bags), pressure-treated 2×4 (45 boards). Each line's math is in the table above. Put in your own sizes in the [fence calculator](https://app.studsheet.com/p/fence) and every line is counted again.

### How long does it take to build a wood fence, and can I do it myself?

About 37 to 58 hours for the worked example, in 12 steps. StudSheet stamps it **DIY OK**: you can do this.

### What tools do I need to build a wood fence?

25 in all. The must-haves start with tape measure (25 ft), mason's line + stakes, line level, post level, 4-ft level, post-hole digger. On the Sheet you mark each one as owned, to buy or to rent.

## Ask about it

Stuck while you build a wood fence? Ask in the [Fences group](https://studsheet.com/forum/fences) of the StudSheet community with this Sheet attached. Homeowners who've done it and verified pros answer, and anyone can read it.

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