How Many Fence Pickets Do I Need?
Part of Decks, Fences & Roofing
Quick answer
Pickets needed = (fence length in inches) ÷ (picket width + gap), then add ~10% for waste. For a solid privacy fence of 5.5-inch pickets, that's about 2.2 pickets per foot — so 100 ft needs roughly 218 pickets, or ~240 with waste. Spaced pickets need fewer; board-on-board needs nearly double.
Picket count comes down to one ratio: how wide each board is, plus the gap you leave between boards. A solid privacy fence has no gap; a classic spaced picket fence leaves 2–3 inches; a board-on-board fence overlaps the boards, so it uses far more.
Standard picket sizes
| Board | Actual width | Pickets per foot (solid) |
|---|---|---|
| 1×4 | 3.5 in | ~3.4 |
| 1×6 (dog-ear) | 5.5 in | ~2.2 |
| 1×8 | 7.25 in | ~1.7 |
Picket count by style
- Solid privacy (no gap): length in inches ÷ picket width. Most boards, no daylight between.
- Spaced picket (2–3 in gap): length in inches ÷ (picket width + gap). Fewer boards.
- Board-on-board (shadowbox): overlap each board ~1 in, which uses roughly 1.8–2× the solid count for full privacy from both sides.
- Always add ~10% for knots, splits, cull boards and offcuts.
The fence calculator does this exactly: set your picket width and gap under Advanced options, and it subtracts gate openings and adds your waste percentage to the picket total.
FAQs
How many pickets are in a foot of fence?
For solid 5.5-inch (1×6) pickets, about 2.2 per linear foot. For 3.5-inch (1×4) pickets, about 3.4 per foot. Add the gap to the board width before dividing if you're building a spaced picket fence.
How much gap should I leave between fence pickets?
Zero for a solid privacy fence (boards butted, allowing for a little expansion), or 2–3 inches for a traditional spaced picket fence. Board-on-board fences overlap instead of leaving a gap.