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How Do I Calculate Fencing Materials

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  • 28-07-2022
How Do I Calculate Fencing Materials

Before building a fence in your garden you may ask: how do I calculate fencing materials? We look at how to find out the materials required for building a fence.

How to Estimate Privacy Fence Materials

Fences are a fantastic way to add security and privacy to your property or household while adding some decor. For example, you could use trellis panels with plants and shrubs growing throughout to add greenery and filtered light. Alternatively, if you're searching for something more sturdy, you could opt for wooden fence posts or wrought iron panels. Fences are constructed using many different materials, including vinyl, PVC, stones, wood and metal.

The material type you opt for will have a great deal to do with the style you most want to adhere to and the purpose you desire, as those who value security over aesthetics will likely want to opt for the most robust materials over the most visually appealing. Homeowners commonly know and prefer wood fences for their affordability and style. They aren't as sturdy as metal but more so than other materials. When building wooden fences, you want to decipher the hardware and lumber that will be most suitable to carry out the job and how much of it you will require.

If you're looking to erect a wood fence, you'll need pickets, screws, posts, nails, or rails. Suppose you're also implementing a gate into your fence. In that case, we recommend purchasing some gate hardware, including post caps, paints and stains, or even security lighting to serve as a deterrent against criminal activity. You'll also need tools and concrete to create a mixture that you can successfully pour into the post holes you dig to secure them into the ground.

There are so many materials involved in building your privacy fences, so it's paramount to begin calculating the lengths, widths and heights of your pickets, panels, gravel boards, rails and posts. Once you have all the sizes and measurements down, you'll be able to estimate the costs of your overall bill sufficiently. You'll be able to find online fencing and lumber calculators that provide estimates of how much wood or lumber you will need for the construction of your fence. They will also include the number of pickets, rails, nails/screws, posts, and concrete required.

HOW LONG SHOULD A WOODEN FENCE LAST?

How Do I Calculate Fencing Materials?

How Do I Calculate Fencing Materials

Calculating any area of your household or property for home improvement can be challenging. So, many projects require you to plan extensively; fencing your home or property is no different.

There are many equations you can complete manually if you need to calculate the length, width and number of the necessary fencing materials.

On the other hand, plenty of online fencing calculators can do all the work for you as long as you integrate the correct details. Once all calculations have been made, you'll be able to find a rough cost for your fence.

You want to begin your planning process by deciding how long you would like your fence to be and the amount of space you desire between each of your posts.

Generally, you'll find that the post space sits around 6-8 feet, or 2-5 metres, depending on your preferred unit of measurement, yet it all depends on your property and the length of the land you wish to enclose within the boundaries of your fence.

The height of your desired fence will also amount to the overall cost of fence materials, as the higher you go, the longer the panels and posts will have to be and the more rails you will need.

The height of your posts will be relatively easy to calculate, as you will want to ensure that it is buried in the ground and thoroughly cemented. Take your desired or recommended fence height and add on the volume of concrete you require.

Typically, most residential or commercial fences have two rails per section; however, this can vary depending on your selected fence style. One rule of thumb is to purchase horizontal rails for every 24 inches of height, so if your fence reaches 6ft, you'll require three rails for every section.

Once you've discovered the number you'll need per section, you can multiply that number by the amount of sections you have.

To determine the number of pickets needed to complete your fence, you must take the length of your fence in inches and divide that number by the sum of both your picket width and the proper spacing.

Finally, round up the result.

You must thoroughly secure each post to ensure your fence doesn't collapse or individual panel boards don't fall off. Such is why it's paramount to ensure your fence post holes are filled with the correct volume of concrete or cement.

To calculate the accurate volume of concrete you require, you must consider the following: For those working with cylindrical posts, we encourage you to assess and utilise the diameter of your post. We suggest looking at your post's width and thickness for those working with cuboid posts.

Buying the most suitable fencing materials for a property is paramount to its structural integrity and overall aesthetic. The material and general installation methods help inform the lifespan and the level of maintenance your fence will require over the years. However, even professional installers and construction workers occasionally make wrong judgements, so it's okay; you must ensure you keep a "mistake margin" to correct these issues later.

We highly recommend purchasing around 10% more fencing materials than you may initially require; this will be useful if you need to correct any minor or significant mistakes. For those who complete their DIY fence perfectly the first time without any mistakes, it won't be a waste of materials, as you can keep these handy for future repairs and maintenance. You can find handy percentage calculators online that will help you identify the remaining ten per cent you will have to add to your material order.


Are you looking for garden fencing near you? If you require garden fencing installation and supply in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire contact us today. Our garden design experts can supply and install beautiful garden decking for you and your family to enjoy for years to come.