What To Consider When Setting The Distance Of Your Fence Posts

Constructing a fence isn't always easy since there are multiple ways that you can get the job done. This includes how far your fence posts are set apart, which can be done in one of three different ways. If your fencing contractor is asking you about which method you prefer, here is more information on all three methods.

Remainder Method

It is very common for sections of fencing to be 8 feet apart since it ensures that there are plenty of posts to keep the fence stable. However, your yard is likely not a length that is easily divisible by 8. This leads to a problem with how you deal with that short section of fence that sticks past the 8-foot range on one side of your fence.

The remainder method is going to basically make a short section of fence to fill up that gap. This means that you could end up with two posts at the end that are really close together. Your fencing contractor can let you know where the posts will be placed with the remainder method, so you know what that final section of fencing material will be. 

Equal Distance Method

The equal distance method will involve doing some math and taking the average of each side to determine the distance between the posts. For example, if you are constructing a fence on one side of your home that is 60 feet in length, it would average out to each section being 7.5 feet wide to evenly space them apart. 

However, the problem that some people have with this method is that each side of their fence is not equal. If you use the equal distance method on the other side of your yard that is 56 feet wide, the equal distance method will make that side with a post distance of 8 feet. Some people prefer a uniform look around their entire yard and will not use this method because of it. 

Tapered Method

The tapered method will use an 8-foot post length for the majority of the fence. However, the distance between posts will start tapering off near the end. For example, if you have a 68 feet wide fence, you could make the first 7 sections 8 feet apart, but make the last 2 sections 6 feet apart. This will prevent you from having a very short 4-foot section of fence at the end by splitting the difference across 2 sections. 

To learn more about fencing, reach out to a company like Roark Fencing.


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