How Many Fence Posts Do I Need?
Short answer: divide each fence run by the post spacing and round up, then add one post per run boundary, a post at every end and corner, and two posts per gate. A 200 ft run at 8 ft spacing with one gate comes out to about 28 posts.
The formula
For each run: spans = ceil(run length ÷ post spacing), and each span needs a post at its end, so a run contributes spans + 1 posts. When two runs meet at a corner, that corner post is shared — count it once. Finally:
- Terminal posts: one at every end, corner, transition and house connection.
- Gate posts: every gate adds a hinge post and a latch post (2 per gate).
- Line posts: everything between the terminals.
Worked example — 200 ft privacy fence, one 4 ft gate
- Effective run after the gate opening: 200 − 4 = 196 ft
- Spans: ceil(196 ÷ 8) = 25 → 26 posts on the run
- Terminal posts: 2 (both ends) · Gate posts: 2 (hinge + latch)
- Total: 28 posts — 24 line posts, 2 terminal, 2 gate
An L-shaped yard
Two runs (60 ft + 40 ft) meeting at a corner: spans are ceil(60 ÷ 8) = 8 and ceil(40 ÷ 8) = 5, giving (8 + 1) + (5 + 1) = 15 posts, minus the one shared corner = 14 posts on the runs. Terminals: start end + corner + far end = 3, so 11 line posts. Add 2 per gate.
Calculate your exact layout
The Fence Post Calculator handles multiple runs, corners and gates automatically — and reports volume-based concrete bags too. For the spacing rules behind these numbers, see how far apart fence posts should be.
FAQ
How many posts for a 200 ft fence?
At 8 ft spacing with one 4 ft gate: 26 run posts + 2 gate posts ≈ 28 total. Wider spacing (10 ft for chain link) drops it to about 23.
Do corners need extra posts?
Corners always get a post — but a corner shared by two runs is a single post. It does need to be stronger (usually a 4×6 or double-post) because it pulls in two directions.
How many posts does a gate need?
Two per gate — hinge and latch. Count them separately from line posts; they carry the gate's weight and get deeper concrete footings.