How many pickets for a 100 ft picket fence?

Data checked October 2026

Short answer

A 100 ft spaced picket fence 4 ft tall takes 220 pickets (200 plus 10% extra), 14 posts, 26 2×4 rails and 42 bags of 50-lb Fast-Setting concrete.

3.5-in pickets with 2.5-in gaps: 1,200 in ÷ 6 in = 200 → 200 pickets, 220 with 10% spare for splits and knots.
14 posts — 12 line posts plus 2 end posts (13 sections). With a 4-ft gate in the run it becomes 14 posts, 2 of them gate posts, and 220 pickets; bent into a U of 25, 50 and 25 ft it takes 16 posts.
Buy 8-ft posts: a 4-ft fence buries 24 in (a third of the post) on 4 in of gravel, so it needs 6'.
2 rails per section → 26 2×4×8 rails, plus 800 2-in and 78 3-in galvanized screws or nails.
Concrete: 42 × 50-lb Fast-Setting (3 per post, 0.42 yd³) — 2,100 lb to haul and about 42 gal of water.
Materials come to about $1,049 ($10.49/ft) at October 2026 prices, versus $1,000–$4,000 installed (Fixr, Jan 2025).
Fencing a pool? CPSC guidance calls for at least 48 in of height and gaps no wider than 1-3/4 in when rails are less than 45 in apart, so a 4-ft picket fence with 2-1/2 in gaps does not qualify.
At 6-ft post spacing — stiffer in high-wind areas — the run takes 18 posts instead of 14.

Adjust it to your exact job

Fence type

Style

Front-yard picket fence: narrow boards with even gaps, usually 3–4 ft tall.

Height

Post spacing

On center. Home Depot's install sheet caps wood fence posts at 8 ft apart; each side is divided evenly.

Fence line100 ft total

Fence length

= 100' · 30.48 m

Gates

Walk gates

Double drive gates

You need

220pickets (3.5 in × 4 ft)

14 posts · 26 rails · 42 × 50-lb bags of concrete for 100' of fence (2 pickets per foot, 10% extra included)

12 line2 end

Posts: 1412 line · 2 end
Rails (2×4×8): 262 per section
Concrete: 42× 50 lb3 per line & end post
Post spacing: 7' 8.25"on center, divided evenly

Posts to buy

Posts by type
Post	Buy	Hole	Fill
Line × 12	4×4 × 8 ft	10 × 28 in	3 bags
End × 2	4×4 × 8 ft	10 × 28 in	3 bags

Each post goes 24 in into the ground on 4 in of gravel, so a 4-ft fence needs posts at least 6' long. Concrete stops 3 in below grade so soil or sod can cover it.

Concrete: 42 × 50-lb Fast-Setting

11.3 ft³ · 0.42 yd³

Counted hole by hole: 3 per line & end post. Dry-poured bags can't be split between holes, so each post rounds up.
Water: about 42 gal (1 gal poured over each 50-lb bag). Weight to haul: 2,100 lb.
Filling the hole to the top with no gravel or soil cap would take 3 bags per line post — that is why bag counts online disagree.
Wait 4 hours before hanging rails, panels or gates on the posts.
With 80-lb Concrete Mix instead: 28 bags, about $181 versus $335 — cheaper per yard, but it must be mixed first and cures for 24 hours.

Different hole size or a single post? Use the post hole concrete calculator.

Pickets: 220

Fence sections: 200
Gate leaves: 0
Spare (10%): 20
On center: 6 in

3.5-in boards with 2.5-in gaps. Keep the bottoms 2 in off the ground so they don't wick up water.

Before you dig

Call 811 (free) a few days ahead to have buried utilities marked. Confirm the property line and set posts a few inches inside it, and check permit, zoning and HOA height rules — front-yard limits are often lower than backyard ones. In cold climates, ask your building department for the local frost depth and enter it above — posts that stop short of it can heave.

Fencing a pool?

CPSC pool-barrier guidance asks for at least 48 in of height and gaps no wider than 1-3/4 in when the rails are less than 45 in apart (climbable) — a typical picket fence with 2-1/2 in gaps doesn't qualify. Local pool codes govern.

