Fence Calculator
Work out the panels and posts needed for a fence run.
Covers one straight run. Add posts for gates and corners, and allow for post thickness in the total length.
Counting panels and posts
Divide the run by the panel width and round up to get the number of panels. Posts then follow a simple rule: a straight run needs one more post than it has panels, because the two ends each need closing off.
panels = ⌈length ÷ panel width⌉ · posts = panels + 1
The last panel rarely fits exactly, so expect to trim it to length. Knowing its width up front tells you how much you will be cutting off and whether to nudge the layout.
A 20 m run with 1.83 m panels needs 11 panels and 12 posts. Ten full panels cover 18.3 m, leaving a final 1.7 m panel to cut down to size.
Planning a tidy run
A few minutes of estimating saves a wasted trip and an awkward gap. Set posts before ordering all the panels, since real-world ground and obstacles can shift the spacing, and remember that gates and corners each need their own post.
On-site tips
- Posts go deep. Roughly a quarter to a third of the visible height, set firmly.
- Account for thickness. Posts add to the run; measure openings carefully.
- Trim the last panel. Plan where the cut-down panel will sit for the neatest look.