How many fence posts do I need?

Divide the fence length by the post spacing and add one for the end post. Posts are commonly spaced at 2.4 metres for paling fences. The calculator works out the posts, rails, and palings from the length and spacings you enter.

How many rails does a fence need?

Most paling fences have two or three rails running horizontally between the posts. Taller fences use three. Set the number of rails and the calculator multiplies it by the fence length for the total lineal metres of rail.

How many palings per metre?

Divide 1,000 by the paling width plus the gap in millimetres to get palings per metre. For 100 mm palings butted together that is about 10 per metre, and fewer if you leave a gap. The calculator uses your paling width and gap.

Fencing Calculator

This calculator works out the materials you need to build a timber paling fence, so you can order the right amount of posts, rails and palings without guessing or making extra trips to the hardware store. You enter the total fence length in metres, the spacing between posts (commonly 2.4 metres), the number of horizontal rails between the posts (usually two or three), and the width of each paling in millimetres along with any gap you want between them. From these the calculator returns three results: the number of palings to buy, the number of posts required, and the total lineal metres of rail needed. Posts come from dividing the fence length by the post spacing and adding one for the final post. Rail lineal metres is the fence length multiplied by the number of rails, since each rail runs the full length. Palings per metre come from dividing 1,000 millimetres by the paling width plus gap, then multiplying by the fence length and rounding up. Use it before a trip to the timber yard to get a materials list, and adjust the paling gap to see how a tighter or wider spacing changes the quantity needed. As with any materials estimate, add a small allowance for cutting waste and damaged pieces, and check your figures against local council fencing rules before you build.

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Fence length (m)

Post spacing (m)

Rails

Paling width (mm)

Paling gap (mm)

0 palings

palings to buy

Posts0

Rail lineal metres0 m

How it works

The posts are the fence length divided by the post spacing, plus one for the end. The rails run the full length, so the lineal metres of rail is the length times the number of rails. The palings per metre come from the paling width plus the gap, multiplied by the length for the total.

Worked example

A 20 metre fence with posts every 2.4 metres needs about 10 posts. With two rails that is 40 lineal metres of rail. With 100 mm palings butted tight, that is 10 per metre, so about 200 palings.

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Square Metre Calculator: work out an area.

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