Most people meet aluminium fence panel sizes the hard way: they measure the boundary, divide by the panel width and end up with 4.7 panels. A spec sheet describes the panel, not the post and not the gate. Here is what FY’s standard sizes are, how they turn into a parts list, and what happens when your opening is a size nobody stocks.
The quick answer
FY’s standard panel is 2400mm wide in slat and blade and 2350mm in vertical picket, in 1200mm and 1800mm heights.
That 2400mm is the panel only, so post centres sit wider than the panel by one post width.
A straight run needs one more post than it has panels, plus an extra post at every gate.
Custom sizes are made to order at Slacks Creek, so the last bay is never cut on site.
The standard size: 2400mm wide (2350mm for picket), 1200mm or 1800mm high
Every stock panel FY makes, in horizontal slat, vertical picket or welded vertical blade, is 2400mm wide in either a 1200mm or an 1800mm height, with vertical picket panels made at 2350mm wide. Those numbers are not arbitrary.
2400mm is about the widest panel two people can carry and hold plumb while the brackets go on. Wider panels flex and need heavier rails; narrower ones mean more posts to buy and concrete.
1800mm is the standard full-height dividing fence in Queensland: enough for privacy and to hold a dog, while staying under the height at which building approval generally applies. 1200mm is the front-boundary and garden-divide height, marking a boundary without walling the house off from the street.
Panel height also excludes the gap underneath. Panels sit clear of the ground so a mower can pass, which means an 1800mm panel plus that clearance and a cap finishes a little above 1800mm.
Panel width is not post spacing
A 2400mm panel does not mean posts at 2400mm centres. The panel spans between two posts and brackets onto their faces, so centre-to-centre equals the panel width plus one post width. Across eight bays that error compounds into most of half a metre, and only shows up once the holes are dug.
The fix is dull and reliable: confirm the post section for the style you are ordering, set the first post, then measure each following hole against the panel itself rather than off a running tape. Our guide to measuring for aluminium fencing covers the full take-off, including the panel and post calculator.
The same arithmetic is why almost no run is a clean multiple of 2400mm. A boundary is the gap between a house corner and a survey peg, set by people who were not thinking about panels.
Post types, post heights and how many you need
In-ground post, $61.99. Supplied longer than the fence height so a section sits in a concrete footing, which is why you never order one the same height as your panel.
Flange post, from $41.99. Bolts through a base plate to an existing slab, path or wall, so it is made close to the finished fence height.
Post cap, $5. One per post, capping the open top section.
Panel bracket, $15. Counted per rail end, so the number per panel follows your style’s rail count.
Counting posts is easy: a straight run needs one more post than panels, every gate adds one (hinge post one side, latch post the other), and every corner is a post shared by the two runs.
On a slope, post heights stop being uniform. A stepped fence keeps each panel level and runs the posts taller down the fall, while a raked panel follows the ground. Our guide to fencing a sloping block covers which to use.
What custom sizing actually means
Custom does not mean a stock panel trimmed at the yard. Each panel is fabricated to the width and height you order, so the spacing stays balanced and every edge is factory-finished under powder coat. Cutting a stock panel slices the coating and ends on a half gap you will see from the footpath. You need custom more often than you expect:
The last bay of almost any run, the leftover after the full panels.
Fixed openings between a house wall and a boundary, or between existing brick piers.
Height matching to an existing fence or retaining wall, where 1200mm and 1800mm both look wrong.
Even spacing by choice: six identical bays instead of five full panels and a stub.
This is normal work here, not a special order. Panels are made at the Slacks Creek yard and many custom orders are ready for collection the next day. See what aluminium fencing costs in Brisbane for how a full job adds up.
Choosing a height: privacy, and the front-boundary catch
Between neighbours, height is mostly a privacy and containment decision, and 1800mm is the default. Front boundaries are where the rules bite. A front fence affects the streetscape and what a driver reversing out of the driveway can see, so councils across South East Queensland commonly allow less height at the front and add sight-line requirements near the driveway. That is why 1200mm is the workhorse front-fence height.
Limits vary by council and zone, so check before you order. Our Queensland fence height rules guide sets out the approval thresholds and where the front-boundary limits come from. Where privacy drives the height, the gap between slats matters as much as the millimetres, and our guide to privacy fence slat spacing shows what each spacing screens.
Worked example: 14.4 metres into a parts list
A side boundary runs 14.4 metres from the house corner to the rear fence, with a pedestrian gate near the house. Work in millimetres.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Total run | Measured along the ground | 14,400mm |
| Less the gate | One pedestrian opening at 1,000mm | 13,400mm of fencing |
| Divide by panel width | 13,400 ÷ 2,400 = 5.58 | 5 standard panels, 1 short bay |
| Size the last bay | 13,400 − 12,000 = 1,400mm, less the post widths | 1 custom panel, just under 1,400mm |
| Count posts | 6 panels need 7 posts, the gate adds 1 | 8 posts, 8 caps |
Illustrative. Post widths, gate clearances and bracket counts vary with the style.
The last bay is just under 1,400mm, not exactly 1,400mm, because those eight posts each take up room in the 14.4 metres. Or order six panels at a shared width of roughly 2,230mm for six identical bays: same run, same posts, better looking fence. For the gate, give us the clear opening and we allow the hinge and latch clearance; our pedestrian gates are made to the opening just as the panels are.
Ordering to size from Slacks Creek
Standard panels start from $279 in horizontal slat, $368 in vertical picket and $399 in welded vertical blade, in Black, Monument or White. Custom sizes are quoted to your measurements, with quotes valid 30 days.
FY Fencing Supplies has manufactured aluminium fencing in Brisbane from the Slacks Creek yard and showroom since January 2024. Bring your measurements in and buy supply-only at wholesale prices, DIY or trade, with free pick-up or delivery across South East Queensland at extra charge. Panels carry a 10-year warranty on the aluminium; more detail is on our quick facts page.
Frequently asked questions
What size are standard aluminium fence panels?
FY’s standard panel is 2400mm wide in horizontal slat and welded vertical blade, and 2350mm wide in vertical picket, in 1200mm and 1800mm heights. Any other width or height is made to order at Slacks Creek.
Does the panel width include the posts?
No, the 2400mm is the panel alone. Post centres equal the panel width plus one post width, so never dig holes at 2400mm centres. Set the first post, then measure each following hole against the panel itself.
How many panels and posts do I need for a 20 metre fence?
Divide 20,000mm by 2,400mm to get 8.33: eight standard panels plus one custom panel of a little under 800mm once the post widths come off. A straight run needs one more post than panels, so ten posts and ten caps, plus one extra post per gate.
Can aluminium fence panels be made to a custom size?
Yes. Panels are fabricated to the width and height you order, with the spacing balanced and every edge factory-coated. Many custom orders are ready for collection the next day.
What height should a front fence be in Queensland?
1200mm is the common front-boundary height, against 1800mm for side and rear dividing fences. Councils across South East Queensland typically set a lower limit at the front and add sight-line rules near the driveway, so check your council’s planning scheme before ordering.
General guidance only. Sizes, clearances and post requirements vary with the style and the site, and height limits vary between councils. Confirm your take-off with us before ordering.
Working out what your fence line needs? Tell us the run and the height and we will quote it, supply-only or installed.
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