What to measure first
- Sketch each connected or independent fence run and identify shared corners.
- Measure run lengths along the post centreline.
- Mark each gate as a clear face-to-face opening and record where that clear opening begins.
- Record actual post, board, panel, rail-stock, kerf, and package dimensions from the products you plan to use.
Before entering a gate offset, use the two-run wood-fence field record to distinguish a post centre from an opening face. Compare the resulting shared corner and bay widths with your sketch.
How the estimate is produced
The existing MaterialNest post-layout engine establishes shared endpoint, gate, and intermediate post nodes. Each resulting clear bay is then filled independently with vertical boards or panels. Rail cuts are assigned to selected stock lengths without silently shortening or splicing them.
Important limits
The original takeoff supports vertical solid or spaced boards and preassembled panels on level runs. The measured fence modes add station-based sloped bays, horizontal supported cuts, board-on-board or shadowbox layers, and user-selected repair scope within this same resource. Each mode retains its own measurements and selected source record. Structural gate design, support sizing, footings, wind resistance, permits and code remain outside the tool.
Two fence layouts that change the purchase list
The first record matches the calculator's loadable 24 ft example. The second isolates rail-stock assignment, where total length alone cannot determine the purchase count.
1. Three ordinary spaced bays
Loadable record: Load the 24 ft example above to inspect the measured runs, actual boards, rails, kerf, fasteners, and packages.
Checked result: 4 posts, 3 bays, 39 boards, 6 rail-stock pieces, 180 fasteners, and 2 packages.
2. Rail-stock assignment edge case
Illustrative setup: Required rail cuts are 70, 70, 40, and 40 inches, using 120 inch stock with the entered cut rules.
What it demonstrates: With zero kerf, the four cuts fit into two stock pieces and leave two separate 10 inch reusable remnants. This is an allocation illustration, not a saved calculator record.
Calculation record for this tool
Use the bay, infill, and rail-cut quantities as a shopping estimate for the fence system you selected. Actual boards, panels, gates, and fasteners depend on product dimensions and field conditions; wind resistance, footing design, and permit compliance need separate verification. Bring critical structural choices to a qualified professional.
- Formula version
- 1.1.0
- Core method
- Post topology creates clear bays. Each bay receives the selected vertical board or panel treatment, while required rail cuts are assigned to physical stock pieces without hidden shortening or splicing.
- Measurement datum
- Fence runs use endpoint-post centrelines; gates use clear face-to-face openings positioned along the selected run.
- Rounding and allocation
- Installed counts, intentional reserves, kerf loss, reusable offcuts, and package surplus remain separate. Whole packages round only after the exact requirement is known.
- Known exclusions
- This vertical-infill calculation excludes horizontal, shadowbox, board-on-board, sloped and racked layouts; use the separate worksheets above for those quantities. Structural-gate, footing, wind, permit and code design remain excluded.
Wood-fence measurements that invalidate a takeoff
- Measuring gate width to post centres instead of the clear face-to-face opening.
- Entering nominal board or rail sizes when the selected product has different actual dimensions.
- Treating a materials result as a structural, footing, wind, gate, permit, or code design.
Wood-fence calculation questions
Why are reusable rail offcuts separate from waste?
An offcut may fit a later identified rail cut. The stock assignment preserves usable remnants instead of assuming every remainder is discarded.
Can one result mix panels and loose boards?
Each modeled bay uses its selected infill treatment. Review the bay schedule because panel and loose-board requirements are intentionally reported under different rules.
Does the calculator choose posts, rails, or fasteners?
No. Enter actual product dimensions and package information from the fence system you selected.
Continue this material workflow
- Fence post calculator — Establish post categories and equal run spacing before selecting infill.
- Concrete for post holes — Convert separately selected hole geometry and bag yield into purchase quantities.
MaterialNest reconciled wood-fence bay and stock allocation examples on September 15, 2026; the material record leaves gate and structural design unresolved. Editorial and correction policy.