Fit check
Key measurements
Plans heights from the ground · lengths post centre to post centre
Site plan — looking down
Post & footing section
Post layout
Cut list
Lumber list & cutting diagrams what to buy, and what gets cut from each board
Estimated cost approx. Home Depot retail — click a price to match your store
Hardware & concrete
Build steps
Plan a wood fence that fits your yard
Wood Fence Planner builds your fence from modules: straight runs, corners at any angle and gates. Pick a style for each run — privacy (solid), picket, board-on-board, shadowbox or horizontal boards — with dog-ear, gothic, pointed, flat or round tops, straight, arched or scalloped. The 3D model, site plan, post layout, concrete, cut list and cost update as you type.
1. Lay out the line
Add runs, corners and gates in the order you walk the fence. Lengths are post centre to post centre.
2. Pick the style
Each run gets its own style, height and top; gates take the boards of the run next to them.
3. Check the fit
The fit check flags shallow posts, wide gates, long bays and steep slopes, with one-click fixes.
4. Build it
Download a PDF with the site plan, post stations, elevations, cut list, lumber and concrete to buy, and build steps.
Frequently asked questions
How far apart should fence posts be?
8 feet centre to centre is standard for wood privacy and picket fences, because rails come in 8 ft lengths. Use 6 feet for horizontal board fences, windy sites or heavy board-on-board fences.
How deep should fence posts be?
A common rule is one third of the height above ground, and at least 24 inches — about 30 to 36 inches for a 6 ft fence. In cold climates go below the frost line. Gate posts go about 6 inches deeper.
How many bags of concrete per fence post?
A 4x4 post in a 10 inch hole, 30 inches deep, takes about 1.2 cubic feet — roughly three 50 lb bags of fast-setting concrete. The planner works it out for your hole size, depth and post size.
Board-on-board or shadowbox?
Board-on-board puts a second layer of boards over the gaps on the same side, so it stays fully private as the wood shrinks. Shadowbox alternates boards on both sides of the rails, so it looks the same from both sides and lets wind through.
Racked or stepped on a slope?
A racked fence follows the ground — rails slope and the boards stay plumb, with an even gap underneath. A stepped fence keeps every bay level and steps down at each post, leaving triangular gaps under the low ends.
Is the Fence Planner free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no sign-up, and you can download the plans as a PDF or save your settings to a file.