Fence Picket Calculator — How Many Pickets Do I Need?
Enter your fence length, picket width and gap to find out how many pickets to buy — including a waste allowance — and see the lineal meters, board feet, and what percentage of the fence face is solid (privacy coverage).
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Rounded up to the next whole picket, including the waste allowance
- 1
Picket pitch (width + gap)
0.09 + 0.02 = 0.11 - 2
Base picket count
⌈20 ÷ 0.11⌉ = 182 - 3
Waste factor
1 + 5 ÷ 100 = 1.05 - 4
Pickets with waste
⌈182 × 1.05⌉ = 192
How does this calculator work?
pickets = ⌈length ÷ (picketWidth + gap)⌉, then add a 5–10% waste buffer. Lineal meters = pickets × height. Privacy = picketWidth ÷ (picketWidth + gap) × 100%. For a 20 m fence, 90 mm pickets with a 20 mm gap (110 mm pitch) needs ⌈20 ÷ 0.11⌉ = 182 net pickets before waste.
Formula
How this is calculated
Each picket occupies a total horizontal space equal to its own width plus the gap to the next picket; this combined distance is the pitch. Dividing the fence length by the pitch and rounding up gives the minimum number of pickets to fill the run. A waste factor (typically 5–10%) is applied and the result rounded up again, giving the quantity to purchase — offcuts from cut-to-length boards and the occasional split or warped piece make a buffer essential.
Lineal meters converts the picket count to the total length of timber needed at that cross-section (pickets × height), which is the unit used when ordering from a timber merchant. Board feet — the traditional North American volumetric lumber measure — is calculated as (thickness × width × height, all in inches) ÷ 144, multiplied by the picket count; this lets you compare pricing when suppliers quote by board foot. If thickness is set to 0, board-foot output is omitted.
Privacy coverage is the fraction of the fence face covered by solid picket: picketWidth ÷ (picketWidth + gap). A zero gap gives 100% coverage (solid fence). Equal picket-width and gap gives 50%. A 90 mm picket with a 20 mm gap gives 82% coverage, which meets the common informal threshold for a "privacy fence".
Frequently asked questions
A 10–25 mm gap between 90–100 mm pickets (coverage 78–91%) provides good wind resistance while keeping neighbours from easily seeing in. Wider gaps reduce privacy quickly but allow more natural light and look more decorative.
Divide the total lineal meters by the stock board length (e.g. 2.4 m or 3.0 m), then round up. That gives the number of full boards to buy. The calculator gives you lineal meters; your timber supplier can convert that to pieces at any stock length.
Yes. Gate infill uses pickets too but those are not included here because gates are typically ordered as pre-made panels or cut from separate stock. Add the gate picket count manually based on the gate width and your picket pitch.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Fence Picket Calculator — How Many Pickets Do I Need? [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/fence-picket-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Fence Picket Calculator — How Many Pickets Do I Need?." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/fence-picket-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Fence Picket Calculator — How Many Pickets Do I Need?," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/fence-picket-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_fence_picket_calculator, title = {Fence Picket Calculator — How Many Pickets Do I Need?}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/fence-picket-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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