Shopping list

14 posts 4×4×8 ft ground-contact PT posts12 line, 2 end$157
220 pickets Pressure-treated pine dog-ear pickets, 3.5 in × 4 ft200 fence + 0 gate + 20 spare · Estimate scaled from the 1×6×6 ft picket price$334
26 boards 2×4×8 ft ground-contact PT rails2 per section · Estimate — we could not verify a current shelf price$181
42 bags Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix (No. 1004), 50 lb bags3 per line & end post$335
6 bags All-purpose gravel, 0.5 cu ft bags4 in drainage base under each post$41.70
800 pcs 2 in hot-dip galvanized or stainless screws/nails (pickets)2 per picket per rail
78 pcs 3 in hot-dip galvanized or stainless screws/nails (rails)
14 caps Post capsoften forgotten — keeps water out of end grain

Estimated total$1,049

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

4×4×8 ft ground-contact PT posts
14 posts × $
$157
Pressure-treated pine dog-ear pickets, 3.5 in × 4 ft
220 pickets × $Estimate scaled from the 1×6×6 ft picket price
$334
2×4×8 ft ground-contact PT rails
26 boards × $Estimate — we could not verify a current shelf price
$181
Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix (No. 1004), 50 lb bags
42 bags × $
$335
All-purpose gravel, 0.5 cu ft bags
6 bags × $
$41.70

Materials total$1,049

Typical U.S. big-box prices, checked October 2026; posts and pickets are 2026 snapshots. Not in the total: 2 in hot-dip galvanized or stainless screws/nails (pickets), 3 in hot-dip galvanized or stainless screws/nails (rails), post caps.

Hiring it out instead?

Installed wood picket fences run about $10–$40 per foot (Fixr, Jan 2025) — roughly $1,000–$4,000 for 100', against about $1,049 in materials above. Compare materials, gates and removal →

Did this answer your question?

Compare

100 ft of fence in every style

Style	Boards / panels	Posts	Concrete bags	Materials
Wood privacy, 6 ft	241 pickets	14	56	$1,585
Board-on-board, 6 ft	330 pickets	14	56	$1,788
Spaced picket, 4 ft	220 pickets	14	42	$1,049
Prebuilt wood panels, 6 ft	13 panels	14	56	$1,764
Vinyl privacy panels, 6 ft	13 panels	14	42	$2,458

How this was worked out

Posts: 100 ft ÷ 8 ft maximum spacing = 12.5, rounded up to 13 sections, spaced evenly at 7' 8.25". A straight run needs one more post than it has sections: 13 + 1 = 14. Every corner shares a post; every gate adds two.

Concrete per post: a 10-in hole has 78.5 sq in of area; minus the 3.5 × 3.5 in post leaves 66.3 sq in. Concrete fills 21 in (the 24-in embedment minus a 3-in soil cap): 66.3 × 21 ÷ 1,728 = 0.81 cu ft ÷ 0.375 cu ft per bag = 2.15 → 3 bags.

Prices used: 4×4×8 ft ground-contact PT posts $11.18; Pressure-treated pine dog-ear pickets, 3.5 in × 4 ft $1.52 (estimate); 2×4×8 ft ground-contact PT rails $6.98 (estimate); Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix (No. 1004), 50 lb bags $7.97; All-purpose gravel, 0.5 cu ft bags $6.95. Tap any price in the calculator to use your store's.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main fence calculator page.

