How many fence pickets for 200 feet?

440 pickets with a 10% allowance. Two hundred feet is 2,400 inches, and at 6 inches of coverage per picket (5.5-inch picket + half-inch gap) that is exactly 400 pickets before waste.

How many fence pickets for 100 feet?

220 pickets with a 10% allowance. One hundred feet is 1,200 inches ÷ 6 inches per picket = 200 pickets exact, or 220 with waste.

How many pickets per foot of fence?

Two pickets per foot with standard 5.5-inch pickets and a half-inch gap (6 inches of coverage each). So a 200-foot fence needs 400 pickets before the waste allowance.

How many posts do I need for a 200-foot fence?

With posts every 8 feet, about 26 posts including corners and gate posts. Posts, rails, and pickets are counted separately — the 440 figure covers pickets only.

What is the standard gap between fence pickets?

A half-inch gap is standard for privacy fences with 5.5-inch pickets. Wider gaps (shadowbox style) use more pickets per foot because of the overlapping double row.

Guide

How Many Fence Pickets Do I Need for 200 Feet?

Fence pickets are counted by spacing, not area. With standard 5.5-inch pickets and a half-inch gap, each picket covers 6 inches of fence. Two hundred feet is 2,400 inches — 2,400 ÷ 6 = 400 pickets exact, or 440 with a 10% allowance for cuts and damaged boards.

Key Takeaways

A 200 ft fence is 2,400 inches — 400 pickets exact, 440 with a 10% allowance.
Each picket covers 6 inches: a 5.5-inch picket plus a half-inch gap.
A 100 ft fence needs 220 pickets by the same math; a 50 ft fence needs 110.
The count scales linearly — double the length, double the pickets.
Pickets are only part of the order: posts, rails, and fasteners are separate.

Calculate Your Fence

How to Calculate Fence Pickets for 200 Ft

Pickets are counted by spacing, not area — convert the fence length to inches and divide by the picket-plus-gap width.

1Convert the fence length to inches: 200 ft × 12 = 2,400 inches.
2Find the coverage per picket: a 5.5-inch picket plus a 0.5-inch gap = 6 inches.
3Divide length by coverage: 2,400 ÷ 6 = 400 pickets.
4Add a 10% allowance for cuts and damaged boards: 400 × 1.10 = 440.
5Round up to full bundles — and remember posts, rails, and screws are counted separately.

The Picket Count Formula

Each picket covers its own width plus the gap beside it. With the common 5.5-inch picket and half-inch gap, that is exactly 6 inches per picket — a number that divides cleanly into most fence lengths.

Pickets needed = Fence length (in) ÷ Picket coverage (in) × 1.10

Worked Example: 200 Ft Fence with 6-Inch Picket Spacing

Here is the full calculation for a 200-foot fence, plus a chart covering common fence lengths.

Step 1

Fence length: 200 ft = 2,400 inches.

Step 2

Picket coverage: 5.5-inch picket + 0.5-inch gap = 6 inches.

Step 3

Base count: 2,400 ÷ 6 = 400 pickets.

Step 4

Waste allowance: 400 × 0.10 = 40 pickets.

Step 5

Order total: 400 + 40 = 440 pickets.

Fence length	Pickets (exact)	Pickets with 10% waste
50 ft	100	110
100 ft	200	220
150 ft	300	330
200 ft	400	440

Common Mistakes

Counting area instead of length — pickets are a linear material, so square footage is irrelevant.
Forgetting the gap — dividing by the picket width alone instead of picket-plus-gap over-orders.
Assuming all pickets are 6 inches wide — actual pickets are 5.5 inches; the gap makes up the rest.
Ordering pickets but forgetting posts — plan one post every 6–8 feet plus gates.
Skipping the waste allowance — cedar and pine boards always include some warped or cracked pieces.

Practical Tips

Sort pickets before installing — set aside warped boards for cuts and shorter spans.
Keep the half-inch gap consistent with a spacer block for a professional look.
Buy pickets, rails, and posts from the same batch to keep the wood tone consistent.
Stain or seal both sides of the pickets before hanging them for longer life.
Use the NOVORY Fence Calculator to double-check pickets, posts, and rails for any fence length.