Guide
How many fence posts do I need?
Count the runs, divide by the spacing, round up, add the corners and gates. Here is the method, with two worked examples.
The method in four steps
- Split the fence into straight runs. A run goes from one head post to the next: an end, a corner or a gate post.
- Divide each run by your maximum post spacing and round up. That gives the number of bays in the run.
- Line posts in the run = bays − 1. Spread them evenly: every bay the same width, never wider than the maximum.
- Add the head posts: one per end of an open fence, one per corner, two per gate.
Example: a straight run of 100 ft
With an 8 ft maximum spacing: 100 ÷ 8 = 12.5, rounded up to 13 bays. That is 12 line posts plus 2 end posts: 14 posts, about 7 ft 8 in apart. Spacing them evenly avoids a short odd bay at the end.
Example: a 100 × 50 ft yard, closed
A closed loop has no ends, but four corners. The two long sides have 13 bays each, so 12 line posts each. The two short sides: 50 ÷ 8 = 6.25, so 7 bays and 6 line posts each. Total: 4 corners + 24 + 12 = 40 posts. Each gate adds its two posts and takes its width out of the fence.
Let the app count
In Fence Calc, walk or draw the line: corners are read from the bends, gates are placed along the line, and posts are counted by type — end, corner, gate and line. Change the spacing and the count follows. See Posts and concrete.
