Sixteenth
Fence Calculator
Enter the fence length and the post spacing. You get the posts, rails and pickets, and the concrete to set the posts.
Fence length in feet; picket, gap and hole sizes in inches unless you type a unit.
How fence materials are counted
sections = ⌈length ÷ post spacing⌉ · posts = sections + 1
pickets = ⌈length ÷ (picket width + gap)⌉ · concrete per hole = hole volume − post volume
The count is for one straight run. Add a post at each corner and on both sides of every gate, and subtract the gate width from the picket run. Set posts about a third of their length deep, and below the frost line in cold climates.
Questions
How many fence posts do I need?
Divide the fence length by the post spacing and round up to get the sections, then add one post. A 100' run at 8' spacing is 13 sections and 14 posts. Add posts for corners, ends and both sides of each gate.
How deep should fence posts be?
A common rule is one third of the post's length in the ground, and below the frost line where it freezes. For a 6' fence that usually means an 8' post set 2' or deeper, in a hole about three times the post width.
How many pickets for a fence?
Fence length ÷ (picket width + gap). With 5-1/2" pickets and no gap, that is about 2.2 pickets per foot.