Fencing calculator
Enter your field or fence-line measurements in feet or metres to estimate posts, wire and rolls - and see the field area in acres and hectares.
Your estimate
- Around the field
- 3,960 ft · 240 rods
- Fence, less gate openings
- 3,944 ft · 239 rods
- Wire, all strands
- 16,565 ft · 3.14 mi
- Corner / end posts
- 4
- Gate posts
- 2
- Line posts (every 16.5 ft or less)
- 235
- Field area
- 20 acres · 8.09 ha
How we work it out
- Posts: each side is split into equal gaps no wider than your post spacing. A closed field shares its 4 corner posts; a straight line has an end post at each end. Each gate adds one post (two gate posts where one line post would be).
- Wire: fence length (gate openings taken out) × number of strands, plus 5% for tying off and splices. Rolls are rounded up. In feet we also show rods (16.5 ft) and miles (5,280 ft).
- Area: length × width, shown in acres (43,560 sq ft) and hectares (1 ha ≈ 2.47 acres). A quarter section is 2,640 × 2,640 ft = 160 acres.
This is a quick estimate for a rectangular field or a straight run on flat ground. Hills, curves, creek and coulee crossings, corner and brace assemblies, electric offsets, stays and your fencing contractor's methods all change the real numbers, so check with your supplier or contractor before you buy. Before you dig post holes, call or click before you dig: every province has a free locate service (Info-Excavation in Quebec) that marks buried power, gas and phone lines. Nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere. Need other units? Try the farm unit converter; words like rod, strainer or quarter section are in the farm words glossary.
Need fencing gear or a new block?
Browse machinery, equipment and farm land from five countries on the REALM Marketplace.