Post Spacing – Make Sure Your Fence is Secure
Selecting the right material and post spacing for your fence is almost as important as choosing the proper fence style. Check out our blog “The Right Post: The Foundation for a Solid, Long-Lasting Fence” to learn more about post possibilities. Remember, the proper combination of brace and line posts is an essential component for a fence’s durability and longevity. Once you have the right posts, it’s time to space them properly. So, how far apart should line posts be set?
The Quick Answer
Most fence posts can be spaced 8 to 12 feet apart. While this is a general criteria, it doesn’t cover all scenarios. For instance, high tensile fence can have larger spacing, requiring line posts every 15 to 20 feet for field fence styles, and as much as 20-30 feet for high tensile barbed and smooth wire. Check out this simple table to find your fence’s recommended spacing.
An In-Depth Look at Post Spacing
Let’s take a square 40-acre pasture. This pasture calls for exactly one mile of fence. Using the above rule of thumb, posts can be spaced anywhere from 8 to 12 feet apart. Generally, a successful structure will have five steel t-posts to one wooden post.
Spacing the posts 8 feet apart will require 660 posts. On the other hand, a 12-foot spacing requires 440 posts. A total difference of 220 posts is significant when looking at cost of materials and labor.
The primary benefit of tighter spacing is added security. By increasing the number of line posts, you are increasing the amount of support your fence has. This also decreases future maintenance, as there are more points of contact for the fence to brace itself against impact. In the short term, a larger spacing decreases labor and material costs. For temporary fencing, increased spacing may be the best solution.
Consider this: a 20-year-old mare and her pasture pals probably won’t need the same tight spacing as a lone stallion. And, a substantial herd of cattle will put more pressure on a field fence than a few lingering, docile calves. Therefore, talk to your Red Brand dealer to make sure your posts are spaced properly for the animals you are containing.
While there is no such thing as over protection, a Red Brand dealer is the most qualified person to assess your animals’ needs, and what spacing is best for your farm. Find a dealer near you at our website.
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Fence Post Spacing Guide
The structural integrity and overall look of your fence depend greatly on the materials you choose and how far apart you space the posts. Too far apart and the strength of your fence is compromised; too close and your fence may look strange. For most privacy and general-purpose fences, 6 or 8 feet between posts is standard. Always check the manufacturer's recommendations for proper spacing.
Fence Post Spacing Guide
The spacing of fence posts has a significant impact on the structural integrity of a fence. Depending on its use, fence post spacing from 5 feet to 30 feet are typical. Tightly spaced posts are naturally more secure and are less likely to be damaged by impacts. More substantial posts will also provide more strength to the side loads on a fence. On the flip side, tighter spacing requires more fence posts. Building a tightly spaced fence will cost more due to the materials and labor needed to complete the job.
When fence post fail
For a fence that experiences limited pressure or side loads, a larger spacing may be more cost-effective. Requiring less labor and materials to build a fence with increased spacing between posts can be installed in less time.
Line Posts and Terminal Post Spacing
Before we dive into the nuances of fence post spacing, it is important to be able to distinguish between the two types of fence posts: terminal posts and line posts.
Terminal posts are corner posts, line bracing posts, and gate posts. These posts provide the support a fence needs to maintain the tension on the wire throughout the lifespan of the fence.
Line posts are responsible for adding lateral strength to the fence between a corner or terminal posts. In a barbwire or woven wire fence, they allow the use of lighter t-posts in a fence line to help reduce the cost of the fence.
Terminal and line posts have different roles in a fence. Their spacing is affected by direction changes, topography, and the type of animal to be fenced in or out.
Nevertheless, knowing exactly how to space both line and terminal posts is vital to the durability and integrity of any fence, which is why we will be exploring how the spacing of each type of post is affected by various factors.
Determining T-Post Spacing
Terrain
The topography of your land will influence your line and t-post spacing. Working with hilly terrain will require the use of more posts to maintain the proper height as the fence follows the undulating landscape. However, on flat terrain you will be able to use fewer line posts as only a few are necessary to keep the line straight from terminal post to terminal post. Setting posts deeper in the ground with extreme terrain changes will help to prevent them from being pulled out of the ground.
Number of Wires Impact on Post Spacing
Fences made up of 5 or more strands of barbwire, and those with high tensile woven wire require more line posts and t-posts to support the strain of the wire tension. Lighter fencing like high tensile electric fencing requires fewer posts to support the wire. While more wire adds extra weight to the fence, those with as few as 3 to 6 single strand wires will not need as many posts to support their weight allowing you to have distances of 25 to 30 feet between posts.
Size and Number of Livestock
The size of your livestock matters a lot when it comes to how you should space your posts. Large livestock like cattle requires a fence with tighter spaced posts to withstand the pressure of the large animals leaning against it.
It is essential to consider the number of livestock being fenced in or out when choosing post spacing. Even in the case of sheep or goats, you should have tightly spaced posts if they number in the hundreds since their pressure can quickly bring down a fence.
