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Fence Material List: Everything You Need for Installation
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
Most fence projects that stall do it for the same reason: someone gets halfway through a run and realizes a bracket, a cap, or a bag of concrete never made the truck. A good fence material list prevents that. This one walks through everything you need to install a modular metal-post fence run from footing to finished gate, so you can order once and build without a supply-run halfway through the day.
We will use Modern Yard's modular system as the reference, since its standardized parts make the list unusually clean.
How the system decides your list
Before you count anything, understand the logic of the system, because it keeps the material list short and predictable. Modern Yard is a modular metal-post platform. The structural parts and the visible parts are separate, and everything mounts to the same posts.
myPost is the universal steel post platform, in myPost-74in, myPost-98in, and myPost-114in heights.
myRedwood is the wood-look composite infill.
myFireGuard is steel infill rated ASTM E84 Class A.
Aluminum and wood infill options complete the range.
That means your list breaks into structure (posts, footings), infill (the panels you see), transitions (gates, corners), and the hardware and tools that join it all. Get one item from each group right and the rest follows.
The core material checklist
Here is the working list. Quantities depend on your measured run, so treat the "how to estimate" column as your guide when you place the order.
Material
Purpose
How to estimate
myPost steel posts
The structural backbone of every run
One at each end, corner, and gate, plus line posts at the spacing your contractor specifies
Rails
Connect posts and carry the infill
Per bay, matched to your post spacing
Infill panels (myRedwood, myFireGuard, aluminum, or wood)
The visible face and privacy
One set per bay between posts
Post caps
Seal and finish the post tops
One per post
Brackets and connectors
Join rails and infill to posts
Per the system's per-bay hardware set
Fasteners and hardware
Secure the assembly
Per bay, plus spares
Gate assembly
Entry and access points
One per opening
Gate hardware (hinges, latch)
Hang and secure each gate
One set per gate
Concrete
Set post footings
Bags per footing per local frost-depth and post-height requirements
Gravel
Drainage at the footing base
A few inches per post hole
Print that, fill in your counts, and you have an order-ready fence material list.
Do not forget the footings
The most common omission is not a fence part at all. It is what goes in the ground. Steel posts only perform as rated when they are set properly, and the 120 MPH wind resistance the system is tested to assumes footings done right.
Plan for:
Concrete for each post footing, with the bag count driven by your post height and local frost depth.
Gravel at the base of each hole for drainage.
Water on site for mixing.
Modern Yard's posts are built on a high-strength steel core with galvanized zinc coating, epoxy primer, an electrostatic powder-coat finish, and foam-sealed ends, which is a big part of why the system carries a 25-year limited warranty. That construction protects the post, but the footing is what protects the whole run in wind, so it earns its own line on the list.
Tools you will want on hand
You can have every part on the truck and still lose a day for a missing tool. Round up this set before you start.
Tape measure and a long string line for laying out the run
Post-hole digger or a powered auger
Level, ideally a post level
Wheelbarrow or mixing tub for concrete
Cordless drill or impact driver, with the bits the system's hardware calls for
Rubber mallet
Marking paint and stakes for the layout
Safety glasses and work gloves
Because the modular system is designed for any qualified fence contractor and is assembled rather than fabricated on site, you do not need specialty cutting or welding gear for a standard run.
A simple order-and-build sequence
With the list assembled, the job follows a predictable order.
Count posts first, one at each end, corner, and gate, then line posts at the specified spacing.
Count bays between posts, then order one rail-and-infill set per bay.
Add caps, brackets, and fasteners per bay, plus a small spare allowance.
Add gate assemblies and their hinge-and-latch hardware, one set per opening.
Total your concrete and gravel by footing count and depth.
Confirm local height limits and HOA rules before ordering, and source the parts through the Modern Yard dealer locator.
Ordering in that order means you buy structure, infill, transitions, and footing materials as matched sets instead of guessing.
Material list questions, answered
What is the essential fence material list for a modular run?
Posts, rails, infill panels, post caps, brackets and connectors, fasteners, gate assemblies with hinges and latches, and concrete and gravel for the footings, plus the layout and driving tools. With a modular system like Modern Yard, those parts are standardized, so the list stays short and predictable.
How much concrete do I need per post?
It depends on your post height and local frost depth, so there is no single figure. Count your footings, check your local requirements, and buy the bag count that matches, plus a little extra. Add a few inches of gravel per hole for drainage.
Do I need special tools for a modular metal-post fence?
No. A standard set of digging, leveling, mixing, and driving tools covers a normal run. Because the system is assembled rather than fabricated on site and is built for any qualified fence contractor, you do not need welding or heavy cutting equipment.
Get your list dialed in
Measure your run, fill in the checklist above, and confirm your local codes. When your counts are ready, use the Modern Yard dealer locator to source standardized parts and, if you want, a qualified contractor to install them.
