Enter the length and height of your fence to see how many gallons of stain or sealer to buy.
How to use the fence stain calculator
- Enter the total length of fence and its height.
- Choose whether you are staining both sides or only yours.
- Pick the style. Picket and spaced-board fences have gaps, so they take about a quarter less than a solid privacy fence.
- Enter the coverage from the can and the number of coats.
Formulas
Surface = length × height × sides (× 0.75 for picket fences) Gallons = surface × coats ÷ coverage per gallon To buy = gallons, rounded up to a whole gallon
Coverage is the number that moves the answer most. Rough-sawn cedar and old, dry pickets soak up far more stain than smooth new boards, and a sprayer uses more than a brush. If the can gives a range, use the low end for a first coat on bare wood.
Worked example: 150 ft of 6 ft privacy fence
- One side: 150 × 6 = 900 ft².
- Both sides: 900 × 2 = 1,800 ft².
- One coat at 175 ft² per gallon: 1,800 ÷ 175 = 10.3 gallons.
- Buy 11 gallons: two 5 gallon pails and a 1 gallon can.
Questions
How much stain do I need for a 100 ft fence?
A 6 ft privacy fence 100 ft long is 600 ft² per side. At 175 ft² per gallon that is 3.4 gallons for one side and 6.9 gallons for both, per coat.
Does a fence need two coats of stain?
Most semi-transparent and transparent stains are designed for one coat, or a second applied while the first is still wet. Solid-color stains often call for two. Follow the can.
Should I stain the posts and rails?
Yes. The calculator measures the face of the fence, which covers posts and rails seen from the front. Rails on the back of a one-sided job add roughly 5 to 10%.