Vertical Hit and Miss Fence Calculator

Estimate posts, rails and boards for a true vertical hit & miss fence — vertical boards alternate front/back with controlled gaps for airflow and screening.

Pick your board width and privacy level. The calculator sets a gap guide and shows how that affects board quantities.

Guide only. Built around standard UK garden fencing practice and stocked timber sizes.

What counts as “hit & miss”

Hit & miss means you have gaps between the boards on each face, and the boards are fitted alternately on opposite sides of the rails. That’s what creates the balance of privacy and airflow.

If the gap becomes equal to (or larger than) the board width, you’ll get direct sightlines through the fence — reduce the gap for proper screening.

Use the calculator to estimate materials for a Vertical Hit and Miss Fence (true hit & miss: boards alternate front/back with a deliberate gap for airflow and screening). This is a guide only — site conditions and build method can change requirements.

Calculator

1) Fence run & layout

We aim for your target, then space evenly across the run.
Vertical boards are fixed to horizontal rails.

2) Boards, height & privacy

Enter the finished height from ground level to the top of the fence.
Board “width” is the visible coverage across the run on each face.
Selected: 90% Gap guide: — mm Rule: gap < board width
Smaller gap = more privacy (uses more timber). Larger gap = more airflow and lighter look (uses less timber). A sensible starting point is board width minus 10% (90% setting).
Choose the nearest stock length that meets your fence height.
True Hit & Miss boards alternate front/back. Quantities assume both faces are clad.
Guide only keep gap smaller than board width to avoid direct sightlines.

Results

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