How to Build a Wood Fence
Updated July 24, 2026 · Fences & Outdoor Structures · Advanced · 2–3 weekends
Step 0: Calculate your materials
Real math, instant results — measure once, buy once.
Measure the full run including gate openings
Each gate is figured at 4 ft wide
Adjust local prices
Your bill of materials
- 4x4 posts (8' spacing) × 21
- $378
- Pickets × 328
- $1,394
- 2x4 rails (3/section) × 60
- $540
- Concrete bags (50 lb) × 43
- $280
- Gate hardware kits × 1
- $75
- Cost per linear foot
- $17.78/ft
Counts include one extra post and a bag of concrete per gate, plus rails for each gate's Z-frame. Add ~5% spare pickets for splits and future repairs, and stain/sealer once the lumber dries.
Open the full calculator page — bookmarkable, with formulas and FAQs.
Project at a glance
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Est. cost
- $1,500–$3,500 (150 ft privacy)
- Time
- 2–3 weekends
- Skill level
- Intermediate — layout, leveling, basic carpentry
- Setting
- Outdoor
- You save
- $2,000–$5,000 vs. contractor install
- Post-hole digger or auger
- Digging bar
- 4-ft level & string line
- Circular saw & drill/driver
- Speed square & tape measure
- Wheelbarrow (concrete)
- Mason line & stakes
A fence is the biggest-ticket project most DIYers ever attempt, and the economics are stark: contractors charge $35–$60 per linear foot for a privacy fence that costs $15–$30 per foot in materials. On a 150-foot yard, that difference is three to four thousand dollars — earned mostly with a post-hole digger and patience.
The build itself is honest, repetitive work with one unforgiving rule: the posts are the fence. Set them plumb, aligned, and deep enough, and everything after is carpentry on easy mode. Rush them, and no amount of picket-straightening will hide it. Start with the calculator below to get your complete bill of materials.
Should you DIY this?
DIY it when…
- Runs on reasonably level ground with workable soil.
- You have a helper — post setting and panel hanging are genuinely two-person jobs.
- Your utility-locate service has marked the yard (it's free — call 811 in the US).
- You can spread the work across two or three weekends without frustration.
Call a pro when…
- Rocky ground or heavy clay where an auger stalls — crews carry hydraulic equipment.
- Steep slopes needing stepped or racked panels along the whole run.
- Property-line disputes or tight HOA specs — let a pro carry the liability.
- Long runs past ~200 feet if your timeline matters; digging is the bottleneck.
Step-by-step walkthrough
Work the steps in order — the sequence is the skill.
Check rules, then call 811
Confirm your property line (survey pins or a plat map), your local height and setback rules, and any HOA requirements — fences commonly need a permit above certain heights. Then call 811 at least a few days before digging so utilities get marked. Both are free; hitting a gas line is not.
Pro tip: Set the fence 6 inches inside your property line unless you have a signed agreement with the neighbor.
Calculate and order materials
Run the fence calculator above with your total length, style, post spacing, and gates. Order posts rated for ground contact (pressure-treated, marked UC4A or better), and have everything delivered — 150 feet of fencing does not fit in a pickup in one trip.
Lay out the fence line
Drive stakes at the corners and ends, and pull mason line taut between them. Mark every post location along the line with paint at your chosen spacing — measure center to center, and position gate posts first so gate openings land exactly where you want them.
Dig the post holes
Dig each hole to one-third of the post's exposed height, minimum 24 inches, below the frost line, and about 10–12 inches wide. Add 3–4 inches of gravel to each hole for drainage — posts rot from standing water at the base, and gravel is the cheap insurance.
Pro tip: Rent a two-person auger for more than ten holes. It turns the worst day of the project into a morning.
Set the corner and gate posts first
Set the two ends of each run and the gate posts in concrete first, braced plumb both directions with scrap lumber. Pour fast-setting concrete dry into the hole around the post and add water per the bag, sloping the top away from the wood. Let these anchors cure, then string a line between them at top-of-post height.
Set the line posts to the string
Set each remaining post so it just kisses the string line and is plumb both ways. The string guarantees a straight run and consistent height. Check plumb again after pouring — concrete shifts posts as it settles. Let everything cure 24–48 hours before hanging any weight.
Install the rails
Run rails between posts: two for a 4-foot fence, three for a 6-foot privacy fence (bottom rail 6–8 inches above grade, top rail near the top, third centered). Attach with exterior structural screws or rail brackets, keeping each rail level — or parallel to the slope if you're racking the fence.
