Quantity · Fence pickets
Fence Picket Calculator
Count pickets from board width and gap — not a full lumber list. Subtract gate openings, add waste, then move to the wood fence calculator for posts and rails.
Picket layout
Most common dog-ear / butt-joint privacy pitch.
Pickets to buy
212
192 raw · +10% waste
- Pitch (board + gap)
- 6"
- Per boarded foot
- ~2
- Boarded length
- 96 ft
- Faces
- 1
- Boarded line = length − gate openings = 96 ft
- Pickets / face = ceil(line × 12 ÷ pitch) at 6"
- Buy = raw × (1 + waste) → 212
Price data updated . National US ranges from published supplier and contractor averages. Not a bid. Local quotes vary.
How fence pickets are calculated
Pickets follow pitch along the boarded line. Pitch is board width plus gap. Gate leaves take no pickets. Waste covers dog-ears, culls, and end cuts.
boarded_ft = length_ft − gate_openings_ft pitch_in = picket_width_in + gap_in pickets_face = ceil(boarded_ft × 12 ÷ pitch_in) pickets_raw = pickets_face × faces pickets_buy = ceil(pickets_raw × (1 + waste %))
Worked example. A 100 ft run of 5.5" pickets with a 0.5" gap (6" pitch) and one 4 ft gate: 96 ft boarded → ceil(96×12÷6) = 192 raw pickets. With 10% waste, buy 212.
Pickets per 100 ft by stock width & gap
Planning counts before waste, one face, no gate openings. Multiply by faces for shadowbox; then add ~10% waste.
| Stock / look | Width | Gap | Pitch | Pickets / 100 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1×4 picket | 3.5" | 0.5" | 4.0" | 300 |
| 1×6 privacy | 5.5" | 0.5" | 6.0" | 200 |
| 1×6 spaced | 5.5" | 1.5" | 7.0" | 172 |
| 1×6 tight butt | 5.5" | 0" | 5.5" | 219 |
| 1×8 board | 7.25" | 0.5" | 7.75" | 155 |
| Board-on-board | ~overlap | — | ~4" | 300 |
- Ceil to whole boards on a real run — short leftovers still count as a picket.
- Shadowbox / good-neighbor: count both faces (often ~300 boards per 100 ft at 8" pitch each side).
Common run lengths at 6" privacy pitch
5.5" board + 0.5" gap, one face, no gates. Add waste before you leave the yard.
| Fence length | Pickets (raw) | Buy (+10% waste) |
|---|---|---|
| 50 ft | 100 | 110 |
| 75 ft | 150 | 165 |
| 100 ft | 200 | 220 |
| 150 ft | 300 | 330 |
| 200 ft | 400 | 440 |
Fence Picket calculator FAQ
- How many pickets do I need for a fence?
- Divide boarded length in inches by (picket width + gap). A 5.5" board with a 0.5" gap needs about two pickets per foot. Subtract gate openings, then add ~10% waste.
- What size are fence pickets?
- Most US privacy fences use 1×6 stock (~5.5" actual width) in 4–6 ft lengths to match fence height. 1×4 and 1×8 are common for spaced or board styles.
- Do I count pickets across a gate?
- No — enter gate opening width so those feet are excluded. Buy a gate kit or build the leaf separately; its boards are not in the run count.
- How is this different from the wood fence calculator?
- This page is picket geometry only (width, gap, waste, gates). The wood fence calculator adds posts, rails, and concrete bags for a full shopping list.
- How many pickets for board-on-board or shadowbox?
- Board-on-board uses a tighter ~4" pitch (~300 per 100 ft). Shadowbox boards both faces — often similar total count to board-on-board. Use the presets above, then add waste.
- Where do I estimate fence cost?
- After you know picket count, use the wood fence cost calculator for installed $/lf, or the general fence cost calculator for other styles.
Next: full materials or cost
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