Similar jobs

Other sizes people check

Sources

Data behind this answer

The Home Depot — Do It Yourself Fence Installation sheet — posts ≤ 8 ft on center, 10 in holes, 4 in gravel, rails ≤ 24 in apart, 6 fasteners per picket, pickets 2 in off the ground · checked October 2026
Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix No. 1004 — data sheet (rev. Nov 2025) — 50 lb = 0.375 cu ft; hole 3× post width; fill to 3–4 in below grade; ~1 gal water per bag; lifts ≤ 30 in; 4 h before load · checked October 2026
Quikrete Concrete Mix No. 1101 — data sheet (rev. Oct 2022) — 80 lb = 0.60 cu ft; 6–9 pt water per bag; 24 h before strain · checked October 2026
Quikrete — Setting Posts in Concrete (how-to) — bury 1/3 of the post (= half the above-ground height) plus 6 in of gravel · checked October 2026
Western Red Cedar Lumber Association — fence specifications — 4×4 dresses to 3-9/16 in, 6×6 to 5-1/2 in · checked October 2026
Master Halco — Western Red Cedar fence boards — actual picket widths 3-1/2, 5-1/2 and 7-1/2 in · checked October 2026
Catalyst Fence — Privacy Vinyl Fence Kit instructions (rev. 1.25) — post centers = panel + post width; 10 in holes for 5×5; 6 in gravel; 2 in ground clearance · checked October 2026
Catalyst Fence — Newbury vinyl SKU pages (rev. 6/2026) — 6 and 8 ft panels on 5×5 posts; 97 in post centers (Premium LX); 108 in posts for 6×8 · checked October 2026
Catalyst Fence — Vinyl privacy & picket gate instructions — vinyl gate posts need a stiffener insert, sold separately · checked October 2026
CPSC — Safety Barrier Guidelines for Residential Pools (Pub. 362) — 48 in minimum height, 1-3/4 in / 4 in openings, 1-1/4 in chain-link mesh, 2 in bottom gap over grass · checked October 2026
Home Depot & Lowe's listings — PT posts, pickets and 6×8 panels (2026 snapshots) — 4×4×8 $11.18, 4×4×10 $19.68, 6×6×8 $37.68, pickets $2.28 PT / $3.96 cedar, PT panel $76.98 · checked October 2026
Home Depot — Veranda vinyl fence panels and posts (2026 snapshots) — 6×8 white privacy panel $119.47 typical; 5×5 posts $35.40–$62.99 · checked October 2026
Home Depot price history — Quikrete 50 lb Fast-Setting (Glassit tracker) — $7.97 per bag (Aug 2026); 80 lb Concrete Mix $6.47 (Sept 2026) · checked October 2026
Sakrete All-Purpose Gravel / Mulch Pros price list — 0.5 cu ft per bag; $6.95 per 0.5 cu ft bag (Oct 2026) · checked October 2026
Thompson's WaterSeal — Semi-Transparent Wood Sealer — 150–400 sq ft/gal; wait 30 days on new pressure-treated wood · checked October 2026
Ready Seal — FAQ — new pressure-treated wood: 1 month minimum, 2–3 months recommended before staining · checked October 2026
Minnesota Rules 1303.1600 — footing depth for frost protection — 60 in in Zone I (north), 42 in in Zone II (south) · checked October 2026
Modernize — Fence installation cost (updated Aug 12 2026) — installed $/ft by material, labor $5–15/ft, 150-ft totals · checked October 2026
Fixr — Wood, picket, chain-link and vinyl fence cost guides (Jan 2025) — $/ft by style and species, gates, removal $2–5/ft · checked October 2026

Short answer

A 100 ft spaced picket fence 4 ft tall takes 220 pickets (200 plus 10% extra), 14 posts, 26 2×4 rails and 42 bags of 50-lb Fast-Setting concrete.

3.5-in pickets with 2.5-in gaps: 1,200 in ÷ 6 in = 200 → 200 pickets, 220 with 10% spare for splits and knots.

14 posts — 12 line posts plus 2 end posts (13 sections). With a 4-ft gate in the run it becomes 14 posts, 2 of them gate posts, and 220 pickets; bent into a U of 25, 50 and 25 ft it takes 16 posts.

Buy 8-ft posts: a 4-ft fence buries 24 in (a third of the post) on 4 in of gravel, so it needs 6'.

2 rails per section → 26 2×4×8 rails, plus 800 2-in and 78 3-in galvanized screws or nails.

Concrete: 42 × 50-lb Fast-Setting (3 per post, 0.42 yd³) — 2,100 lb to haul and about 42 gal of water.

Materials come to about $1,049 ($10.49/ft) at October 2026 prices, versus $1,000–$4,000 installed (Fixr, Jan 2025).

Fencing a pool? CPSC guidance calls for at least 48 in of height and gaps no wider than 1-3/4 in when rails are less than 45 in apart, so a 4-ft picket fence with 2-1/2 in gaps does not qualify.

At 6-ft post spacing — stiffer in high-wind areas — the run takes 18 posts instead of 14.

