Guide · Fence
How Many Fence Pickets Do I Need for 100 Feet?
A 100-foot run of privacy fence built with standard 1×6 pickets (5½ inches wide, butted edge to edge) takes about 219 pickets. Add 10% for cuts, splits, and culls, and buy 241. You’ll also need 14 posts set 8 feet on center, 26–39 rails depending on fence height, and roughly two bags of concrete per post.
Below is the exact counting method, a chart covering other fence lengths, and guidance on post spacing, rails, picket gaps, and concrete per post. To skip the arithmetic, use our free fence material calculator — enter the total run and it returns pickets, posts, rails, and concrete for any fence length and picket style.
Pickets, posts, rails, and concrete for your exact fence length — free, no sign-up.
Open the fence calculator →Before waste. With 10%: 241 pickets. Posts at 8 ft on center; 26 rails (2 per section) or 39 rails (3 per section).
The math, step by step
= 5.5″ − 0″ = 5.5″ (privacy fence)
Pickets = fence length ÷ exposure
= (100 × 12) ÷ 5.5 = 218.2 → 219 pickets
- Convert the run to inches. 100 ft × 12 = 1,200 inches of fence line.
- Find each picket’s exposure. A standard 1×6 picket is 5½ inches wide. On a privacy fence the pickets butt edge to edge, so each one covers 5.5 inches.
- Divide and round up. 1,200 ÷ 5.5 = 218.18 — you can’t buy two-tenths of a picket, so round up to 219.
- Add waste. Pickets get culled for warps, splits, and knots, and you’ll trim some at corners and gates: 219 × 1.10 = 240.9 → 241 pickets to buy.
- Count the posts. At 8 feet on center, 100 ÷ 8 = 12.5 → 13 sections, plus the end post = 14 posts.
- Count the rails. Two rails per section for fences up to 5 feet, three for 6-foot and taller: 13 × 2 = 26 rails (or 39 for a 6-foot fence).
- Estimate concrete. Roughly two 50-lb bags of fast-setting mix per 4×4 post → 14 × 2 = 28 bags. Hole diameter and depth change this — check your product’s yield.
Fence picket counts for common fence lengths
Pickets assume standard 1×6 boards (5½″ wide) butted with no gap — the classic privacy fence. Posts are at 8 feet on center.
| Fence length | Pickets | Pickets +10% | Posts | Rails (2/section) | Rails (3/section) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft | 110 | 121 | 8 | 14 | 21 |
| 75 ft | 164 | 181 | 11 | 20 | 30 |
| 100 ft | 219 | 241 | 14 | 26 | 39 |
| 150 ft | 328 | 361 | 20 | 38 | 57 |
| 200 ft | 437 | 481 | 26 | 50 | 75 |
Rail counts are for 8-ft rails matching the post spacing. Buy rails in 8-ft lengths; cut the last one per run.
How far apart should fence posts be?
Eight feet on center is the residential standard: it matches 8-foot rails and picket-friendly spans, and it keeps the post count (and concrete bill) reasonable. In high-wind areas or for heavy board-on-board designs, many builders drop to 6 feet on center for a stiffer fence — a 100-foot run then needs about 17 sections and 18 posts. Whatever spacing you choose, keep it consistent; the rails are cut to the post spacing, and irregular bays waste lumber.
Gates are the exception. A gate opening needs beefier posts — typically 6×6 instead of 4×4 — set deeper and in more concrete, because the gate’s weight and daily swinging work the post far harder than a straight run does. Plan gate posts as separate line items, not just “two more posts.”
How many rails per fence section?
Rails are the horizontal boards the pickets fasten to. Use two rails for fences up to about 5 feet tall (one near the top, one near the bottom) and three rails for 6-foot and taller fences, adding a mid-rail so long pickets don’t bow. Rails are usually 2×4s in 8-foot lengths to match the post spacing; set the top rail about 6–8 inches below the picket tops and the bottom rail 6–8 inches above grade so it doesn’t sit in wet soil and mulch.
What if my pickets aren’t butted tight?
Not every fence is a privacy fence. Spaced-picket, picket (the classic white-picket look), and shadowbox designs leave deliberate gaps, and the gap changes the math: exposure becomes picket width plus gap. A 1×6 picket with a 3½″ gap exposes 9 inches per picket, so a 100-foot run needs 1,200 ÷ 9 = 133.3 → 134 pickets — dramatically fewer than the 219 for a privacy fence. Measure your planned gap and rerun the formula; our fence material calculator lets you enter the gap directly.
Concrete per post: the rule of thumb
Budget roughly two 50-lb bags of fast-setting concrete mix per 4×4 post for a typical 10–12-inch-diameter hole about 2 feet deep. That’s a planning figure: a wider hole, a deeper hole (frost lines in cold climates can demand 3 feet or more), or a 6×6 gate post all push the number up. The reliable rule for depth is the one-third rule: bury at least one-third of the post’s total length, with a 2-foot minimum. In freeze zones, the hole bottom must sit below the local frost line or heaving will lift the post — check your local code for the required depth.
Set posts in concrete for gates, corners, and end posts without exception; line posts on straight, sheltered runs can be tamped in compacted gravel in well-draining soil, though concrete is the safer default. Our concrete calculator converts post-hole dimensions to bags if you want an exact number instead of the rule of thumb.
How we calculate
Picket counts divide the fence run (in inches) by each picket’s exposure — its 5½-inch actual width minus any planned gap — and round up. Post counts assume 8 feet on center with an end post; rail counts assume 8-foot 2×4 rails, two per section up to 5 feet of fence height and three above. Concrete is a rule of thumb (two 50-lb bags per 4×4 post in a 10–12-inch hole); actual yield varies by hole size and product, and frost depth can require deeper holes. The 10% waste allowance covers culls, warps, and cut-offs; it is a planning figure, not an engineering specification.
Reviewed September 2026 · TrueMeasure
Frequently asked questions
How many pickets are in an 8-foot fence section?
18. An 8-foot section is 96 inches; 96 ÷ 5.5 = 17.45, rounded up to 18 pickets for a privacy (no-gap) design.
Do I count pickets differently for a spaced picket fence?
Yes — add the gap to the picket width. A 1×6 picket with a 3½-inch gap exposes 9 inches, so 100 feet needs about 134 pickets instead of 219. Enter your gap in our fence material calculator to get the exact count.
How many posts do I need for 100 feet of fence?
14 posts at the standard 8 feet on center (13 sections plus the end post). Drop to 6-foot spacing in high-wind areas, which raises the count to about 18 posts.
How many bags of concrete per fence post?
Roughly two 50-lb bags of fast-setting mix per 4×4 post in a typical hole. Wider or deeper holes — frost lines can demand 3 feet or more — need more. Check the yield printed on your bag.
Should I add extra when ordering pickets?
Yes, 10% is the standard allowance. Lumber arrives with warps, splits, and knots you’ll want to cull, and corners and gates create cut-offs.
How tall should the posts be for a 6-foot fence?
Use 8-foot posts with 2 feet in the ground — the one-third rule (bury at least a third of the post, 2-foot minimum). In freeze zones, go below the local frost line regardless.