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Wire Stock Fence Calculator
Calculate HT wire rolls, strainer posts, intermediate posts and staples for agricultural stock fencing. UK standard wire specifications.
Total boundary run
Each corner needs a strainer post
2 for a linear boundary (start + finish); 0 for a fully enclosed loop
Add 1-2 strands above stock fence (200m rolls)
Standard: 50m
Conservative default 75m. FG1 allows HT straining posts up to 600m, mild steel 150m
FG1: mild steel ≤3m, high-tensile up to 4.5m; tighten on slopes
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How We Calculate This
This calculator determines wire rolls, strainer posts, intermediate posts, struts and staples for agricultural stock fencing. It accounts for strainer positions at ends, corners and regular intervals.
The formula
Wire rolls = Fence length ÷ Roll length (rounded up)
Strainer posts = Ends + Corners + in-line strainers on long runs
Total posts = (Length ÷ Post spacing) + 1 (a run has a post at both ends)
Intermediate posts = Total posts − Strainer posts
Struts = 1 per end/in-line strainer + 2 per corner
Staples = (Intermediate posts × 3) + (Strainer posts × Wire rows)
Worked example — a 200m boundary with 2 ends and 2 corners: 4 wire rolls (50m each); 6 strainer posts (2 ends + 2 corners + 2 in-line at the 75m default); 68 posts total at 3m spacing, so 62 intermediate posts; 8 struts (4 single-direction strainers × 1 + 2 corners × 2); and 234 staples (62 intermediate × 3 + 6 strainers × 8 rows).
Installation tips
- Always install and brace strainer posts first
- Tension wire from strainer to strainer, not end to end
- Drive intermediate posts after wire is tensioned
- Add a strand of barbed wire along the top for stock deterrent
Frequently Asked Questions
HT8/80/15 means: HT = High Tensile wire, 8 = number of horizontal wires, 80 = height in centimetres (800mm), 15 = spacing of vertical stays in centimetres (150mm). This is the most common stock fence specification for cattle and horses. For sheep, use HT13/100/15 which has 13 wires at 1m height with tighter vertical spacing.
There is a strainer (straining) post at every end, corner and change of direction, plus extra in-line strainers on long runs. GOV.UK Countryside Stewardship FG1 allows high-tensile straining posts up to 600m apart and mild-steel up to 150m — but 75m or less is a sensible practical default that keeps tensioning manageable, which is what this calculator uses. Strainer posts are typically 125-150mm diameter round or 100×100mm sawn timber, set around 750mm deep in concrete or rammed earth.
GOV.UK FG1 sets intermediate posts at 3m or less for mild-steel wire and up to 4.5m apart for high-tensile wire — adjust to the ground conditions, tightening the spacing on slopes and uneven ground. Intermediate posts are lighter (at least 75×75mm sawn or 65mm top diameter, 1.65m long) and driven 450-600mm into the ground. The calculator defaults to 3m; raise the advanced spacing toward 4.5m if you are using high-tensile wire on even ground.
On stock netting you do not staple every horizontal wire at intermediate posts. The convention (TCV/Conservation Handbooks) is roughly 3 staples per intermediate post — top, middle and bottom — left slightly loose so the netting can run; FG1 states you must not hard-staple the wire to intermediate posts. Every wire is only fixed off (stapled home) at the straining and corner posts, so a strainer takes one staple per row — 8 for HT8, 13 for HT13. Use 40mm staples driven at a slight angle to avoid splitting. This calculator counts 3 staples per intermediate post plus a full set of rows at each strainer.
Standard stock fence rolls in the UK come in 50m lengths. Some suppliers also offer 100m rolls which are more economical but heavier to handle (approximately 30-40kg for a 50m roll). Always check the roll length when comparing prices, as some budget suppliers use shorter rolls.
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Last updated: March 2026
Verified against UK standards · estimates only, confirm with your supplier.