Fence Calculator
The number of panels and posts needed for a fence of a given length.
Result
Panels needed
17
Posts needed
18
How it works
Fence panels are the fence length divided by the panel width, rounded up — you cannot install a fraction of a panel. Posts always come to one more than the panels, because each panel needs support at both ends and the run has to be closed off. That extra post is the classic miscount. Three panels in a straight line need four posts: one at each junction plus one at each end. Corners add another, since a corner post carries panels from two directions and cannot be shared as a simple in-line post. Plan the run before ordering. Gates, slopes and corners all interrupt the regular spacing, and a length that does not divide evenly leaves you cutting one panel — better placed at an inconspicuous end than in the middle of the most visible stretch.
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Frequently asked questions
Why one extra post?
A straight fence needs a post at both ends, so posts = panels + 1.
What about corners?
Each corner or gate usually needs an extra post — add them to the total.
How deep should the posts go?
A common guide is a third of the post's total length below ground, so a 2.4 m post is set about 80 cm deep — and below the frost line where ground freezes. Concrete the posts and let them cure before hanging any panels.
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