Vinyl fence calculator

How this calculator works

You enter each side of your fence and place gates on the sides where they go. The calculator derives corners, ends and gate posts from that layout, the same way it does for wood and chain link. Gates split a side into separate runs, and the gate openings are subtracted from the fence length.

Vinyl differs from wood in one important way: your panel sets the post spacing. You cannot stretch a bay to divide a run evenly. The calculator lays full panels along each run and handles the leftover.

Panels per run = ceil(run ÷ OC), where OC is panel width plus post width for your product. For a common 6 ft wide privacy panel in a 5x5 post, such as Freedom or Veranda, that is about 73¼ in. 8 ft wide panels run about 96 in. These are typical figures, not universal ones. Check the installation sheet for your exact panel, such as this ready-to-assemble privacy panel sheet, and set each next post against the installed panel rather than trusting the tape.

The last panel is cut. If the leftover piece on a run would be under 4 ft, the calculator splits it into two equal partial panels, one at each end of the run. A cut panel still uses a whole panel kit.

Posts = panels + 1 on each run, with corner posts shared between the two runs they join. Every post is sorted by how it is routed:

• Line posts have rail holes on two opposite sides.
• Corner posts have holes on two adjacent sides.
• End posts have holes on one side. Gate posts are end posts.

Post length comes from the fence height and embed depth: 5x5 × 9 ft for 6 ft privacy, 96 in or 84 in posts for 5 ft and 4 ft fences, and 4x4 × 72 in for a 4 ft picket fence. If your frost depth plus 6 in is deeper than a 9 ft post allows, the calculator warns you to order longer posts.

Concrete uses a 10 in hole with 30 in of concrete for 5x5 posts (about 1.6 bags of 80 lb mix each) and an 8 in hole with 24 in for 4x4 posts, all over a 6 in gravel base. Gate posts go 6 in deeper.

Worked example

A 6 ft privacy fence, 6 ft panels at 73¼ in OC. Three 50 ft sides, a 4 ft walk gate in the middle of the third side, two corners and two free ends.

Run	Length	Panels	Cut panels
Side 1	50 ft (600 in)	ceil(600 ÷ 73.25) = 9	leftover 14 in, so split into two partials of about 43½ in
Side 2	50 ft	9	same as side 1
Side 3, left of gate	23 ft (276 in)	ceil(276 ÷ 73.25) = 4	one partial of about 56¼ in
Side 3, right of gate	23 ft	4	same
Total	146 ft net	26 panel kits	6 cut

Post type	Count	Where
Line	22	8 + 8 + 3 + 3 inside the runs
Corner	2	where sides meet
End	4	2 free ends and 2 gate posts
Total	28	28 post caps

Add one 4 ft gate kit, two aluminum gate post stiffeners, a latch, a can of PVC cement for the caps, and about 50 bags of 80 lb concrete at the default depth.

Vinyl fence reference

Fence	Panel width	Typical OC	Post	Post length	Hole and concrete
6 ft privacy	6 ft	about 73¼ in	5x5	9 ft	10 in × 30 in, about 1.6 bags of 80 lb
6 ft privacy	8 ft	about 96 in	5x5	9 ft	10 in × 30 in
5 ft	6 ft or 8 ft	per product	5x5	96 in	10 in hole
4 ft	6 ft or 8 ft	per product	5x5	84 in	10 in hole
4 ft picket	8 ft	per product	4x4	72 in	8 in × 24 in

Gate kit	Fits opening	Latch	Stiffeners
46 in	4 ft	sold separately	2 per gate
58 in	5 ft	sold separately	2 per gate
Double gate	2 leaves	sold separately, plus a drop rod	2 per gate

Posts by routing, gate parts and inserts

A vinyl panel kit includes its rails and pickets, so the panel count covers most of the fence. The list adds the parts sold separately:

Post routing. Line, corner and end posts are routed differently and are different SKUs. The list sorts every post by routing so the order matches the layout.

Gate post stiffeners. Vinyl posts are hollow and cannot carry a gate on their own. Each gate needs two aluminum stiffeners, one in each gate post, and they are typically sold separately from the gate kit. The Freedom support page links the gate and stiffener instructions.

Latches and drop rods. Most vinyl gate kits do not include a latch. Double gates also need a drop rod to hold the fixed leaf.

Post caps and cement. One cap per post, plus PVC cement if you want them to stay on.

Cut panels. The calculator plans the cuts, but each cut panel still uses a full kit. If a run is close to a panel multiple, moving a corner a few inches can save a kit.

High-wind reinforcement. In windy areas, you can add an aluminum rail insert for each panel and aluminum inserts for the posts. The calculator adds these when you turn on the high-wind option.

Gravel. A 6 in gravel base under every post, in 0.5 ft³ bags.

Vinyl fence cost per foot

National ranges for installed vinyl fence, 2026. Vinyl costs more up front than wood but needs no stain.

Height or style	Installed, per linear foot	Source
4 ft	$40 to $85 (median $56)	Ergeon
5 ft	$40 to $90 (median $60)	Ergeon
6 ft	$35 to $80 (median $51)	Ergeon
6 ft privacy, flat top	$55.93 to $79.02	Homewyse, Sept 2026
6 ft privacy	$28 to $55	Fence Advisors
8 ft	$70 to $130 (median $92)	Ergeon

For materials only, Ergeon puts standard vinyl at $35 to $45 per linear foot and premium vinyl at $55 to $100. Gates add $50 to over $1,000 each depending on size.

The calculator's estimate prices your panel kits, posts, caps, gates and concrete with editable national-average unit prices. Change them to your store's prices and the total updates.

Before you buy

• Call 811 a few business days before you dig. It is free.
• Check permits and HOA rules. Height limits and which side faces out are common rules.
• Confirm your property line before you set the first post.
• Measure along the ground. Vinyl panels rack only a little, so on a slope you may need to step panels, which means longer posts on the downhill side.
• Buy from one product line. Panels, posts and gates from different brands rarely fit each other.

GuideFence post spacingHow far apart fence posts should be for wood, chain link, vinyl, aluminum and split rail, plus how to equalize spacing on each run so no bay is a stub.