Decks, Fences & Siding
Fence Picket Calculator
Enter the length of the fence, the real width of one picket and the gap you want between them. You get the picket count with a small allowance for bad boards, plus the posts and rails behind them.
Worked example
- Pickets = 1,200 in / (5.5 + 0.5) = 200; plus 5% for bad boards = 210.
- Sections = 100 / 8 = 13; posts = 14; rails = 13 x 2.
Common sizes at a glance
| Size | Pickets | Posts | Rails |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft, no gaps | 116 | 8 | 14 of 8 ft |
| 100 ft, no gaps | 230 | 14 | 26 of 8 ft |
| 100 ft, half inch gaps | 210 | 14 | 26 of 8 ft |
| 150 ft, half inch gaps | 315 | 20 | 38 of 8 ft |
| 200 ft, half inch gaps | 420 | 26 | 50 of 8 ft |
Privacy fence or spaced pickets?
A privacy fence sets pickets tight against each other. A classic picket fence leaves a gap, often about the width of a finger or more. The gap you pick changes the count a lot: 100 ft of 5.5 in pickets takes 230 boards with no gap and 210 with half inch gaps.
Wood pickets shrink across their width as they dry. Pickets set tight when wet may show thin slits after a summer. Some builders leave a hairline gap from the start for that reason.
Measuring the picket, not reading the tag
Pickets are often sold under a rounded name, like 6 in, while the actual board is narrower. Measure two or three from the stack and enter the real width. A quarter inch per board adds up fast over hundreds of pickets.
Why we add 5%
Bundles include split ends, big knots and twisted boards. We add 5% so you can skip those without a second trip. On the worked example, 200 pickets becomes 210.
Also count gates. Gate frames carry pickets too, and the count already covers them, because gates sit inside the fence length.
- Buy all pickets from one batch so color and width match.
- Store them flat and covered until you install.
- Keep three or four spares for future repairs.
Rails and posts behind the pickets
Rails per section depend on height: two for most fences under about 5 ft, three for taller privacy fences. Enter the number you plan. For a full list including gate posts, the fence calculator covers everything at once.
The posts carry the whole fence, so dig them right with the fence post depth calculator.
Questions
How many pickets for a 150 ft fence?
With 5.5 in pickets and half inch gaps, about 315 including 5% extra.
How many pickets per 8 ft section?
A section of 96 in with 5.5 in pickets and no gap holds about 17 or 18, depending on how the end pickets meet the posts.
What will the pickets cost?
Multiply the count by your price per picket, or price the whole fence per foot in the fence cost calculator.
How this works: formulas and typical values are listed on our method page; every data source and its license is on sources.
Last reviewed November 2026.