calculatemygarden
Units

Split Rail Fence Calculator

Count split rails and line, end and corner posts for a 2 or 3 rail fence, add wire mesh backing, and see a cost range.

Units
Measure by
ft
corners

Where the fence turns.

Gates
4 ft gate
Split rail fence details
ft
Rails
Post size
in

Follows the height. Go deeper if your frost line is lower.

Hole diameter: 18 in, three times the post width.

Enter a fence length, draw the line on the map, or add sides to see your materials.

How the split rail fence calculator works

A split rail fence has no boards, panels or fabric: just posts with mortise holes and rails whose tapered ends slide into them. The count comes down to how many sections your line needs and how many rails each section carries.

Sections per stretch = stretch length ÷ 10 ft 6 in, rounded up. Rails = sections × rails per section × 1.1. Posts = sections + 1 on each stretch, with corners shared.

The 10 ft 6 in comes from the rail. The Split Rail Fence Store gives 10 ft 4 in to 10 ft 6 in from center to center for 11 ft rails, because the ends of neighboring rails overlap inside the post. Shorter 8 1/2 ft rails give sections of 7 ft 10 in to 8 ft. Fences have two to four rails; two and three are the common choices, and the calculator offers both.

A worked example

The calculator opens on a 150 ft fence, 3 rails, with two corners and one 4 ft gate.

  • The gate leaves 146 ft to fence: two 50 ft sides and two 23 ft stretches beside the gate.
  • A 50 ft side needs 5 sections (50 ÷ 10.5 = 4.8, rounded up), spaced evenly at 10 ft. A 23 ft stretch needs 3 sections of about 7 ft 8 in.
  • That is 16 sections and 18 posts. By mortise: 12 line posts, 4 end posts (the 2 ends of the fence and the 2 beside the gate) and 2 corner posts.
  • Rails: 16 sections × 3 = 48, or 53 rails with 10% for splits and breakage. With 2 rails it is 32, or 36 with the allowance.
  • No concrete: Ihler Sales and Distribution's split rail instructions set posts in 24 to 27 in holes without it. The calculator adds 6 in of gravel under each post, 32 half cubic foot bags for 18 holes.

As a check, the Split Rail Fence Store's own example of 100 ft of 3 rail fence uses 11 posts and 30 rails. The calculator gives the same 11 posts for a straight 100 ft line, and 33 rails once the allowance is added.

Line, end and corner posts: what is the difference?

Posts come mortised for their place in the fence, so order them by type. Fence Authority describes it: line posts are drilled all the way through so rails enter from both sides, end posts are drilled on one side only, and corner posts are drilled on two sides at a right angle. A gate post is an end post for the rails, which is why the calculator counts it with the ends.

How long are split rail posts?

The Split Rail Fence Store gives typical post lengths of 7 ft for 3 rails and 6 ft for 2 rails (6 1/2 ft and 5 ft 4 in for Western red cedar). Its holes are 30 in deep, or 24 in for cedar. The calculator's post length line is the minimum for your fence height plus the hole, so a supplier's 3 rail post is often longer than that figure. Buy the post made for your rail count.

Can I add wire mesh for a dog?

Yes. Turn on wire mesh backing next to the material list and enter the length of one roll from the label. The calculator runs mesh along the fenced length, gates excluded, plus 10% for overlaps and cuts. For the example that is 161 ft, or 4 rolls of 50 ft. Choose a mesh height that reaches the rail you want to cover.

What does a split rail fence cost?

HomeAdvisor gives $11.50 to $18.50 per foot installed for cedar or pine, Fixr $6 to $11, and materials run $3 to $6 per foot. For the example, the cost panel shows about $1,076 to $3,301 installed with the gate, or $438 to $876 in materials if you build it yourself. For a closer look at prices, use the split rail fence cost calculator.

For deeper holes in frost country, see the fence post depth calculator. For livestock wire, use the farm fence calculator. The fence calculator puts every fence type on the same line.