Looking for ways to layout fencing on approximately 10-15 acres, divided into 2 large pastures and a sacrifice paddock. I see RedBrand has a fencing calculator but I can’t seem to zoom in on our location very well.
Haha… I need help.
Are you looking for specific measurements of YOUR land? Or just an estimate for how much fencing you need? I just discovered that Google Maps will let you right click on the map, select “measure distance”, and then you can add or move little points around to measure on the map. It’s probably not accurate down to the inch, but still very helpful!
[QUOTE=BoyleHeightsKid;8789398]
Looking for ways to layout fencing on approximately 10-15 acres, divided into 2 large pastures and a sacrifice paddock. I see RedBrand has a fencing calculator but I can’t seem to zoom in on our location very well.
Haha… I need help.[/QUOTE]
Go to this link. I used it to for our farm:
Thank you both!
I had no idea about that feature in google maps. Cool!
I use Daft Logic for stuff like this…old habit, I suppose, as their tools were available long before Google implemented something similar:
[QUOTE=talkofthetown;8789429]
It’s probably not accurate down to the inch, but still very helpful![/QUOTE]
check our place and it was very close to the inch correct… pretty scary …thanks
Draftlogic is what we use, they have different free programs for different needs.
I have done my entire farm with Googlemaps. It has been amazing. And I’ve been right on with estimates. Almost creepy.
This is what I used, although it’s a little more labor intensive… It allowed me to walk off the distances, and make hand drawings so I could calculate accessories and post needed. It was also nice to be able to visually see where the fence was going to go and helped us sort out where we needed to add gates. I can’t tell you how many of the interior lines we changed from where we thought we wanted them once we got to ‘see’ where they were going to be.
Oh and my measurements were within feet of where I measured. We were able to calculate and accurate materials list with very little scrap or unneeded materials.
These help a lot.
I would like to map everything out to be as efficient as possible too. I played with google maps a bit here at work and we have roughly 11+ acres of cleared land to play with. That should be plenty for 3 and at times maybe 4 horses.
Then there’s the actual fencing itself. We don’t have a huge budget so will have to add as we can afford it but can probably fence off about 5 acres pretty quickly.
Ugh I typed my response and the wifi hiccuped :lol:
I also used the daftlogic link to map distances etc in order to verify acerages. I mapped my current boarding barn to see what I needed/wanted/they were doing well on, I mapped the donkey farm I got the burritos to see what their standard turnouts were, then applied it to my property and moved things around until I felt like I was happy. Then I used that info and inputted it into the Redbrand site for rough estimates on fencing. I also did a screen shot to send to the guy installing my fence posts, after sticking it in an editing program to write measurements on it.
Pretty much what Southern Yankee said. Unless there is a “program” that will also give that takes in the contour of the land and give a 3D visual walking it off is the best way to go about it. A measuring wheel is useful for lots of things also.
Buy a bunch of survey flags or make some tall ones out of some cheap wood and use bright colored duck tape to flag them. Stake the corners and walk and measure the line. Move the corner post to fit the spacing of the posts. Stake the gates. Then look around see/visualize how things will look.
Using a measuring a wheel not only gives accurate measurement it also allows for ground inspection of the planned fence lines. The line can be moved, adjusted to avoid problematic areas. Dips, boggy, rocky etc.
Estimating material cost is easily done with a hand calculator depending on the type of fencing be used. Wood, 3 or 4 board is always set on posts spaced 8’ apart using 16 foot boards. It is a big mistake to use 8’ boards. So the math is total length of all 4 sides divided by 8 gives the number of posts, plus 1 for the starting post. The same divided by 16’ for the boards. X 3 or 4. 1 gate post. 16 p ring shank nails.
All the other types of fencing have different post spacing. Wire or plastic comes in different rolled lengths. Fencing that has to have reinforced corners, gate post etc these need to be added to the post list. With fencing that has lots of attachment hardware the seller always provide a materials calculator that figures outs everything that is needed.
For those who are just in the advanced planning stages to figure out a budget and find the money just use these easy numbers. A 1 acre paddock if fenced in a square will need a perimeter fence line that is roughly 840 feet, 4 sides at 210 feet each. A 5 acre paddock around 1880’, 470’ per side.
The distance around a 5 acre property depends on the shape, not just the area. Which it is why it is a good idea to walk off the distance with a wheel tape.
Checking my math I found this link that give a nice explanation of things.
http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/qq/database/qq.09.06/george1.html
If you want to know the amount of acres being fenced after walking it off the math is pretty simple assuming you are using a “square” configuration. If the total fence line is 2000’, divide by 4, 500, X 500 = 250,000 divided by the square feet in 1 acre, 43,560 = roughly 5 and ¾ acres.
Knowing a few basic numbers and all one needs is pencil and paper. But a cheap calculator makes even more short work of things.
Thank you gumtree. The survey flags is a great idea and they are cheap enough for sure. You also make a great point about walking the land to look for problem areas.
As soon as we close on the property we will get someone in there to mow so we can really see what’s going on.
[QUOTE=BoyleHeightsKid;8793564]
You also make a great point about walking the land to look for problem areas.[/QUOTE]
a good friend of mine who later became an international urban planner the first sub-division he planned was done in the winter. The snow covered land was surveyed, the land plotted out in streets and lots that worked out very nicely until Spring when it was found that several lots were in the middle of lakes
Thanks for the info gumtree! Definitely bookmarking this for the future!
[QUOTE=clanter;8793711]
a good friend of mine who later became an international urban planner the first sub-division he planned was done in the winter. The snow covered land was surveyed, the land plotted out in streets and lots that worked out very nicely until Spring when it was found that several lots were in the middle of lakes[/QUOTE]Yikes… that stinks!
[QUOTE=BoyleHeightsKid;8793801]
Yikes… that stinks![/QUOTE]
no, no it sank 
Nyuk nyuk :lol: :lol:
I will saying mowing makes a HUGE difference. I was initially thinking “man the house is pretty far from the barn… is that an ok thing or no?” but then the field was hayed for the last time this summer and now, it’s not far at all while walking it out.
Thank you for starting this thread! I just went and saw that google maps updated its picture of our farm and shows the new driveway we put in. Now I can start working from that.
and costs… whatever you think times at least two (excludes trips to the ER)
and time… whatever you thought times five