Nevertheless, when you have more space for them to run around, smaller stock rarely need tightly spaced fences. You can place your posts further apart if you only have to worry about animals like goats or sheep.
Determining Post Spacing
Rough Terrain
Inline terminal posts are necessary when a fence runs across the top of a hill. The force of the strained wire can cause a fence to pull over to one side as the tension fluctuates with the seasonal temperature changes.
Similarly, when the terrain dips into a gully, inline terminal posts reduce the chance of the wire pulling the t-posts out of the ground. It is also important to set these posts deeper to decrease the chance of them being pulled out of the ground.
Flat terrain requires the fewest number of terminal posts. You can easily string dozens of t-posts in a straight line without losing wire tension. Terminal post spacing will be dependent on the length of wire you can tension in a single run, usually limited to a full 1320 foot roll.
Sizing Corner and Terminal Posts
The thicker the pipe post, the stronger it is. You can space steel posts with thicknesses ranging from schedule 30 to schedule 80 further apart without compromising the fence’s overall strength. Using terminal posts that are thinner than schedule 30 can require them to be spaced more closely together. It can be more economical to invest in thicker corner and line posts to use fewer of them than to buy thin posts and require more of them to keep your fence strong. A common size pipe for corner and line posts in the United States is 2-7/8″ schedule 40.
Direction Changes
Not all fences will need a terminal post at every turn/change in direction, but in the case of high tensile wire fences, it is absolutely crucial to their integrity. A post can easily succumb to the pressure of the strained wire around turns. In time, it begins to lean into the bend or to the side. A line post is the only sturdy fence post that can withstand this kind of pressure.
Gates
H-bracing for Gate
Gates mark breaks in a fence line that are natural end points where extra bracing will be required. Bracing for gates is vital to maintaining the tension of the fence as well as support the weight of the gate in the closed and open positions.
Post Spacing for Cattle
Barbwire fencing for cattle can have post spacings of 15 to 30 feet. The longer distances will require Stays, vertical wire separators that maintain the distance between the barbwire.
Bekaert 48″ Fence Stays
However, when dealing with particularly active cattle, or in smaller pens, post spacing should be 10 to 15 feet. It is also more appropriate to use woven wire to reduce injuries when they are more likely to brush up against the barbwire.
Post Spacing for Goats and Sheep.
For most fences, the post spacing for livestock like sheep and goats will be the same as with cattle. Any changes in topography will require shorter distances between the posts to prevent these smaller animals from crawling under. Predators will find any fence opening that they can squeeze under. Check out the article, The Best Fencing for Goats for more information.
Post Spacing for Crops
Depending on the target animals you are attempting to keep out, your post spacing could be from 5 feet for a woven wire to 30 feet for a high tensile barbwire fence. If you fence is taller than 6 feet you will want to have a spacing of 10 to 15 feet between posts.
Post Spacing for Varying Ground Conditions
It is easy to forget just how important the depth of the post is when it comes to fencing on rough ground. How firmly your posts are set determines the overall strength of your fence. In clay, sand, and black soil, it is essential to make sure that the post is driven deep enough.
Yescom Gas Powered Hammer Drill
Here, the number of t-posts you use won’t have as big an impact on the integrity of your fence as the depth of your posts. Rocky ground can be challenging, but often it also provides the firmest holds on fence posts. In some cases, the use of a gas powered hammer drill will be necessary to install your line posts.
To ensure that your fence does its job even when the ground conditions are poor, focus less on the number of posts and more on their depth. The only way to deal with poor soil conditions that will lead to fence failures is to install your posts deeper. In really poor conditions, soft ground around a lake, I’ve driven posts twice the distance in the ground as the fence is tall.
Post Spacing for Perimeter Fencing
When your fence sits right on top of your property line, you also need to consider what’s on your neighbor’s side before you can appropriately space your posts. The last thing you need is to fence in your crops with a three-wire, loosely spaced fence when they rear large livestock on their side of the fence.
Spacing Posts Based on their Materials
Wood – Wooden fences usually have 8 feet between fence posts as this provides the ideal amount of support. Their post spacing is dependent on the length of the horizontal boards used in their construction.
Plastic – Premade vinyl panel fences are usually the easiest to space as the size of the panels largely determines the amount of space needed between them. These are commonly used for residential yards.
Chain Link – Chain link fence post spacing is determined by their height and intended purpose. A four-foot tall residential fence will have spacings of 10 feet or more. A commercial security fence could have 6-foot spacing.
Steel Pipe – Pipe post fences are the most ideal types of fences for barbwire and woven wire. The recommended distance between line posts, assuming even terrain, is 15 feet apart. A line post should be placed every 125-150 feet with terminal posts at every end of the wire used. If you are using 330 foot rolls of wire your terminal posts would be 660 feet apart.
