The short answer
Walk the planned fence line, split it into straight runs, measure each run’s length in feet, and record every gate as an offset from the start of its run plus a width. Add the run lengths for total length, then subtract the gate widths for fence footage. Check the corners, and have the property line confirmed before you build.
Before you measure
- Confirm where the property line is. A tape measure shows distances, not the legal boundary. A survey, a plat or your local records office can confirm it. Measuring the wrong line gives you a precise number for the wrong fence.
- Check for buried utilities. Contact your local utility-locating service before any digging; in the United States that is 811.
- Ask about rules. Height limits, setbacks, materials and permits vary by place, so check with the local building office or homeowners association.
- Gather tools. A long tape or measuring wheel, stakes or flags, string, a pencil and a sketch on paper.
Step by step
- Sketch the yard and label the corners A, B, C, D. Mark the house, trees, sheds and anything the fence must avoid.
- Mark the fence line with stakes and string so every run is straight.
- Measure each run from corner to corner along the string, in feet. Measure each twice.
- Place the gates. For each gate record how far its near edge is from the start of the run and how wide the opening is.
- Write it down as a table with the run, its length, and its gates. Photograph the staked line too.
- Check the corners. In a rectangle, opposite sides match and both diagonals are equal.
Worked example: an 80 by 60 foot yard
A rectangular yard with a 4-foot walk gate and a 12-foot driveway gate. The measurements you would record:
| Side A to B (south) | 80 ft, with a 4 ft gate starting 38 ft from A |
|---|---|
| Side B to C (east) | 60 ft, with a 12 ft gate starting 20 ft from B |
| Side C to D (north) | 80 ft |
| Side D to A (west) | 60 ft |
| Diagonal A to C (check) | 100 ft, matching the other diagonal |
The four sides add up to 280 ft. The gates take 16 ft, leaving 264 ft of fence. With 8-foot panels that is 35 panels and 37 posts, counting each gate as a break in its side and the four corners as shared posts. The same measurements work for a different material; only the panel width and rates change.
Double-check before you leave the yard
Three quick checks can catch errors while you are still on site. First, re-measure the longest run; if the two readings differ by more than you can explain, measure it a third time. Second, add the run lengths you wrote down and compare the total with a rough pace-off of the perimeter. Third, hold your sketch up to the yard and confirm every gate you drew is a gate you measured. It is far cheaper to find a missing gate with the tape in your hand than after the materials are ordered.
Replacing an existing fence
If the new fence follows an old one, measure along the line of the posts you will keep, and note which runs are being removed and which are staying, because removal is usually priced separately from the new fence. Do not assume the old line is the property line; fences are often built a little inside or outside it.
Curves, slopes and obstacles
Break a curve into short straight runs and measure each; more runs follow the curve more closely. For a slope, measure along the planned line and ask your installer how the product steps or racks, because the counts on this page assume level runs. Note trees, roots, rocks and utility boxes on the sketch with their distance from the nearest corner.
Common measuring mistakes
- Forgetting to record the gates, or recording them as fence.
- Measuring to the inside of a post in one place and the center in another. Pick one reference and keep it.
- Measuring around an obstacle instead of along the planned line.
- Mixing feet and inches in one number.
- Adding a waste percentage without saying so. Many guides suggest a buffer; the counts here do not add one, so add and label your own if you want one.
Assumptions used on this page
- A flat, rectangular yard; all lengths in feet.
- 8-foot panels, evenly spaced posts and no waste allowance.
- The example is fictional. A measurement is not a survey.
Questions
Do I need a survey to measure for a fence?
You do not need one to measure distances. You do need to know where the boundary is, and a survey, plat or local records are how people confirm it.
Can I measure with a phone map?
It is useful for a first rough number. Accuracy varies, so confirm every run with a tape or wheel on site before ordering or quoting.
What do I do with the measurements?
Enter them in the fence calculator for a quick check, or read how to calculate fence posts and how many fence panels you need. Contractors can turn a measured layout into an estimate with the fence estimating software.