Vinyl Fence Calculator

Vinyl Fence formula

Panels = (Total length - gates x gate width) / panel width, rounded up
Posts = Panels + 1 + number of gates
Line posts = Posts - 2 end posts - corner posts - 2 posts per gate
Post length = Fence height + 2.5 ft;  Brackets = Panels x rails per panel x 2

Worked example

A 150 ft yard fence with two 4 ft gates, 8 ft panels, 3 corners and 6 ft privacy panels: 150 - 8 = 142 ft of fence. 142 / 8 = 17.75, so 18 panels. Posts = 18 + 1 + 2 = 21, made up of 2 end posts, 3 corner posts, 4 gate posts and 12 line posts. That is 21 post caps and, at 2 bags per post, 42 bags of concrete.

Each 6 ft panel has 3 rails, so bracket-mounted rails need 18 x 3 x 2 = 108 brackets. Posts are 6 + 2.5 = 8.5 ft long, so buy 9 ft posts.

Quick reference

How to count vinyl fence panels and posts

Measure each straight run of fence and add them together, then take out the width of every gate. Divide what is left by the panel width and round up; the last panel gets cut to fit. Posts are always one more than the panels, and each gate adds one more post because a gate hangs between two posts of its own.

Sort the posts before you order because each kind is routed differently. Two end posts finish the runs, one corner post sits at each change of direction, two gate posts frame each opening, and the rest are line posts. If a run ends against the house, that end post is still an end post.

Setting vinyl posts

Vinyl posts are hollow and rely entirely on the concrete around them, so dig holes 10 to 12 in wide and at least 30 in deep, or below the frost line where the ground freezes. Two 50 lb bags of fast-setting mix per hole is typical for a 6 ft fence; use three in sandy or wet soil and for gate posts, which carry the most load.

Set the two end posts first, run a string line between them, and set the remaining posts to the string one panel width apart. Routed posts lock the rails in, so the rails must be slid in as each post is set. Bracket-mounted systems let you set all the posts first and hang the panels afterward, which is easier on a slope.

Key facts

• Vinyl fence panels come in 6 ft and 8 ft widths; 6 ft panels are standard for privacy fences and 8 ft for ranch rail.
• Line posts are routed on two opposite sides, corner posts on two adjacent sides, end posts on one side, and gate posts are left blank for hinge and latch hardware.
• A 6 ft privacy fence uses 5 x 5 in posts and 3 rails; a 4 ft picket fence uses 4 x 4 in posts and 2 rails.
• Vinyl posts are set 30 in or deeper in concrete, so a 6 ft fence needs 9 ft posts.
• Vinyl expands and contracts with temperature, so panels are cut to leave a small gap inside each routed post rather than a tight fit.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and references

• •Bufftech Molded and Extruded Fence Installation Guideline (post hole size, 30 in depth, concrete per post) (CertainTeed)
• •Setting Posts in Concrete project guide (Quikrete)
• •Fast-Setting Concrete Mix product page (50 lb bag) (Quikrete)