Fence Calculator

6 to 8 feet on center for residential wood fencing. Go to 6 for a tall privacy fence or anywhere the wind gets up, because a solid fence is a sail and the posts are what hold it. 8 feet is fine for open picket or rail, where the wind goes through.

2 per section up to about 4 feet tall, 3 per section on a 6-foot privacy fence. The third rail is not about strength so much as keeping long pickets from bowing out in the middle, which is what makes an old fence look wavy from down the street.

Only the posts. Each gate opening adds one extra post to the count, since a gate needs a post on both sides. Hinges, latches, and the gate frame itself are separate, and heavy gates want heavier hardware than the budget sets, so price those off your actual gate width.

Fence length in inches, divided by what one picket occupies, which is its width plus the gap beside it. The default assumes a 1/4 in gap. For a full privacy fence with no sightlines, nudge the picket width up slightly to close that gap and the count will rise to match.