Measuring up for a new garden fence is one of those jobs that sounds simple until you’re stood there with a tape measure, scratching your head over how many posts you actually need. Get it wrong and your either back in the yard for more boards, or you’ve got a stack of timber left over taking up space in the shed.
That’s exactly why we built the Fencing Calculator, and its live on the site now for anyone planning a fencing project across the North East.
What Is the Fencing Calculator and How Does It Work?
Its a free tool on our homepage that takes the guesswork out of ordering fencing materials. You simply pop in a few details about your fence run and it works out roughly what you’ll need.
Here’s what you can select:
- Length of run: enter this in metres
- Height: choose from 900mm (3ft) right up to 2400mm (8ft), including the popular 1800mm (6ft) option
- Board size: 100mm (4 inch) or 150mm (6 inch)
- Post thickness: 75 x 75mm, 75 x 100mm or 100 x 100mm
- Cross rail: 3.6m or 4.2m lengths, both 75 x 38mm
- Capping: none, rebated or un-rebated
- Waste allowance: none, 5% or 10%
Once you hit Calculate, you get an instant estimate of what your project needs. Simple as that.
Why Use a Fencing Calculator Instead of Guessing?
Because doing fence maths by hand is fiddly, and a small mistake early on has a habit of snowballing. Miscount your posts by two and suddenly your boards don’t line up how you planned.
A calculator takes that pressure off. You get a clear estimate before you even come to us, so you know roughly what your looking at cost-wise and materials-wise before committing to anything. Handy if your comparing a few different fence heights or styles before deciding what suits your garden.
How to Get the Most Accurate Estimate
A few tips worth knowing before you start:
Measure the full run carefully. Walk the boundary with a proper tape measure rather than pacing it out, corners and awkward angles are where most estimates go wrong.
Think about your ground. Sloping gardens, gates, and tricky corners can all change how much material you actually need, so build in a bit of flexibility.
Choose a sensible waste allowance. Adding 5 or 10% covers you for offcuts and mistakes, which happens to even the most careful of us.
Worth saying too, this is a guide only. Corners, gates, slopes and ground conditions can all change the final quantities, so if your project is a big one, give the team a shout to double check before you order.
Choosing the Right Fence Height for Your Garden
Not sure what height to pick from the dropdown? It’s worth knowing that fences over 2 metres generally need planning permission in England, and that drops to 1 metre if your fence runs alongside a road used by vehicles. The Planning Portal has a proper breakdown of the rules if you want to check before you order, always better to ask first than take a fence back down later.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Fencing Calculator
Is the Fencing Calculator accurate? It gives a solid estimate based on the measurements and options you enter, but its a guide rather than a guarantee. Complex gardens with slopes, gates or awkward corners are best double checked with our team.
Do I need planning permission for my fence? Usually not, but height and location both matter. Fences over 2 metres (or over 1 metre next to a road) may need permission, so it’s worth a quick check with the Planning Portal first.
Can trade customers use the calculator too? Definitely. Whether your ordering for one garden or several jobs on the go, the calculator works the same way, and trade account holders still get their usual discounts and priority delivery at checkout.
Try the Greenwood Building Supplies Fencing Calculator Today
Whether your fencing off a small back garden in Seaham or planning a bigger job further out across the North East, the Fencing Calculator is there to save you time and a fair few headaches. Head over to our homepage to give it a go, and if you’d rather talk it through with someone first, our team’s always happy to help.