🛠 Fence & Post Calculator
Calculate how many posts, panels, rails, and total fence material you need for any project
| Fence Length | 6 ft Spacing | 8 ft Spacing | 10 ft Spacing | Metric Equiv. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft | 10 | 8 | 6 | 15.2 m |
| 100 ft | 18 | 14 | 11 | 30.5 m |
| 150 ft | 26 | 20 | 16 | 45.7 m |
| 200 ft | 35 | 26 | 21 | 61.0 m |
| 300 ft | 51 | 39 | 31 | 91.4 m |
| 500 ft | 85 | 64 | 51 | 152.4 m |
| Fence Type | Typical Spacing | Rails / Section | Post Depth | Panels/100ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood Privacy | 8 ft | 2–3 | 2 ft | 12–13 |
| Cedar Board | 8 ft | 2–3 | 2 ft | 12–13 |
| Wood Picket | 6–8 ft | 2 | 1.5–2 ft | 13–17 |
| Split Rail | 8–10 ft | 2–3 | 2 ft | 10–13 |
| Chain Link | 10 ft | 1–2 | 2.5 ft | 10 |
| Vinyl Panel | 8 ft | 2 | 2 ft | 12–13 |
| Aluminum | 6–8 ft | 2 | 1.5–2 ft | 13–17 |
| Wire Mesh/Farm | 8–12 ft | 1–2 | 2–3 ft | 8–13 |
| Fence Height | Min Post Length | Bury Depth | Above Ground | Post Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 ft (0.9 m) | 5 ft | 2 ft | 3 ft | 4x4 |
| 4 ft (1.2 m) | 6 ft | 2 ft | 4 ft | 4x4 |
| 5 ft (1.5 m) | 7.5 ft | 2.5 ft | 5 ft | 4x4 |
| 6 ft (1.8 m) | 8 ft | 2 ft | 6 ft | 4x4 |
| 8 ft (2.4 m) | 10 ft | 3 ft | 7 ft | 6x6 |
Fence Post are the elements that unites everything. They form the main support of any fence, keeping the whole structure straight and standing for years. If you choose low quality, your fence will fall sooner than you would imagine.
When talking about materials, you have several choices. Wooden Post stay the usual choice, treated pine and cedar both available, with various protective options like CCA and CAC. They work for farms, homes and commercial places.
Choosing and Caring for Fence Posts
Also metal Post are always more common. Galvanised metal models come with covers already set giving big load bearing, especially with G60 galvanised zinc deposits protecting them. Some metal Post have a Y-shaped finish, that strengthens the total stability, together with a slim tip below, that simplifies the ground hearing.
And there is also concrete, firm, long lasting option, if you want to drop all the traditional wood.
The life of a wooden Post depends mostly on its species. Black locust and Osage orange? They last around 20 to 25 years.
Red cedar lasts about 15 to 20 years. White oak reaches only a ten year period. Higher on the scale of durability, hickory delivers 5 to 7 years.
South pine, honey locust and yellow poplar usually limits to 3 to 7 years at most. Sweet gum stays at 3 too 6 years, while red oak goes around 5 years. Here the downside of cheap, they rot more quickly than good quality.
The right placing of Post in the soil is also important as the chosen type. Lay around 6 inches of gravel below for drainage, so that the wood does not stay waterlogged. With concrete, form it a bit domed, so that water flows to the sides instead of building up.
Wooden Post touching gravel drainage are better than being fully closed in concrete, seems unlikely, but it works. Cut the top of the Post at an angle to shed water, and then protect it with regular stains or silicone coats. Metal covers help too.
The standard advice is one third in the ground, two thirds up. Post at either side of the cool line? Here start the early failures.
If you use metal Post for back wooden Fence, corners and gates, they must go into concrete… Even if other Post simply get hammered in the ground.
For big projects, sets make the task a lot easier. Quick mount Fence sets include two Post, four Fence tubes, rail covers and everything needed to combine two full parts. Cedar Post and rail kits use round Post and rails with dove connections, that can join with welded wire.
Rotting or sharp Post normally requires only a refill, because Post donot cost a lot. Trying to fix a bad one rarely is worth the effort.
