Calculate how many posts, rails and pickets you need for a fence, based on total fence length, post spacing, and picket size.
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Fence sections are found by dividing total length by post spacing (rounded up), and posts needed is always one more than the number of sections, since each section is bounded by a post on both ends, with adjacent sections sharing a post. Rails needed is sections multiplied by how many rails run through each section (commonly 2 for a top and bottom rail, sometimes 3). Pickets needed divides the total fence length by each picket's width plus its gap.
Post spacing of 6 to 8 feet is common for residential wood fences, balancing material cost against structural stability, closer spacing generally means a sturdier fence but more posts and post-hole digging. Taller fences or areas with high wind exposure often call for closer spacing.
For a 100 ft fence with 8 ft post spacing, 2 rails per section, and 5.5 in pickets with a 0.25 in gap: sections = ceil(100 ÷ 8) = 13, so posts needed = 13 + 1 = 14. Rails needed = 13 × 2 = 26. For pickets, the fence length in inches is 100 × 12 = 1,200 in, and each picket's unit width is 5.5 + 0.25 = 5.75 in, so pickets needed = ceil(1,200 ÷ 5.75) ≈ 209.
Assuming post count equals the number of sections, it's always sections plus one, since adjacent sections share a post, doubling the section count for posts would significantly overcount.
Forgetting this calculator doesn't include a separate waste allowance for pickets or rails, unlike some of the area-based calculators in this category, actual purchases often benefit from a small buffer for cutting and breakage on top of this exact count.
Not budgeting separately for gates, gate hardware and framing differ from standard fence sections and aren't included in this calculator's post, rail or picket counts.
Picture a straight fence line divided into sections, each section needs a post at both its start and end, but adjacent sections share the post between them, so the total post count is always sections plus one, not sections times two.
2 rails (top and bottom) is standard for many picket and privacy fences, taller fences or those needing extra rigidity sometimes use 3 rails (adding a middle rail). Adjust the 'rails per section' field to match your design.
No, gates typically use different hardware and framing than standard fence sections, so budget for gate materials separately from this calculator's picket and rail estimates.
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