Fence run
Gates (each gate takes the place of a panel bay in the run)
| Layout | Amount |
|---|
Posts, postcrete and gravel boards
| Posts (run ends plus intermediates) | 0 |
| Postcrete bags | 0 |
| Gravel boards (one per panel bay) | 0 |
How this calculator works
Think of the fence line as a row of bays sitting between posts: each bay is either a fence panel (your entered panel width) or a gate (your entered gate width). The number of panel bays is the run length, minus the total width taken up by gates, divided by the panel width and rounded up, since a part-width gap still needs a full panel. Posts sit at every junction between bays, so the total post count is the number of bays (panels plus gates) plus one for the very last post at the end of the run. Gravel boards are counted one per panel bay, since gates typically sit on their own threshold rather than a gravel board.
Postcrete quantities
Two 20kg bags of fence post mix (postcrete or a similar quick-set post concrete) per post is the standard rule of thumb for a typical fence post hole around 300mm across and 450 to 600mm deep, which is why it's the default here. Taller fences, heavier gate posts, or a wider hole for extra stability all use more, so adjust the figure if you know your posts are going in deeper or wider than that.
Choosing a panel width
1.83m (6ft) is the standard UK fence panel width and the default here, but panels are also commonly sold at 1.8m or 0.9m (3ft, often used for narrow side returns or as a part-width infill), so change the panel width field to match what you're actually buying before relying on the panel count.
What this calculator does not check
This tool counts materials for a like-for-like straight run only. It does not check wind exposure or fence height limits (fences over 2m, or over 1m next to a road, generally need planning permission), post depth requirements for your ground conditions (heavier clay or very exposed sites often need deeper or wider footings than the postcrete default assumes), or boundary ownership and party wall considerations before you dig on a shared line.
Related tools
Setting posts in a wet-mixed concrete footing instead of bagged postcrete? The concrete calculator's post hole mode works out the mix per hole. Building a deck alongside the fence? The decking calculator uses the same post-and-concrete approach for its support posts.