Adjust it to your exact job

Fence type

Style

Front-yard picket fence: narrow boards with even gaps, usually 3–4 ft tall.

Height

Post spacing

On center. Home Depot's install sheet caps wood fence posts at 8 ft apart; each side is divided evenly.

Fence line100 ft total

Fence length

= 100' · 30.48 m

Gates

Walk gates

Double drive gates

You need

220pickets (3.5 in × 4 ft)

14 posts · 26 rails · 42 × 50-lb bags of concrete for 100' of fence (2 pickets per foot, 10% extra included)

12 line2 end

Posts: 1412 line · 2 end
Rails (2×4×8): 262 per section
Concrete: 42× 50 lb3 per line & end post
Post spacing: 7' 8.25"on center, divided evenly

Posts to buy

Posts by type
Post	Buy	Hole	Fill
Line × 12	4×4 × 8 ft	10 × 28 in	3 bags
End × 2	4×4 × 8 ft	10 × 28 in	3 bags

Each post goes 24 in into the ground on 4 in of gravel, so a 4-ft fence needs posts at least 6' long. Concrete stops 3 in below grade so soil or sod can cover it.

Concrete: 42 × 50-lb Fast-Setting

11.3 ft³ · 0.42 yd³

Counted hole by hole: 3 per line & end post. Dry-poured bags can't be split between holes, so each post rounds up.
Water: about 42 gal (1 gal poured over each 50-lb bag). Weight to haul: 2,100 lb.
Filling the hole to the top with no gravel or soil cap would take 3 bags per line post — that is why bag counts online disagree.
Wait 4 hours before hanging rails, panels or gates on the posts.
With 80-lb Concrete Mix instead: 28 bags, about $181 versus $335 — cheaper per yard, but it must be mixed first and cures for 24 hours.

Different hole size or a single post? Use the post hole concrete calculator.

Pickets: 220

Fence sections: 200
Gate leaves: 0
Spare (10%): 20
On center: 6 in

3.5-in boards with 2.5-in gaps. Keep the bottoms 2 in off the ground so they don't wick up water.

Before you dig

Fencing a pool?

Shopping list

14 posts 4×4×8 ft ground-contact PT posts12 line, 2 end$157
220 pickets Pressure-treated pine dog-ear pickets, 3.5 in × 4 ft200 fence + 0 gate + 20 spare · Estimate scaled from the 1×6×6 ft picket price$334
26 boards 2×4×8 ft ground-contact PT rails2 per section · Estimate — we could not verify a current shelf price$181
42 bags Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix (No. 1004), 50 lb bags3 per line & end post$335
6 bags All-purpose gravel, 0.5 cu ft bags4 in drainage base under each post$41.70
800 pcs 2 in hot-dip galvanized or stainless screws/nails (pickets)2 per picket per rail
78 pcs 3 in hot-dip galvanized or stainless screws/nails (rails)
14 caps Post capsoften forgotten — keeps water out of end grain

Estimated total$1,049

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

4×4×8 ft ground-contact PT posts
14 posts × $
$157
Pressure-treated pine dog-ear pickets, 3.5 in × 4 ft
220 pickets × $Estimate scaled from the 1×6×6 ft picket price
$334
2×4×8 ft ground-contact PT rails
26 boards × $Estimate — we could not verify a current shelf price
$181
Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix (No. 1004), 50 lb bags
42 bags × $
$335
All-purpose gravel, 0.5 cu ft bags
6 bags × $
$41.70

Materials total$1,049

Hiring it out instead?

Installed wood picket fences run about $10–$40 per foot (Fixr, Jan 2025) — roughly $1,000–$4,000 for 100', against about $1,049 in materials above. Compare materials, gates and removal →

Style

Boards / panels

Posts

Concrete bags

Materials

Wood privacy, 6 ft

241 pickets

$1,585

Board-on-board, 6 ft

330 pickets

$1,788

Spaced picket, 4 ft

220 pickets

$1,049

Prebuilt wood panels, 6 ft

13 panels

$1,764

Vinyl privacy panels, 6 ft

13 panels

$2,458

How this was worked out

The full method, material data and tips are on the main fence calculator page.