How many pickets for 100 feet of fence?

With standard 3.5 inch pickets and a 2 inch gap: approximately 219 pickets before waste, or 241 with 10% waste added. With a 1 inch gap: approximately 267 pickets before waste. With no gap (privacy fence): 343 pickets.

How many posts do I need for a picket fence?

Divide fence length by post spacing and round up, then add 1 for the end post. For a 100 ft fence at 8 ft spacing: ceil(100/8) + 1 = 14 posts. For 6 ft spacing: ceil(100/6) + 1 = 18 posts. Always add extra posts for corners and gates.

What gap should I leave between pickets?

For a decorative picket fence: 1.5-3 inches is typical. For a privacy fence: 0 gap. For a shadowbox fence: pickets on alternating sides with an overlap. A 2 inch gap is the most common starting point for traditional picket fences.

How many rails per section?

Two rails are standard for fences up to 6 feet tall. Use three rails for fences over 6 feet, or in areas with high wind. Three rails also provide better support for heavier wood species.

What is a shadowbox fence?

A shadowbox fence has pickets attached to alternating sides of the rails, with each picket overlapping the gaps between the pickets on the other side. This creates privacy while allowing airflow. It uses approximately 1.5-2x more pickets than a single-sided fence of the same length.

Picket Fence Calculator – How Many Pickets Do I Need?

Imperial inputs (ft and in). The calculator rounds up so you don't run short.

Fence length (ft)

Picket width (in)

Common: 3.5" (1×4), 5.5" (1×6)

Gap (in)

Decorative: 1–3". Privacy: 0"

Waste

Style

Advanced options — posts, rails, paint area, cost Show / hide

Post spacing (ft)

Fence height (ft)

Used for paint/stain area only.

Rails per section

Rail face height (in)

2×4 flat ≈ 3.5"

Sides to coat

Price per picket ($)

Price per post ($)

Rail cost ($/linear ft)

Sales tax (%)

Advanced outputs are planning estimates. Real builds vary for corners, gates, and irregular layouts.

Picket Fence Calculator — Pickets, Posts & Rails Guide

This calculator estimates picket count for any fence length, picket width, and gap. It supports single-sided and shadowbox (board-on-board) fences, and optionally calculates posts, rails, paint area, and total material cost.

Pickets Needed — Quick Reference

Fence length	3.5" picket, 2" gap	3.5" picket, 1" gap	5.5" picket, 2" gap	Privacy (no gap)
50 ft	110 pickets	134 pickets	82 pickets	172 pickets
100 ft	219 pickets	267 pickets	164 pickets	343 pickets
150 ft	328 pickets	400 pickets	246 pickets	514 pickets
200 ft	437 pickets	533 pickets	328 pickets	686 pickets

Before waste. Add 10% for a typical project. 100 ft highlighted as most common reference length.

Posts Needed by Fence Length & Spacing

Fence length	6 ft spacing	8 ft spacing	10 ft spacing
50 ft	10 posts	8 posts	6 posts
100 ft	18 posts	14 posts	11 posts
150 ft	26 posts	20 posts	16 posts
200 ft	35 posts	26 posts	21 posts

Includes both end posts. Add extra posts for each corner and gate opening.

Picket Spacing Guide

A 2 inch gap is the most common starting point for traditional decorative picket fences. Use 1 inch for a denser, more private look. Use 0 inch (touching) for full privacy. For a shadowbox fence, pickets on alternating sides overlap the gaps — enter the overlap factor in the calculator (1.5–2.0 is typical).

How to Calculate Picket Fence Spacing

The formula: Pickets = ceil(fence length in inches ÷ (picket width + gap)). Then multiply by your waste factor and round up.

Example — 100 ft fence, 3.5" pickets, 2" gap: 1,200 ÷ 5.5 = 218.2 → round up to 219 → add 10% waste → 241 pickets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Divide fence length in inches by (picket width + gap), round up, then add your waste percentage. For a 100 ft fence with 3.5" pickets and a 2" gap: 1,200 ÷ 5.5 = 219 pickets + 10% waste = 241 pickets. Enter your dimensions in the calculator above for an instant count.

With 3.5" pickets at 2" gap: 219 pickets before waste (241 with 10%). With a 1" gap: 267 before waste. With no gap (privacy): 343 pickets. With wider 5.5" pickets at 2" gap: 164 pickets. See the quick reference table above for a full comparison.

Divide fence length by post spacing, round up, then add 1 for the end post. For a 100 ft fence at 8 ft spacing: ceil(100÷8) + 1 = 14 posts. Add one extra post per corner and one per gate opening.

For a decorative picket fence: 1.5–3 inches is most common. For a privacy fence: 0 gap (touching). For a shadowbox: pickets on alternating sides with overlap. A 2 inch gap is the standard starting point for most traditional picket fences.

Use 2 rails for fences up to 6 ft tall. Use 3 rails for fences over 6 ft, or in high wind areas. Three rails also add stability for heavier wood species like cedar or pressure-treated pine.

A shadowbox fence (board-on-board) has pickets on alternating sides of the rails, each overlapping the gaps on the other side. This creates privacy while allowing airflow. It uses roughly 1.5–2x more pickets than a single-sided fence of the same length.

Yes — end grain absorbs moisture much faster than face grain. Sealing all cut ends with a wood preservative or end-grain sealer significantly extends fence life, especially for pressure-treated lumber where the treatment doesn't fully penetrate the cut end.

Picket Fence Planning Checklist

Covers post spacing, depth, alignment, bracing, gate layout, wood treatment, and permit requirements before purchasing materials.

Download Checklist (PDF)

Planning reference only. See Methodology and Data Sources. View all project checklists →

Related Fencing Calculators

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Disclaimer: Estimates are for planning only. Material requirements vary based on terrain, soil conditions, corners, gates, and local building codes. Always check permit requirements before installation.

See Methodology and Data Sources for details.