Ornamental fence panels on granite or wide posts — why the post spacing grows

An 8-ft panel only means 96″ on center with slim metal posts. Between granite posts, brick piers, or 6×6 wood, panels bracket to the post face, so every bay grows: on center = panel width + post width + 2 × bracket gap. Measure your own panel — brands differ by 1–3″.

Two elevations of an 8-foot aluminum fence, two panels each. Top: slim 2-1/2 inch aluminum posts with the rails slotted into the posts, set 96 inches on center. Bottom: 7 by 7 granite posts with the panels attached to the post faces by flat-mount brackets, so the posts sit 102-11/16 inches on center and the clear opening between post faces is 95-11/16 inches. A dashed red line shows the granite run is about 13-3/8 inches longer every two bays. A formula box reads: on center equals panel width plus post width plus two times the bracket gap — 94-11/16 plus 7 plus 2 times one-half equals 102-11/16 inches — so 275 feet of fence takes 35 panels with metal posts but 33 with 7 by 7 granite posts. — Source: Flat-mount spacing per Ameristar Montage (94″ + 2″ + 2 × ⅜″ = 96.75″ o.c.) and Fortress Versai specs; panel width Barrette Heavy-Duty 8 ft

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Two elevations of an 8-foot aluminum fence, two panels each. Top: slim 2-1/2 inch aluminum posts with the rails slotted into the posts, set 96 inches on center. Bottom: 7 by 7 granite posts with the panels attached to the post faces by flat-mount brackets, so the posts sit 102-11/16 inches on center and the clear opening between post faces is 95-11/16 inches. A dashed red line shows the granite run is about 13-3/8 inches longer every two bays. A formula box reads: on center equals panel width plus post width plus two times the bracket gap — 94-11/16 plus 7 plus 2 times one-half equals 102-11/16 inches — so 275 feet of fence takes 35 panels with metal posts but 33 with 7 by 7 granite posts.

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    <img src="https://remodelcalculators.com/api/figure-embed/fence-wide-post-spacing" alt="Two elevations of an 8-foot aluminum fence, two panels each. Top: slim 2-1/2 inch aluminum posts with the rails slotted into the posts, set 96 inches on center. Bottom: 7 by 7 granite posts with the panels attached to the post faces by flat-mount brackets, so the posts sit 102-11/16 inches on center and the clear opening between post faces is 95-11/16 inches. A dashed red line shows the granite run is about 13-3/8 inches longer every two bays. A formula box reads: on center equals panel width plus post width plus two times the bracket gap — 94-11/16 plus 7 plus 2 times one-half equals 102-11/16 inches — so 275 feet of fence takes 35 panels with metal posts but 33 with 7 by 7 granite posts." width="800" height="470" style="width:100%;height:auto;border:0" loading="lazy">
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