How many pickets and posts for 100 feet of fence?
100 feet of 6 ft privacy fence with posts 8 ft apart takes 16 posts, 40 rails, and 232 pickets with 10 percent waste, in 12 sections. Setting the posts takes 32 bags of 50 lb concrete, and hanging the pickets takes about 1,300 screws. With posts at 6 ft you need 20 posts and 53 rails.
Lumber for 100 feet of fence
| Post spacing | Rails per section | Posts | Rails | Pickets (10% waste) | Concrete bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 3 | 16 | 40 | 232 | 32 |
| 8 ft | 2 | 16 | 27 | 232 | 32 |
| 6 ft | 3 | 20 | 53 | 232 | 40 |
| 6 ft | 2 | 20 | 36 | 232 | 40 |
For a 6 ft privacy fence with 5-1/2 in pickets butted tight, 4 corners, and one 4 ft gate, with two 50 lb bags of concrete per post. Three rails are standard for 6 ft fences; two is common for 4 ft fences.
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Shopping list for 100 feet of privacy fence
- Posts: 16 pressure-treated 4 × 4 × 8 ft, set 2 ft deep (below frost line in cold climates, which may mean 10 ft posts).
- Rails: 40 pressure-treated 2 × 4 × 8 ft, three per section.
- Pickets: 232 dog-ear pickets, 5/8 × 5-1/2 × 6 ft, cedar or pressure-treated pine.
- Concrete: 32 bags of 50 lb fast-setting mix, two per post. The concrete calculator handles odd post sizes.
- Fasteners: about 1,300 exterior screws or ring-shank nails for pickets, plus 160 3 in screws or rail brackets for the rails.
- Gate: one 4 ft gate kit with hinges and latch, and a 6 × 6 or doubled 4 × 4 on the hinge side.
- Gravel: 4 bags of gravel for drainage at the bottom of each post hole.
What 100 feet of fence costs
Materials for 100 feet of pressure-treated privacy fence run about $1,132 to $1,760: pickets at $2.50 to $4 each, 4 × 4 posts at $12 to $18, rails at $5 to $8, and concrete at $5 to $7 a bag. Cedar pickets add roughly 50 percent to the picket line. Pre-built 8 ft panels cost $60 to $120 each, or $720 to $1,440 for 12 sections, and go up faster but cannot follow slopes as well. A fence contractor typically charges $25 to $45 per linear foot installed for wood privacy fence, so $2,500 to $4,500 for this run. Renting a gas auger for the 16 post holes is about $75 to $100 a day.
Common questions
How many fence pickets do I need for 100 feet?
232 pickets of 5-1/2 in width butted tight, including 10 percent for waste and a gate. With a 1/2 in gap between pickets it drops to 212.
How many fence posts for 100 feet?
16 posts at 8 ft spacing or 20 at 6 ft, counting the corners and gate posts. Posts on 6 ft centers make a stiffer fence in windy areas and let you use 12 ft rails cut in half.
How much does 100 feet of privacy fence cost?
About $1,132 to $1,760 in materials for pressure-treated pine, or $2,500 to $4,500 installed by a contractor. Vinyl runs $30 to $60 per foot installed; chain link about $15 to $30.