Given acres (and shape), estimate perimeter feet and miles, then optionally add cross-fences and multiply by wire strands for material ballpark.
Use this when quoting woven wire, barbed wire, or electric fence for a new paddock sized in acres — before you walk the line with a wheel.
Square enclosures minimize perimeter for a given acreage; long rectangles need more fence. Cross-fences add interior runs.
sq_ft = acres x 43,560. For a square, side = sqrt(sq_ft), perimeter = 4 x side. For ratio r = L/W: W = sqrt(sq_ft / r), L = r x W, perimeter = 2(L+W). Cross-fence length approx shorter side x count.
sq_ft = acres x 43,560
square: side = √sq_ft; perimeter = 4 x side
ratio r: W = √(sq_ft / r); L = r x W; perimeter = 2(L+W)
total_fence ≈ perimeter + cross_count x min(L,W)
wire_ft = total_fence x strands
Corners, gates, roll-out waste, and terrain extras are not included — add 5-10% for real orders.
10-acre square: √435,600 ≈ 660 ft side → perimeter 2,640 ft (0.50 mi). Four strands → 10,560 ft of wire.
Same 10 acres at 2:1 rectangle: W ≈ 466.7 ft, L ≈ 933.4 ft → perimeter ≈ 2,800 ft.
Assumptions: axis-aligned rectangle; cross-fences span the shorter dimension; no ditch or timber detours.
Limits: creek meanders and diagonal braces need field measure.
Responsibility: planning aid — confirm with a wheel or GPS track before buying rolls.
Among rectangles, a square has the minimum perimeter for a fixed area.
No — subtract gate opening from fence line and add brace posts separately (see the post calculator).
Enter the number of energized or barbed wires you will hang; multiply fence length by that N.
Perimeter of a circle = 2πr; convert acres to radius first (r = √(sq_ft/π)). This page focuses on paddock rectangles.