My Fence Calculator is a free tool that turns a fence layout into a complete shopping list. You enter your fence side by side, pick a fence type, add gates, and the calculator works out the posts, rails, panels, pickets, fabric, fittings, fasteners and concrete you need. It currently covers wood, chain link and vinyl fences.
The goal is a list you can take to a store or send to a supplier. Quantities are given in the units you actually buy, such as whole posts, full rolls of fabric, boxes of screws and bags of concrete, rather than raw totals like linear feet or cubic feet.
Where the formulas come from
The math behind each fence type is based on published sources. We rely on:
- Manufacturer installation guides, such as those from Master Halco and Freedom/Barrette
- ASTM F567, the standard practice for installing chain link fence
- Quikrete technical data sheets for concrete yield per bag
- IRC R317.3, which covers fasteners for treated wood, and the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) for pool barrier requirements
- Installer training pages published by fence suppliers
Where sources disagree, we use the more conservative figure and note the difference in the relevant guide.
How quantities are rounded
Stores sell whole items, so every quantity is rounded up to a full purchase unit. If your fence needs 2.3 rolls of fabric, the list says 3. If the concrete works out to 14.2 bags, the list says 15.
We also add a small waste allowance to items that are commonly cut, split or damaged during a build, such as pickets, boards and fasteners. The allowance covers miscuts, warped boards and dropped screws. The allowance is shown on the list so you can see it and adjust it.
What this site does not do
- No live retailer prices. Cost estimates use dated national averages. They are a starting point, and you can edit them to match your local prices.
- No engineering advice. The calculator does not size footings for wind load, assess soil, or design retaining or structural fences.
- No code approval. Local codes, HOA rules and permit requirements vary. Always check with your local building department and your supplier before you buy or dig.
- US only, for now. Frost depths come from a US state table, lumber and posts use US nominal sizes (a 4x4 is 3½ in square, a 1x6 picket is 5½ in wide), code references are to the IRC and ISPSC, and prices are US dollars. Outside the US, enter your own frost depth and treat the stock sizes as a template to adjust.
Call 811 a few days before digging any post holes so buried utility lines can be marked.
How the site is funded
The calculator and guides are free to use, with no account required. To cover hosting and development, the site may show display ads and include affiliate links in the future. If it does, affiliate links will be disclosed on the pages where they appear, and ads will never change the quantities the calculator produces.
Report an error
If a quantity looks wrong, we want to know. Please use the contact page and include the share link from the calculator so we can see your exact layout and settings.
Editorial note
Content on this site is written and maintained by the site's editorial team. Every page shows a "last updated" date, and we review guides and formulas when sources change or when readers report problems.