Hang the pickets
Start at one end with a picket checked plumb, then work along, keeping tops to a string line. Privacy fences butt pickets tight (they'll shrink slight gaps as they dry); picket fences use a spacer block for even gaps. Two exterior screws or ring-shank nails per rail. Every tenth picket, check plumb again — drift compounds.
Pro tip: Keep pickets 2 inches off the ground. Ground contact is where pickets rot first.
Build and hang the gate
A gate is a picket panel on a Z-frame (two horizontal braces plus a diagonal running from the bottom hinge corner up to the top latch corner — that direction matters; it puts the brace in compression). Hang with heavy-duty hinges on the gate post, leaving a 1/2" gap on the latch side, and fit the latch at a height everyone in the house can reach.
Finish and protect
Trim post tops with a slight bevel or add post caps so water sheds instead of soaking end grain. Let pressure-treated lumber dry 4–8 weeks, then apply a penetrating exterior stain/sealer. A sealed fence lasts 20+ years; a bare one starts graying and checking in two.
What it costs
Typical U.S. prices — adjust for your region in the calculator.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| 4x4 PT posts (per post) | $14–$22 |
| Pickets, 6-ft PT (per picket) | $3.50–$6 |
| 2x4 rails, 8-ft PT (per rail) | $7–$11 |
| Concrete, 50-lb fast-setting (per bag) | $5–$8 |
| Gate hardware kit (per gate) | $40–$90 |
| Exterior screws, 5-lb box | $30–$45 |
| Stain/sealer (per 5 gallons) | $90–$160 |
Common mistakes
Every one of these is cheaper to read about than to make.
Digging before utilities are marked
The free call to 811 is legally required in most states before any digging. A nicked gas or fiber line turns a fence project into an emergency and a bill. No exceptions, even for 'just a few holes'.
Shallow posts
Posts set 18 inches deep hold fine — until the first saturated-soil windstorm racks the whole run. One-third of exposed height, 24-inch minimum, below frost line. Depth is the one spec you can't fix later without starting over.
Setting all posts before stringing a line
Measuring each post independently accumulates error, and you find out when the panels don't fit. Set the ends first, string a line, and make every line post obey the string.
Concrete domed the wrong way — or post bases in soil
Finish each concrete collar sloped away from the post so water runs off. Concrete finished flat (or dished) funnels rain straight into the wood, and the post rots at grade in a few years.
Undersized gate framing
The gate is the only moving, constantly loaded part of the fence. A gate on a line-post-sized post with light hinges sags within a season. Bigger post, more concrete, heavy hinges, and a compression diagonal — every time.
Safety first
- Call 811 before digging — buried gas, power, and fiber lines are commonly at fence-post depth.
- Wear gloves and safety glasses; pressure-treated lumber splinters are chemically treated splinters, and cutting PT lumber calls for a dust mask.
- Two people for post setting and panel lifts — 80 lbs of concrete and an 8-foot panel in the wind are not solo items.
- Mind the sun and pace the digging: post holes are the most strenuous common DIY task. Water, breaks, and no hero days.
- Wash hands after handling treated lumber and never burn PT offcuts — dispose per local rules.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build a 150-foot privacy fence?
In materials: roughly $1,800–$3,200 for a 6-foot pressure-treated privacy fence with one gate, depending on lumber prices. The calculator on this page itemizes posts, pickets, rails, concrete, and hardware from your exact length. Contractor quotes for the same run typically land at $5,000–$9,000.
Do I need a permit to build a fence?
Often, yes — commonly for fences over 6 feet, corner lots, or front yards. Rules are municipal, so check your city or county site before ordering materials. HOAs frequently add height and style rules on top.
How long do wood fence posts last?
Properly set pressure-treated posts (ground-contact rated, gravel base, sloped concrete collar) last 20–25 years. The failure points are almost always water: flat concrete tops, no gravel drainage, or soil piled against the post.
Should fence posts be set in concrete or gravel?
Concrete gives the strongest hold for privacy fences that catch wind. Well-tamped gravel drains better and makes future replacement easier, and is fine for short picket fences in firm soil. This guide uses concrete with a gravel base — strength plus drainage.
Can I build a fence on a slope?
Yes — either 'stepped' (each panel level, dropping like stairs; crisp with pre-built panels) or 'racked' (rails parallel to the slope, pickets plumb; best for picket-built fences and gradual grades). Both keep posts perfectly plumb; only the rails change.
Shopping & prep checklist
Tap to check things off, or print it for the store.
Before ordering
Materials
Tools
Related tools & projects
Next steps
Finished here? Keep the momentum.