How the wrought iron fence calculator works
An iron fence goes up as welded panels between metal posts, so the job is counted in panels, posts, caps and footings. The calculator splits your fence line into straight stretches between corner, end and gate posts, fills each stretch with full panels from one end, and cuts one panel to fit the leftover.
Full panels = stretch length ÷ post spacing, rounded down. Cut panel fills the leftover − post width. Posts = panels + 1 on each stretch, with corners shared.
The default is 8 ft panels on 2 1/2 in square posts, spaced one panel width apart center to center. Ornamental panels are made to a fixed on-center figure, and that figure varies by maker: Jerith sets its 8 ft Regency aluminum sections at 90 to 90 1/2 in, well short of a full 96 in. Take the number from your panel's sheet and set the panel width to match before you dig.
A worked example
The calculator opens on a 150 ft fence, 4 ft high, with two corners and one 4 ft gate.
- The gate leaves 146 ft to fence: two 50 ft sides and two 23 ft stretches beside the gate.
- A 50 ft side is 600 in. Six panels at 96 in use 576 in and leave 24 in, so the last panel is cut to fill 21 1/2 in between posts.
- A 23 ft stretch is 276 in: 2 full panels (192 in) and a cut panel filling 81 1/2 in.
- That makes 20 panels, 16 full and 4 cut, and 22 posts: 16 line, 2 corner, 2 end and 2 gate, each with a cap.
- Concrete: holes 30 in deep and 7 1/2 in wide over 6 in of gravel take about 1.4 bags of 50 lb fast-setting mix each, 31 bags in all.
What does a wrought iron fence cost?
Iron is one of the dearer fences, and the gate can cost as much as the fence. The cost panel next to the material list uses these ranges:
| Item | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Installed, per linear foot | $22 to $40 | Fixr |
| Materials only, per linear foot | $13 to $35 | Fixr and HomeAdvisor |
| Gate, installed | $600 to $8,500 | HomeAdvisor |
| Old fence removal, per foot | $3 to $5 | HomeAdvisor |
| Permit | $20 to $400 | HomeAdvisor and Fixr |
For the example, 146 ft at $22 to $40 a foot is $3,212 to $5,840 for the fence, and the gate adds $600 to $8,500. That puts the installed job at $3,812 to $14,340. The wide top end comes almost entirely from the gate range. HomeAdvisor gives iron materials at $25 to $35 per foot and labor at $30 to $80 per hour. Fixr puts labor at $9 to $10 per foot.
If you build it yourself, materials run about $1,898 to $5,110 for the same 146 ft, before the gate.
How deep should iron fence posts go?
The default hole is 30 in deep, from Quikrete's rule of half the height above ground plus 6 in of gravel. Where the ground freezes deeper, dig below the frost line. The hole diameter is three times the post width, so a 2 1/2 in post gets a 7 1/2 in hole. The fence post concrete calculator reworks the bags for another hole size or bag.
Will it need painting?
Iron needs its finish kept up. HomeAdvisor puts professional painting of a wrought iron fence at $5 to $12 per linear foot, above the $2 to $5 it gives for a wood picket fence. If you want the look with less upkeep, compare the numbers in the aluminum fence calculator, or run any fence type on the same line in the fence calculator. The fence cost calculator compares prices across materials.