Fence paint and stain calculator
Enter the fence’s length and height, whether it is solid boards or spaced pickets, and how many sides you are coating. Posts and rails are added for you.
Enter your measurements
More options: Rails · Posts · Coverage …
- Fence paint or stain needed
- 6.98 gal (26.4 L)
- Cans of the size you chose
- 7 cans · 1-gallon
- Surface to coat (one coat)
- 698 sq ft
- Paint per coat
- 3.49 gal
- Coverage used
- 200 sq ft/gal
Boards: 50 ft × 6 ft × 2 sides = 600 sq ft
Rails: 2 × 50 ft × 5 in (face and top) = 42 sq ft
Posts: 8 × 6 ft × 7 in per side = 56 sq ft
698 sq ft × 2 coats ÷ 200 sq ft/gal = 6.98 gal → 7 gallons
- Using a planning coverage for this product. Rough-sawn and weathered boards soak up the most; your label’s figure is better.
- Spraying a fence is fast but wastes a lot on the gaps and the wind: add 20–30% under Extra if you spray.
- 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.
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much paint for a 6 ft fence panel | 0.53 gal (about 2 L) per coat, both sides |
| How much paint for a picket fence | 1.78 gal: buy 2 gallons |
Fence coating by product (same fence and coats)
| Product | Fence paint or stain needed | Buy (gallons and quarts) |
|---|---|---|
| solid stain or deck paint | 6.98 gal | 7 gallons |
| semi-transparent stain | 5.58 gal | 6 gallons |
| stain on weathered wood | 9.3 gal | 9 gallons + 2 quarts |
Solid fences are counted as full boards; picket fences by the share of the run that is picket. Rails and posts are added from the defaults under More options. New to this? Paint words explained.
How the fence calculator works
boards = length × height × sides × fill (fill = picket ÷ (picket + gap); solid = 1) rails = rails × length × 5 in (rail side only) posts = (length ÷ spacing + 1) × height × 7 in × sides product = total × coats ÷ coverage
Coverage uses the same planning figures as the deck calculator, from Sherwin-Williams’ WoodScapes data sheets: solid stain 200–400 sq ft per gallon (planned at 200), semi-transparent 100–350 depending on porosity and texture (planned at 250 on newer wood and 150 on weathered or rough-sawn boards). Smooth, primed fence boards painted with an exterior latex such as A-100 behave like siding, 350–400; type that in under More options if it fits your fence.
Worked examples
- How much paint for a 6 ft fence panel: one 6 × 6 ft panel, both sides, and how many panels a can does.
- How much paint for a picket fence: 50 ft of 4 ft picket fence, painted both sides.
Tips
- Let new pressure-treated lumber dry before staining; the stain label says how long, often several weeks or until water soaks in rather than beading.
- Do the posts and rails first, then the boards, so drips land on surfaces you haven’t finished.
- Mask or cover plants and the neighbor’s side if you are only coating one side; overspray travels.
- Rough-sawn panel fences can take several times the label’s best-case figure on the first coat. Buy for the first coat, then see how far it went.
What you’ll need
- 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) - Airless paint sprayerPremium price
Speeds up siding, fences and big empty rooms. Expect to use more paint than the label figure, which leaves out spray loss.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Electric pressure washerMid-range price
Cleans siding, decks and fences before painting. Let wood dry thoroughly before you coat it.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Canvas drop clothBudget price
Canvas stays put and soaks up drips; plastic is cheaper but slippery underfoot and spreads wet paint.
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 fence stain do I need for 100 feet of 6 ft fence?
Both sides of a solid 6 ft privacy fence 100 ft long, with rails and posts, is about 1,380 sq ft. One coat of semi-transparent stain on newer wood at 250 sq ft per gallon is about 5.5 gallons; solid stain at 200, two coats, about 13.8.
How much paint for a 6 ft fence panel?
About 2 litres (0.53 gallons) per coat on both sides of one rough-sawn 6 × 6 ft panel at 150 sq ft per gallon, so a 5 litre tin does about two and a half panels both sides. See how much paint for a 6 ft fence panel.
Do I need to stain both sides of a fence?
Coating both sides protects the wood more evenly; one side is common where the other faces a neighbor. Choose one or both in the calculator.
How much paint for a picket fence?
Pickets cover only part of the run, so a picket fence takes less than a solid one. 50 ft of 4 ft picket fence, both sides, two coats of paint at 350 sq ft per gallon, is about 1.8 gallons. See how much paint for a picket fence.
Related guides
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.
- Sherwin-Williams, A-100 Exterior Latex Flat (A06 series), product data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Coverage 350–400 sq ft per gallon at 4 mils wet; for aluminum, vinyl and wood siding, shakes, masonry; two coats.