Last updated: February 16, 2026
200 Feet of Fence, 22 Posts, and One Trip to the Store
A weekend builder buys “enough” materials for a backyard privacy fence, gets halfway down the property line, and runs out of posts. The second lumber-yard run costs a morning of work and $40 in gas. Worse, the first half used 10-foot spacing copied from a chain-link guide—far too wide for solid wood panels that catch wind like a sail. Proper fence post spacing depends on fence type, panel weight, and wind exposure, and getting it right before you dig the first hole saves money, time, and a sagging fence line.
This calculator takes your total run length, fence style, corner count, and gate count, then produces a full material list—posts, panels or pickets, rails, concrete bags, and an optional cost estimate—so the store trip happens once.
Spacing Rules by Fence Type: Wood, Chain Link, and Field Wire
Post spacing is not one-size-fits-all. Heavier panels need closer supports; lighter wire runs can stretch farther between posts.
| Fence type | Standard spacing | Post size (typical) | Wind note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood privacy (solid panel) | 8 ft on center | 4×4 or 4×6 | High wind: drop to 6–7 ft |
| Wood picket (spaced boards) | 6–8 ft | 4×4 | Gaps reduce wind load; 8 ft usually fine |
| Chain link | 10 ft | 2⅜″ round | Terminal posts at ends, corners, gates |
| Field / wire (agricultural) | 12–16 ft | T-post or 4″ round | Braced corner assemblies every change of direction |
| Ranch / split rail | 8–10 ft | 5–6″ round | Decorative; wind rarely a factor |
These spacings assume moderate wind. In open prairie, coastal lots, or above tree line, tighten solid-panel spacing by 10–15 % to prevent racking. Picket and wire fences let air through and rarely need the reduction.
Corners, Gates, and End Posts—The Posts People Forget to Count
Line posts repeat at the chosen spacing interval, but three other post categories add to the total and are routinely missed on material lists.
End / terminal posts. One at each terminus of the run. If the fence forms a closed loop, the start post and end post are the same piece.
Corner posts. One at every change of direction. These carry lateral pull from both runs and typically need a larger diameter or deeper embedment than line posts.
Gate posts. Two per gate opening. Gate posts bear hinge weight and latch tension, so they are usually 4×6 or 6×6 even when line posts are 4×4.
Formula: Total posts = line posts + corner posts + (gates × 2) + end posts. On a typical rectangular backyard with four corners and one gate, that adds six posts beyond the line-post count—an easy $120–$180 to overlook.
200 Feet of Privacy Fence—Full Material List
Project: 6-ft-high wood privacy fence, 200 ft total run, 8-ft post spacing, 4 corners, 1 gate (4 ft wide). Posts: pressure-treated 4×4×8, $12 each. Pre-built 8-ft panels: $55 each. Concrete: 50-lb bags, $5.50 each, 2 bags per post hole.
- Sections: 200 ÷ 8 = 25 sections
- Line posts: 25 (one between each section, minus corners handled separately)
- Corner posts: 4
- Gate posts: 1 × 2 = 2
- Total posts: 25 + 4 + 2 = 31 × $12 = $372
- Panels: 25 − 1 (gate opening) = 24 panels × $55 = $1,320
- Concrete: 31 × 2 = 62 bags × $5.50 = $341
- Gate hardware kit: $45
- Material total: $372 + $1,320 + $341 + $45 = $2,078. Add 10 % waste → ~$2,290.
Labor for a two-person crew averages $8–$15 per linear foot depending on soil and access. At $10/ft that puts the installed price around $4,290.
Five Fencing Gotchas That Wreck the Material Plan
- Stepped fencing on a slope. Panels are rectangular; slopes are not. On a hill each panel steps up or down, leaving a triangle gap underneath. Filling those gaps takes extra pickets or custom-cut boards not counted in a flat-ground material list. Rack-style panels that follow the slope cost 20–30 % more but eliminate the gap.
- Shared fence line with a neighbor. Many local codes require the “good side” (flat face) to face the neighbor’s property. Board-on-board fences look finished from both sides but use roughly 60 % more lumber. And if the property line is disputed by even a few inches, one of you may have to move the fence later—get a survey first.
- HOA height and style restrictions. Some associations cap fence height at 4 ft in front yards or ban chain link entirely. Ordering materials before reading the covenants risks returning half of them and paying a restocking fee.
- Concrete per post hole varies with frost depth. In the Southeast a 24-inch hole is standard. In Minnesota code calls for 42 inches below grade. The deeper hole more than doubles the concrete per post—jumping from 1.5 bags to 3–4 bags each. Multiply by 30 posts and the concrete budget swings by $250 or more.
- Utilities under the fence line. Call 811 before digging. A gas line 18 inches down in your planned post-hole path means hand-digging that section, relocating the run, or switching to a surface- mounted post bracket—each option adding time and cost nobody planned for.
What the Estimator Assumes and Where You Take Over
The calculator divides total run length by the selected spacing, adds corner and gate posts, multiplies by concrete bags per hole, and totals panels or pickets. It assumes a straight or right-angle layout on level ground. Slopes, curves, easements, setback requirements, and underground utilities are outside its scope. For any fence that serves as a pool barrier, property-line boundary, or noise screen, verify spacing and height against your local building code before ordering.
Checking whether your fence stays inside the allowable lot coverage? Run the building coverage calculator. Planning how many lots a parcel can yield before fencing? Try the plot division planner. Adding a retaining wall where the fence meets a slope? Use the retaining wall estimator.