How to plan a fence layout
- Walk the fence line and break it into straight runs. A new run starts at every corner.
- Measure each run and note how many gates it has. Gate width is the opening between the two gate posts.
- Choose whether the runs connect at shared corner posts, form a closed loop, or stand apart.
- Set the height, post spacing and picket size, then the post and hole sizes for the concrete estimate.
How the materials are calculated
Sections per run = (run length − gates × gate width) ÷ post spacing, rounded up
Posts per run = sections + 1 + gates
Shared corner posts are subtracted once per connection
Pickets = fence length in inches ÷ (picket width + gap), plus gate pickets and spares
Concrete per hole = (π × hole diameter² ÷ 4 − post width²) × depth in ground
Worked example
A backyard fence runs 60, 100 and 60 feet, connected at two corners, with one 4 foot gate. With posts 8 feet apart there are 28 sections and 30 posts. A 6 foot privacy fence with 5 1/2 inch pickets side by side needs 505 pickets with 5 percent spare, and 84 rails at 3 per section. Each post buried 24 inches in a 10 1/2 inch hole takes 1.03 cubic feet of concrete, so the whole fence needs 52 bags of 80 lb concrete mix.
Tips before you dig
- Call 811 a few days before you dig so buried utility lines are marked.
- Check property lines, setback rules and any HOA limits on fence height and style.
- Set the corner and end posts first, run a string line between them, then fill in the line posts.
- Place gates on a post line and give each gate post the full depth and concrete, because gates add leverage.
- Slope the top of the concrete away from the post so water drains off instead of pooling against the wood.
Frequently asked questions
How far apart should fence posts be?
Wood fence posts are usually set 6 to 8 feet apart. Eight feet suits standard 8 foot rails with no waste. Closer spacing makes a stiffer fence, which helps in windy spots or with heavy boards.
How deep should fence posts be?
QUIKRETE recommends burying 1/3 to 1/2 of the post's above-ground height, plus 6 inches of gravel at the bottom of the hole. For a 6 foot fence that is 24 to 36 inches of post in the ground. Where the ground freezes, check your local frost depth as well.
How wide should a fence post hole be?
QUIKRETE recommends a hole three times the width of the post. A 4 x 4 post is 3 1/2 inches wide, so dig a hole about 10 1/2 inches across.
How many bags of concrete do I need per fence post?
For a 4 x 4 post in a 10 1/2 inch hole with 24 inches of concrete, each hole takes 1.03 cubic feet. An 80 lb bag yields about 0.60 cubic feet, so that is 1.7 bags per post. Buy whole bags for the total, not per hole, and mix the remainder into the next hole.
How many pickets do I need per 8 foot section?
Divide the section width in inches by the picket width plus the gap. Side-by-side 1 x 6 pickets are 5 1/2 inches wide, so an 8 foot section takes 96 ÷ 5.5 = 17.45, rounded up to 18 pickets.
How are corners and gates counted?
Each run starts and ends with a post. Runs that connect at a corner share that post, so choose "connected" or "closed loop" to avoid counting it twice. Each gate adds one post, because the opening needs a post on both sides.