Fence Picket Calculator

ft
in
Actual (not nominal) width.
in
Construction

Calculate the number of fence pickets needed for a given fence length and picket width.

Formula

Pickets = fence length (in) / (picket width + gap); +5% waste
  • Actual (dressed) lumber width is 1/2 in less than nominal.
  • Add 5% for cuts and waste.

100 ft fence, 5.5 in pickets, 2 in gap

Inputs
  • Fence Length: 100 ft
  • Picket Width: 5.5 in
  • Space Between Pickets: 2 in

1200 / 7.5 = 160 pickets × 1.05 = 168 pickets.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common picket size?
1×6 (actual 0.75×5.5 in) for privacy fences; 1×4 (actual 0.75×3.5 in) for decorative picket fences.