1.8m Paling Fence Posts: Why a 2.4m W Post Beats a 2.7m Timber Post

If you’re building a standard 1.8m paling fence in Victoria, a 2.4m W Post is long enough. You don’t need to jump straight to a 2.7m post just because that’s the size most trades default to. The reason a timber post usually runs to 2.7m on a 1.8m fence is that the post has to continue past the top rail so there’s material left to finish or cap, and that extra 250 to 300mm adds up fast once you multiply it across a 15 or 20 metre boundary. A W Post works differently. Because the top rail can sit inline with the top of the post instead of below it, a 2.4m post, 600mm in the ground and 1.8m above it, does the same job a 2.7m timber post would. Here’s the maths, the parts list, and the one detail on the post that makes it possible.

In this article

• Why does a 1.8m fence usually get a 2.7m post?
• What’s actually different about the W Post?
• How much 1.8m paling fence post do you actually need?
• What rail and palings pair with a 2.4m W Post?
• Does the shorter post give up any strength?
• Step by step: setting a W Post for a 1.8m paling fence
• FAQ

Why does a 1.8m fence usually get a 2.7m post?

Ask most yards for a post to suit a 1.8m paling fence and the default answer is 2.7m, not 2.4m. It’s not a bad instinct. On a traditional timber build, the post is one continuous length that has to cover the ground depth, the full paling height, and then keep going far enough past the top rail to finish the fence properly, whether that’s a capping strip sitting on the post ends or just enough post left to look deliberate rather than chopped off. That overhang above the rail is usually 250 to 300mm. Add a standard 600mm in the ground to a 1.8m paling height and you’re already at 2.4m before you’ve accounted for anything above the rail, which is exactly why 2.7m becomes the safe, familiar choice.

It’s also why DIY forum threads on choosing paling fence posts so often land on 2.7m, or longer again if the ground slopes, without much explanation of why. Nobody’s wrong, they’re just describing timber construction, where the post has to physically extend past the rail. A W Post doesn’t have to.

What’s actually different about the W Post?

The W Post is a hot dip galvanised steel post with a rolled “W” profile and 7mm holes drilled at 30mm intervals down both sides of its full length. That hole spacing is the part that matters here. Instead of checking a rail into the post or building the fence to finish at the post’s end, you can screw the rail through the post at whatever height suits the job, including right at the very top. The manufacturer’s own installation guide puts it plainly: “the top rail will be inline with the top of the post” on a standard build. There’s no checkout to cut, and no need to leave post above the rail for a capping detail unless you actually want one. Browse the full W Post range for the other lengths, from 1.8m up to 3.0m.

How much 1.8m paling fence post do you actually need?

Lifetime Pine’s own W Post install guide specifies a minimum 600mm hole depth, with the plinth block sitting about 100mm below ground level. Run that against a 1.8m paling and a 2.4m post finishes exactly where the top rail needs to be. There’s no offcut, no overhang, and no wasted steel.

A capped timber design needs that same 600mm in the ground and 1.8m of paling, then another 250 to 300mm of post above the rail to carry the capping. That’s the whole difference between the two post lengths, not some safety margin you’re giving up.

What rail and palings pair with a 2.4m W Post?

The post is only one part of the order. For a standard 1.8m paling fence you’re pairing it with a top rail and two widths of paling.

The rail runs through the post at the height you’ve chosen, generally 75 x 50mm H3 treated pine, screwed straight through the pre-drilled holes rather than checked in. The common Victorian method for the palings themselves uses two widths together: 150mm palings as the base layer spaced 50mm apart, then 100mm palings over the top of each gap, giving a 25mm overlap on each side. Worked out per metre of fence, that’s five of each width.

Does the shorter 1.8m paling fence post give up any strength?

No, and this is worth checking before you take 300mm off any post. Lifetime Pine commissioned independent load testing through Melbourne Testing Services on a range of fence post types, loading each to breaking point from both the paling side and the rail side. The results for a 2.4m W Post held up to gusts of 116km/h toward the rail and 120km/h away from it, well past anything Melbourne’s weather is likely to throw at a suburban fence.

Figures from Lifetime Pine and W Post supplier testing via Melbourne Testing Services, April 2025 pricing. New timber posts test strong, but durability becomes the variable as the post ages; the W Post’s galvanised finish is built to hold that same performance long term.

Step by step: setting a 1.8m paling fence post

What you’ll need: W Post 2.4m, plinth blocks, concrete mix, 75 x 50mm H3 rail, 150mm and 100mm H3 palings, screws.

Step 1: Mark and dig. Set out post positions at your standard spacing and dig each hole at least 600mm deep.

Step 2: Set the post. Stand the post so the plinth block sits roughly 100mm below ground level, check it’s plumb, then concrete in and let it cure.

Step 3: Fix the top rail. Screw the rail through the post using the pre-drilled holes so it lands inline with the top of the post, no checkout required.

Step 4: Add a mid rail if you’re running one. Use the same hole pattern to set it at the height that suits your paling layout.

Step 5: Face-fix the palings. Run the 150mm palings first at 50mm spacing, then the 100mm palings over each gap for a 25mm overlap on both sides.

Common mistake to avoid: don’t dig short. The 600mm minimum is what gives the post its rated strength; skimping on depth to save concrete is the one shortcut that does cost you something.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 2.4m post long enough for a 1.8m paling fence?

Yes, when it’s a W Post. With 600mm in the ground and 1.8m of paling above it, the top rail lands right at the top of the post with nothing wasted. A timber post needs the extra length because it has to physically extend past the rail to finish the fence.

How deep should fence posts go in the ground?

At least 600mm, with the plinth block sitting about 100mm below ground level, per the W Post installation guide. Going shallower is the main way a post loses the strength it’s rated for.

Why do timber posts for the same fence need to be 2.7m?

Because the post itself has to carry on past the top rail, usually another 250 to 300mm, to support a capping strip or simply to look finished at the top rather than stopping abruptly at the rail.

Can I still add a capping strip if I use a W Post?

Yes. The W Post is available in longer lengths, including 2.7m and 3.0m, if you want the post to run past the rail for a capping detail. The 2.4m option is simply what you need when the post finishes at the rail.

Will a 2.4m W Post handle wind as well as a longer timber post?

Independent testing had the W Post standing up to gusts of 116 to 120km/h before showing any sign of bending, comfortably ahead of typical Melbourne conditions.

How many palings do I need per metre of a 1.8m fence?

Five of each width. Using the standard Victorian method, that’s five 150mm base palings and five 100mm overlay palings per metre of run.