It is important that you properly plan before constructing your fence; you don’t want to run out of materials halfway through your install. To properly estimate the number of pickets needed in your fence, you have to determine the following important factors regarding your fence:
Fence perimeter
Fence perimeter is the total length your fence will run. If the area that you need to enclose is a rectangle, the perimeter is the total length of all four sides. In order to get this measurement, all you need to do is measure along the fence lines until you arrive where you started. Jot down this information for later use.
Gate length
This should only be considered if you will use different materials for your gate or you will use wood but you will space the pickets differently than that of the fence line spacing. If so, you need to have a separate estimate of the number of pickets needed on your gate, which is fairly easy to estimate, and add it to the number of pickets needed for your fence line. But don’t forget to subtract the gates from the length of the fence you measured!
Privacy fencing or not
The kind of fence also has a significant effect on the number of pickets you need. For privacy (instead of decorative) fences, the pickets are tightly spaced so people will not be able to see into your yard through your fence. Privacy fences will obviously require a greater number of pickets than other fence types. The type of fence you will put up will require different formulas to be used on your estimate.
Side by side or overlapping
After deciding the type of fence you will install you will then have to decide whether you want to install them side by side or overlapping. Overlapping picket fence requires more materials than the side by side type.
Privacy fence picket estimation
If you have decided to erect a privacy fence, the table below will help in calculating the number of pickets needed for the entire perimeter:
Picket Multiplier Table for Privacy Fencing (per foot of fence perimeter)
|
Picket Dimension |
Multiplier |
|
|
Side by Side |
Overlap/ Board on Board |
|
| 1 x 4 (3½”) |
3.3 |
4.4 |
| 1 x 4 Full 4” |
3 |
4 |
| 1 x 6 (5½”) |
2.2 |
2.9 |
| 1 x 6 Full 6” |
2 |
2.45 |
To estimate the total number of fence pickets, use this formula:
[(Fence Perimter – Gate Length) x Multipler] +Number of Pickets per Gate
Regular fence picket estimation
There will be no multiplier table for regular type fences since it is up to you how far from each other you will install the pickets. Below is the formula to help you with this computation:
[(Fence Perimeter – Gate Length) ÷ (Picket Width + Distance Between Pickets)] + Number of Pickets per Gate
These formulas will help you estimate the number of pickets you’ll need for your entire fence. And now you are one step closer to having the fence you’ve always dreamed of.
