Space fence posts 8 ft (2.4 m) apart for a wood, vinyl or composite fence; chain link can go to 10 ft (Family Handyman). Set a third of each post in the ground, which is half the fence’s height: 3 ft for a 6 ft fence, on 6 in of gravel (This Old House), in a hole about 3 times as wide as the post (QUIKRETE). In cold climates, go below the frost line.
How far apart should fence posts be?
| Fence | Post spacing | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wood, vinyl or composite, solid | 8 ft | Family Handyman |
| Ready-made panels | the panel width, usually 6 or 8 ft | Family Handyman |
| Chain link | up to 10 ft | Family Handyman |
| Wire boundary or cattle fence | up to 25 ft on flat ground | Family Handyman |
| Corners and other high-stress spots | 4 to 6 ft | This Old House |
This Old House spaces most residential fence posts 6 to 8 ft apart.
Eight feet is the limit for a solid fence: farther apart, Family Handyman says, the posts aren’t strong enough for the wind, and the rails sag. It is also the length of a standard rail, so posts set just under 8 ft apart use 8 ft 2 × 4s without waste.
With panels, the spacing has to match them exactly. Family Handyman sets the panels as it goes and waits until they are in before setting the posts in concrete. On a slope where the fence steps down, it sets posts closer than 8 ft so the gap under each step isn’t big enough for animals, but not much closer than 4 ft, or the fence starts to look like posts and nothing else.
How deep should fence posts be?
QUIKRETE makes the hole a third of the post’s overall length deep. With two-thirds above the ground, the post is half again as long as the fence is high, and the part in the ground is half the fence height. This Old House adds 6 in of gravel in the bottom of the hole for drainage:
| Fence height | Post length | In the ground | Hole depth with gravel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 ft | 4½ ft | 18 in | 24 in |
| 4 ft | 6 ft | 24 in | 30 in |
| 5 ft | 7½ ft | 30 in | 36 in |
| 6 ft | 9 ft | 36 in | 42 in |
| 8 ft | 12 ft | 48 in | 54 in |
Our arithmetic from QUIKRETE’s one-third rule and This Old House’s 6 in of gravel. Buy posts in the next length up and cut them to height.
This Old House gives the same answer for a 6 ft fence, posts 36 in deep, and says the depth is there to stop frost heave. In cold climates, the hole has to reach below the frost line, which your local building inspector can give you; that can be deeper than the one-third rule.
How wide to dig, and concrete or gravel
- Hole width: about 3 times the post’s width (QUIKRETE). A 4 × 4 post is 3½ in square (NIST PS 20), so the hole is about 10½ in across.
- Concrete: QUIKRETE’s Fast-Setting Concrete Mix is poured in dry around the post and soaked with water, with the top 3 to 4 in of the hole filled with soil. It sets in 20 to 40 minutes; wait 4 hours before putting any strain on the post.
- Gravel and soil: This Old House’s contractor sets most posts on 6 in of ¾ in crushed stone and fills around them with the soil from the hole, packed every 6 in; in clay, which doesn’t drain, he packs only gravel. He keeps concrete for gate posts and for spots where rock stops him digging deep enough.
Mark the fence line with stakes and string before you dig, as This Old House does, and mark each hole along it. If you set most posts in gravel, still set the gate posts in concrete: they carry the gate.
Questions people ask
How far apart should fence posts be?
8 ft for a wood, vinyl or composite fence, up to 10 ft for chain link (Family Handyman), and 4 to 6 ft at corners (This Old House). Panels set the spacing to their width.
How deep should fence posts be?
A third of the post’s length, which is half the fence height: 3 ft for a 6 ft fence, 2 ft for a 4 ft fence, plus 6 in of gravel. Below the frost line in cold climates.
What is the maximum distance between fence posts?
8 ft for solid fences of wood, vinyl or composite; 10 ft for chain link. Farther apart, the rails sag and the fence isn’t strong enough in wind (Family Handyman).
How wide should a fence post hole be?
About 3 times the post’s width: 10½ in for a 4 × 4 (QUIKRETE).
Do fence posts need concrete?
Not always: This Old House sets most posts in tamped soil and gravel and uses concrete for gate posts or where rock limits the depth.
Sources
- Family Handyman, How far apart should fence posts be? and How to build a fence for privacy
- This Old House, How to install a fence post
- QUIKRETE, Fast-Setting Concrete Mix data sheet (revised November 2025)
- NIST, PS 20-20 American Softwood Lumber Standard (dressed lumber sizes)
Checked October 12, 2026. Metric values are converted. Post lengths and hole depths in the table are our arithmetic.