How much paint for a 10×10 deck?
A 10 × 10 ft deck (100 square feet) needs about 1 gallon of deck paint or solid-color stain for two coats at 200 square feet per gallon: 1 gallon.
How to work it out
- Floor: 10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft
- 100 sq ft × 2 coats ÷ 200 sq ft/gal = 1 gal → 1 gallon
A 10 × 10 deck, a small landing off a back door or a ground-level platform, is a one-gallon job for two coats of deck paint or solid stain at the low end of the data-sheet range. It sits right on the line, though: weathered boards or a third coat and you need a quart more.
Adjust for your project
More options: Rail H · Steps · Stair W …
- Deck paint or stain needed
- 1 gal (3.79 L)
- Cans of the size you chose
- 1 can · 1-gallon
- Surface to coat (one coat)
- 100 sq ft
- Paint per coat
- 0.5 gal
- Coverage used
- 200 sq ft/gal
- Using a planning coverage for this product. Weathered, rough and soft woods soak up more; your can’s figure is better.
- Board edges and gaps take a little extra; the deck floor is counted as flat.
- Deck paints and solid stains form a film that can peel on horizontal boards. Clean and dry the wood thoroughly and follow the label’s recoat window.
- Old house? If it was built before 1978, read lead paint safety before you sand or scrape: EPA advises assuming old paint contains lead until it is tested.
Deck coating by product (same deck and coats)
| Product | Deck paint or stain needed | Buy (gallons and quarts) |
|---|---|---|
| solid stain or deck paint | 1 gal | 1 gallon |
| semi-transparent stain | 0.8 gal | 1 gallon |
| stain on weathered wood | 1.33 gal | 1 gallon + 2 quarts |
What to know about a 10×10 deck
One hundred square feet times two coats is 200 sq ft of coating; at 200 sq ft per gallon that is exactly one gallon. Sherwin-Williams’ solid stain lists 200–400, so on smooth, newer boards you may have a third of the can left. On old, gray, splintery boards, plan the extra quart.
- Railing. A 10 × 10 deck with a 30 ft railing on three sides adds about 160 sq ft of balusters and rails: about 2.6 gallons in all for two coats.
- Stairs. A three-step stair 4 ft wide adds about 18 sq ft.
- Semi-transparent stain. One coat on newer wood is 0.4 gallons, two quarts; on weathered wood about two-thirds of a gallon.
- Small-batch colors. If the store only stocks your color in gallons, buy the gallon: the leftover does the steps and a planter.
For the next size up see how much paint for a 12x12 deck. For a fence around it, the picket fence page works through a 50 ft run.
Different size? Use the full Deck Paint & Stain Calculator.
What you’ll need
- Deck stain pad and poleBudget price
Lays stain or deck paint down evenly across boards and works it into the gaps faster than a brush.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Deck stain brushBudget price
A wide stain brush works stain into rough boards, end grain and railings where a pad can’t reach.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Paint tray and linersBudget price
Liners turn a color change or the end of the day into a two-minute job instead of a scrub at the sink.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
How much stain for a 10x10 deck with weathered boards?
About 0.67 gallons of semi-transparent stain for one coat: 1 gallon.
How much paint for a 10x10 deck with a railing on three sides?
About 2.58 gallons for two coats: 3 gallons.
Other common sizes
- How much paint for a 12x12 deck — 1.44 gal: buy 1 gallon + 2 quarts
- How much paint for a 12x16 deck — 1.92 gal: buy 2 gallons
Sources
- Sherwin-Williams, WoodScapes Exterior Acrylic Solid Color Stain (A15-50 series), product data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Coverage 200–400 sq ft per gallon at 4–8 mils wet; two coats.
- Sherwin-Williams, WoodScapes Exterior Polyurethane Semi-Transparent Stain (A15T00005), product data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Coverage 100–350 sq ft per gallon depending on porosity and texture; weathered wood takes more than new.