Free picket spacing calculator

Picket Spacing Calculator — Pickets Per Foot, Gap & Board-On-Board

Work out picket counts from board width and gap, not a guess: coverage per picket, pickets per 8 ft bay, the leftover in the last bay, and the even gap that makes the run come out exact — including board-on-board overlap math.

  • 1×4 and 1×6 pickets with standard, tight & custom gaps
  • Board-on-board overlap math
  • Even-spacing answer for exact post-to-post runs
  • Pickets per 8 ft bay included
Open the calculatorWood fence estimating guide
Gap

½ in (standard)

Picket math: each board covers 6.00 in of fence line (5.5 in board + 0.5 in gap). Ballpark cost uses $3.25 per 6 ft picket from the FenceTracer starter pricebook.

Picket count for this run

201 pickets · ≈ $653 in boards
17 per 8 ft bay
ResultValue
Pickets for 100 ft run1200 in ÷ 6.00 in per picket, rounded up + 1 starter201
Pickets per 8 ft bayStandard post-to-post section17
Coverage of the last bay1200 in covered, 0.0 in left over0.0 in
Even spacing for 201 picketsGap that makes the run come out exact0.472 in
How this list is calculated
  • Coverage per picket = board width plus gap.
  • Picket count = run length ÷ coverage, rounded up, plus one starter board — the same rule the FenceTracer takeoff engine uses.
  • Even spacing rebalances the leftover partial bay across every gap so the last board lands on the post line.
  • Ballpark cost uses the FenceTracer starter pricebook figure of $3.25 per 6 ft picket; real costs come from your supplier.
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Picket spacing math

The three numbers behind every picket count

Coverage per picket decides everything

Standard board: width + gap (5½ in + ½ in = 6 in). Tight board: width only (5½ in). Board-on-board: width minus overlap (5½ in − 1 in = 4½ in). Between the loosest and tightest styles the picket count swings roughly 33% — about $650 in boards on a 200 ft fence at starter prices. That is the single biggest material variance in wood fencing.

The +1 starter board is not optional

Picket count = run length ÷ coverage, rounded up, plus one. Skip the starter board and the first bay ends with a gap twice as wide as the rest — visible from the sidewalk. The calculator includes it, and so does the FenceTracer takeoff engine.

Even spacing fixes the leftover partial bay

A 100 ft run rarely divides evenly into picket coverage. The professional fix is to spread the leftover across every gap so the last board lands on the post line. The calculator computes that exact gap for the current count — or tells you when the count is simply too high for the run.

Worked example: 100 ft of 6 ft privacy-style picket fence

  • 1×6 pickets, ½ in gap → 6 in coverage per picket
  • 1,200 in ÷ 6 in = 200 + 1 starter = 201 pickets, continuous run
  • 17 pickets per 8 ft bay; 12 full bays + a 4 ft end bay = 213
  • Bays restart the +1 at every post — that is where the extra 12 come from
  • Tight-board version of the same fence: 220 pickets
  • Board-on-board version: 268 per side
  • ≈ $653 in boards at $3.25 per 6 ft picket
  • Sell the installed job at $35–$45/ft to hold 42–55% material share

Same fence, three styles, three very different board budgets. Set the style before quoting — a privacy look priced at standard-board coverage quietly eats $200+ per 100 ft.

Contractor notes

What picket math does not cover

Picket count is the load-bearing number, but a production takeoff for a real job adds the items below — all supported in FenceTracer so they roll into the quote instead of a sticky note.

Rails and posts carry the boards

Two rails under 6 ft, three rails above. Posts every 8 ft on level ground, every 6 ft where wind loads or soft soil say otherwise. The wood fence calculator prices all three together.

Gate sections follow different math

Gate bays take 6×6 posts, an extra bag of concrete per post, hinge and latch hardware, and a frame the pickets nail onto. Roughing in gate boards at line-board rates under-bids every job with a gate.

Stain, removal, and the rest

Stain per foot per coat, old fence removal at $3–$7/ft, kickboard, and cap rail are line items most shops forget to price — and none of them appear in a picket count on its own.

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FAQ

Questions contractors ask about this calculator

How do I calculate picket spacing?

Add the picket width to the gap to get the coverage per picket, divide the run length in inches by that coverage, round up, and add one starter board. For 1×6 pickets (5½ in) with a ½ in gap, each picket covers 6 in, so an 8 ft bay takes 17 pickets. For board-on-board, subtract the 1 in overlap instead of adding a gap.

How many pickets per 8 ft section?

With 5½ in wide boards: 96 in ÷ 6 in = 16 plus a starter board = 17 pickets per 8 ft bay at a ½ in gap. Tight-board takes 19 per bay, board-on-board 23 per side. The calculator shows the exact count for your width and gap.

What gap should I use between pickets?

Standard is ½ in — wide enough for wood movement, tight enough for a clean look. Tight-board (no gap) needs kiln-dried stock or the boards will buckle. Board-on-board overlaps 1 in instead of leaving a gap, which is why it reads as a solid privacy wall from both sides.

Why do my pickets never land exactly on the post?

Because a run rarely divides evenly into picket coverage. The fix is even spacing: take the leftover from the last partial bay and spread it across every gap. The calculator computes the exact gap (or overlap) that makes the last board land on the post line.

How many pickets do I need for a 100 ft fence?

At 5½ in boards with a ½ in gap, a continuous 100 ft run needs 201 pickets (1,200 in ÷ 6 + 1). Tight-board needs 220, board-on-board 268 per side — a 33% swing between the loosest and tightest styles, which is why picket style should be set before quoting.

FenceTracer

Quote the picket count with your real prices

FenceTracer applies the same picket math to the drawn layout — every segment, gate, and style change — and prices it with your supplier numbers, tax, and margin.
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