Fence post calculator

How far apart should fence posts be?

Use the spacing permitted by your chosen fence system. The material gives a useful starting point, but a panel's connection details and the site conditions still control the layout. Enter the maximum planning spacing here, then check the reported bay width against the actual product before setting posts.

On center means measuring from the center of a post to the center of the next. Clear space between post faces is a different dimension. When a product gives an exact center spacing, use its layout detail; the nominal panel width alone may omit connection and post allowances.

Chain link fence post spacing

For chain link, distinguish the posts along a straight run from the terminal posts where a run ends, changes direction or meets a gate. The Lowe's installation instructions describe that layout. Do not count every post as the same shopping-list item just because the calculator reports a total.

Changing the spacing input changes the number of bays, but it does not choose pipe dimensions, bracing or hardware. Have the supplier check the selected fabric, height, supports and any screening against the complete system requirements. This post count does not establish a structural specification.

Measure connected sides and gate openings

Sketch the planned fence in order, starting at an open end or a corner. Enter a new side at each change of direction. Include the gates in that side's overall length, then enter how many gate openings are on it. The tool subtracts those openings before dividing the remaining fencing into bays.

Use the opening width specified for the planned gate assembly. A pair of leaves serving one opening is one opening for this layout. All openings in a calculation use the same width; if yours differ, plan the affected runs separately and reconcile the supporting posts on the sketch.

Check “Closed loop” only when the final side joins the starting point. A fence that ends at a building is not automatically a closed loop. The tool requires at least three sides for a loop and counts each join as a corner. It does not check whether entered lengths form the physical shape you drew.

Use consistent run measurements when comparing the sketch and the results. This is a planning layout with no automatic offsets for post thickness or gate hardware. Apply the selected manufacturer's finished layout dimensions before marking actual hole locations.

End, corner, gate and line posts explained

• End posts terminate the open layout. The tool counts the two exposed ends once each; a closed loop has no ends.
• Corner posts sit at joins between entered sides. Each shared corner is a single physical post even though it belongs to both adjoining sides.
• Gate posts flank an interior gate opening. The tool allocates two per opening, with the fence continuing beyond each support.
• Line posts fill the remaining positions along the bays. They are what remains after end, corner and gate posts are allocated from the total.

The categories add up to the total; they are not additional allowances to add afterward. Keep them separate when ordering because the selected system may specify different parts at different positions. Ask the supplier to identify the proper post and attachment assembly for each role.

A gate built directly at a corner or open end can share a support role that this equal-run model counts separately. Do not use the unadjusted category split for that arrangement. Draw the actual supports, identify the shared positions and have the supplier confirm the final schedule.

Worked straight-run post counts

The following examples use a fixed 8 ft maximum spacing and no gates. The calculator divides each illustrative length into whole bays, then makes those bays equal. It uses the homepage’s shared post calculation; there is no separate shortcut for these examples.

The final post is the reason an open run does not have the same post count as its bay count. If length is not an exact multiple of the maximum spacing, the tool adds a whole bay and redistributes the run. It does not place an unsupported leftover section beyond the final post.

For a fixed-width panel system, an equal bay arrangement may not be the purchase layout. The supplier might permit full panels with an adjusted end section, or require another detail. Use the computed total as a starting check and resolve those product dimensions before ordering.

Worked corners, gates and closed loops

These example inputs keep the 8 ft maximum spacing and use a 4 ft opening where a gate is listed. They illustrate the calculator's equal-run convention: each gate divides its side into equal fence runs, and bays are rounded separately within those runs.

In the open three-side example, the adjoining sides share their corner posts; adding separate straight-run totals would count those supports again. In the square loop, closing the final join removes the exposed-end roles. The gate example adds an opening within a side, not a second corner or an extra disconnected side.

If your gate is placed off center, draw the unequal runs on each side of it and check their bay rounding individually. The calculator does not have a gate-position input. An equal split and an actual off-center opening can require different post arrangements even when the overall length is unchanged.

Common fence post distance mistakes

• Subtracting gate width before entering the side, then entering the gate too. Enter the full side; let the tool deduct the opening once.
• Adding a side at a bookkeeping break along a straight line. Every entered join is treated as a corner, so keep collinear fencing together.
• Adding end and gate posts to the reported total. Those roles are already inside it; use the breakdown to allocate parts.
• Rounding the number of bays down. The maximum spacing is a limit in this model, so a partial bay still needs supported ends.
• Applying a chain link spacing range to a manufactured privacy panel. Check that panel's required centers and permitted adjustments.

For disconnected fences, branches or junctions, calculate the runs separately and reconcile actual shared posts. Save a sketch with the quantities so the person ordering materials can see which supports are shared and which are distinct.

Turn the layout into a post order

Label each post location by role and match it to the supplier's post schedule. Confirm gate openings and corner connections before purchasing. Post count alone does not give post length, embedment, hole diameter or concrete quantity.

Use the post depth calculator for a separate hole/concrete estimate, using the required local and product dimensions. The main fence calculator adds rails and infill, and the picket calculator handles board gaps. For wood coating after construction, the stain tool measures the finishing area.