Quantity · Privacy fencing
Privacy Fence Calculator
Pick a privacy style — wood dog-ear, board-on-board, shadowbox, vinyl panels, or chain link with slats — then get posts and facing materials. Not a wood-only duplicate: compare how private each style really is.
Privacy fence layout
Most common backyard privacy — small gaps between boards. Typical view blocked: 90–95%.
Pickets
330ea
Wood dog-ear / butt-joint · view blocked 90–95%
- Posts
- 23 × ~8 ft
- Rails (2×4)
- 57 ea
- Sections
- 19
- Concrete (50 lb)
- 23–46
- Dog-ear / butt-joint privacy · +10% picket waste
- Gate leaf lumber and hardware not listed.
Price data updated . National US ranges from published supplier and contractor averages. Not a bid. Local quotes vary.
How privacy fence materials are calculated
Posts follow spacing for every style. Facing materials change: wood uses board pitch and waste; vinyl counts panels; chain link buys mesh and matching slat length. View-blocked % is field guidance, not a lab rating.
posts = ceil(length ÷ spacing) + 1 + corners + gates wood_boards = ceil(length × 12 ÷ pitch) × faces × (1 + waste %) vinyl_panels = ceil(length ÷ panel_width) × (1 + waste %) chain_mesh = (length − gate_openings) × (1 + waste %) slats ≈ boarded mesh length
Worked example. A 150 ft × 6 ft dog-ear privacy run at 8 ft spacing with 2 corners and 1 gate needs about 23 posts, 57 rails, and ~300 pickets before waste (~330 with 10%). Switch to vinyl at 8 ft panels and you buy ~19 panels instead of pickets. Chain link + slats on the same length buys ~mesh with waste plus ~146 lf of slats after a 4 ft gate.
Privacy styles compared (per 100 ft)
The table this page exists for — how private it feels vs what you count at the yard. Facing counts before waste.
| Style | View blocked | Facing / 100 ft | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood dog-ear | 90–95% | 200 pickets | Budget backyard privacy |
| Wood board-on-board | ~99% | 300 boards | No peek-through when dry |
| Wood shadowbox | 85–95% | 300 boards | Good-neighbor both sides |
| Vinyl panels | ~100% | ~13 panels (8 ft) | Low maintenance / HOA |
| Chain link + slats | 85–95% | 100 lf mesh + slats | Cheaper frame, DIY slats |
- Add ~10% waste on wood boards, vinyl panels, and mesh.
- Gate kits are separate for every style.
Privacy height cheat sheet
Height drives how much yard you hide — and HOA / code limits.
| Height | Typical use | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 4 ft | Pet / partial screen | Not full backyard privacy |
| 5 ft | Light privacy | Less common stock height |
| 6 ft | Standard backyard privacy | Most quoted residential height |
| 8 ft | Tall screen | Check code/HOA; wind load |
Privacy Fence calculator FAQ
- How is this different from the wood fence calculator?
- The wood fence calculator is a deep wood BOM (posts, rails, pickets, bags). This privacy page compares wood, vinyl, and chain-link-with-slats side by side — including a view-blocked table — then routes you to the matching detailed tool when you lock a style.
- How many boards for a privacy fence?
- For dog-ear with a 6 in pitch, plan about two boards per foot, then add 10% waste. Board-on-board needs denser lumber (~300 per 100 ft). Vinyl uses solid panels instead of boards.
- Is vinyl more private than wood?
- Solid vinyl panels typically block nearly all view. Dog-ear wood leaves small gaps; board-on-board is closer to solid. Chain link with slats depends on how tightly you fill the mesh.
- Can I use chain link for privacy?
- Yes — pick chain link + privacy slats here for mesh and slat length, then price fabric and slats on the chain link cost calculator.
- What height privacy fence should I build?
- Six feet is the usual US backyard privacy height. Four feet is more pet/control than privacy. Eight feet may need permits or HOA approval.
- Where do I estimate privacy fence cost?
- Wood → wood fence cost calculator. Chain link + slats → chain link cost calculator. Vinyl and mixed styles → general fence cost calculator.
Next: detailed materials or cost
Full wood privacy materials → · Wood privacy cost · Chain link + slats cost · All fence calculators