Linear feet of fence calculator
Add up every straight segment, gate span and slope run into one total linear footage for your fence material take-off.
Fence calculator
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Overview
Fencing is bought and counted in linear feet, the sum of every straight section of the fence line from property corner to property corner. This calculator asks for each straight segment and the gate width, adds the segments together and subtracts the gate openings, which is exactly the number your material take-off needs.
Measuring linear feet is a job for a tape measure, or a map tool if the run is long, because the take-off is only as honest as the line you measure around the yard.
Common mistakes
- Counting an L-shaped or curved property edge as one segment, when every straight stretch is a separate line that needs its own measurement.
- Leaving gate spans in the total, which over-buys fence for an opening that will not be filled with panel.
- Squaring the footage out of habit, when fencing is a linear product and only the outline of the run matters.
Related calculators
- Fence cost calculator Estimate total fence cost from run length, height and your local material and labor rates, with the budget math shown.
- Fence perimeter calculator Get the total perimeter feet and the post sections that length implies for a rectangular yard, with the spacing math shown.
- Fence rail calculator Work out how many horizontal rails a fence run needs from its length, post spacing and rails per section, with the math shown.
Related reading
In-depth guides
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate linear feet of fence?
Measure and add every straight segment of the fence line in feet, then subtract the gate openings from the total. That sum is the linear footage your material calculator divides into posts, rails and pickets.
What is the formula for linear feet?
Add the length of every straight segment on the property line together (L1 plus L2 plus L3, and so on), then subtract the total width of the gates you are leaving open. The result is the fence run in linear feet.
How do I measure a fence line without walking the whole yard?
Measure each straight segment with a fiberglass tape on short runs, or use a map or satellite tool with a measuring line for long or irregular property lines, adding the segment measurements exactly as the calculator asks.
Does fence height change the linear footage?
No, linear feet are independent of height. Height only changes how many boards, rails or panel rows that footage costs, which the full wood and panel calculators fold in from the height and style you pick.
Is linear feet the same as square feet?
No. Square feet multiply length by height for a solid area (paint, stain or solid infill), while linear feet count only the run along the ground. A 100 foot by 6 foot fence is 600 square feet of area but 100 linear feet of run.
Does a curved fence need more linear feet?
Yes within limits: the line actually built is longer than the chord that spans it, and steep slopes add real length too. The slope adjustment is trigonometry, not a flat markup: a 100 foot horizontal run on a 25 percent grade builds to about 103 feet, which is what the fence slope calculator returns for any run and grade pair.
Should I subtract the house wall from the total?
Usually yes. Where fencing returns to the house or another building, the wall does not need a panel, so the linear total should not count across a full house-width gap. Enter only the ground between posts when measuring.
How accurate does the measurement need to be?
Material is bought to the foot, so measure to the nearest foot or so and let the calculator add the waste factor at the end rather than over-inflating segments. Better to round the take-off up by a panel than to pad every segment and double-cover the run.