Guide
Chain link fence post spacing
Line posts at 10 ft or less, and a terminal post at every change.
Short answer
No more than 10 ft apart for line posts, spaced evenly along each straight run, with a heavier terminal post at every end, corner and gate. A straight 100 ft run takes 11 posts: 2 terminal and 9 line posts at 10 ft.
Posts for a straight run
| Run | Posts | Line posts | Spacing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft | 6 | 4 | 10.0 ft |
| 75 ft | 9 | 7 | 9.4 ft |
| 100 ft | 11 | 9 | 10.0 ft |
| 150 ft | 16 | 14 | 10.0 ft |
| 200 ft | 21 | 19 | 10.0 ft |
Add one terminal post for every corner, and two for every gate, one each side. Where a run does not divide evenly by 10, space every post a little closer rather than leaving one short bay at the end.
Line posts and terminal posts are different
Terminal posts, at ends, corners and gates, hold the tension of the whole stretch of mesh and are the heavier pipe: 2-3/8 in outside diameter is standard for residential fence. Line posts only hold the mesh up and are lighter, usually 1-7/8 in. The top rail runs through the line post caps and ties into the terminals. On a fence over 6 ft, or in high wind, shorten the spacing to 8 ft.
Setting the posts
Chain link posts are normally set in concrete. A line post in an 8 in hole 24 in deep takes about 0.66 cu ft of concrete, 3 bags of 50 lb; a terminal post in a 10 in hole 30 in deep about 1.29 cu ft, 5 bags. Set terminals a few inches deeper than line posts, and below the frost line where the ground freezes. Let the concrete cure for several days before stretching the mesh, because the stretch pulls hard on the terminals.