Free Picket Fence Calculator — Pickets & Rails (2026)

How to Use This Calculator

1. 1Measure the total fence length in feet along the property line.
2. 2Enter the fence height — traditional picket fences are 3 to 4 feet tall.
3. 3Enter the picket width in inches — standard 1x4 boards are 3.5 inches wide.
4. 4Enter the gap between pickets — 2 to 3 inches is traditional for a classic look, 0 for solid privacy.

About This Material

A picket fence is a classic American fence style featuring evenly spaced vertical boards with pointed, rounded, or decorative tops, attached to horizontal rails between posts. Picket fences are primarily decorative and boundary-defining rather than privacy fences — the gaps between pickets allow visibility and airflow. Traditional picket fences use 1x4 lumber (0.75 x 3.5 inches actual) with 2 to 3 inches of space between boards. The pickets are typically 36 to 48 inches tall. Common picket top profiles include pointed (traditional), dog-ear, French Gothic, and flat-top. Picket material options include pressure-treated pine ($1.50 to $3.00 each), cedar ($3.00 to $6.00 each), and PVC/vinyl ($3.00 to $8.00 each). Cedar weathers to an attractive silver-gray and never needs painting. Painting and finishing are a major part of picket fence ownership. White-painted picket fences require repainting every 3 to 5 years. For lowest maintenance, use pre-primed pickets and apply two coats of 100% acrylic exterior paint before installation — it is far easier to paint individual pickets on sawhorses than to brush each one after the fence is assembled. Spacing affects both appearance and material cost significantly. A 100-foot fence at 3.5-inch pickets with 2.5-inch gaps uses about 200 pickets. The same fence with 1-inch gaps uses about 267 pickets — a 33% increase. No-gap privacy fences use about 343 pickets per 100 feet. The gap size has a dramatic impact on material cost and visual character. Board feet is a standard lumber measurement: 1 board foot equals a piece of wood 1 inch thick by 12 inches wide by 12 inches long (144 cubic inches). This calculator provides total board feet so you can compare costs across different lumber dimensions and species.

Installation Tips

• •Pre-paint or pre-stain all pickets before installation — you get better coverage and the work goes 3 to 5 times faster.
• •Use a spacer jig cut to your desired gap width for perfectly consistent spacing.
• •Attach pickets with the best face facing outward toward the street or neighbor.
• •Set the bottom of pickets 2 inches above ground level to prevent moisture wicking and rot.
• •For pointed pickets, cut the points before installation using a miter saw with an angle jig.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• ⚠Inconsistent picket spacing — even a quarter-inch variation is visible from 20 feet away. Always use a spacer jig.
• ⚠Not pre-finishing pickets — painting an assembled fence takes 3 to 5 times longer and leaves back and edges uncoated.
• ⚠Using too few rails — fences over 4 feet tall need 3 rails. Two rails cause pickets to warp and flex.
• ⚠Pointing pickets too aggressively — very sharp points split and break easily.
• ⚠Forgetting to factor in picket top profiles when calculating height — a pointed 48-inch picket is effectively 45 to 46 inches tall.

Related Calculators