Fence Staining Cost Calculator

Budget a stain or paint job: gallons from the fence face area and coverage, priced with your stain and per-foot labor rates.

Planning estimate: this is a planning estimate from the numbers you enter — not a bid or a contract. Fence pricing depends on material grade, height, terrain, post setting, gates, tear-out and local labor. Get itemized written quotes from licensed, insured fencing contractors before you commit.

Calculator

linear ft
Total run of fence to stain or paint.
ft
Above-ground fence height.
Most stain jobs do both faces.
sq ft/gal
Stain spread rate per coat; 150-200 sq ft/gal is a labeled typical — rough or new wood drinks more.
coats
Number of coats. New or bare wood usually wants two.
$/gal
Your cost per gallon of stain or paint.
$/linear ft
Applicator labor per foot; use 0 for a DIY job.
Estimated total$930.00
Stain (21 gal × $30.00)$630.00
Labor (150 lf × $2.00)$300.00
Face area1,800 sq ft

Staining 150 ft (1,800 sq ft) takes about 21 gal — roughly $930.00 with labor. Coverage varies with wood age and porosity.

Staining or painting a fence is priced from the face area — length times height times the number of sides — turned into gallons at the stain’s coverage rate, times the number of coats. This calculator does that quantity math, buys whole gallons, and adds a per-foot labor rate to give you a full staining budget from your own prices.

Coverage is the variable that trips people up: a smooth, sealed board might spread a gallon over 200 sq ft, but rough-sawn, new or thirsty weathered wood can drink a gallon in 100–150. It is a labeled default you can dial in for your wood. For a bare quantity of stain without labor, the wood fence stain calculator and the fence area / paint-stain calculator cover the same face-area math.

Formula

Area to gallons to cost, plus labor:

face_area = line_length_ft × height_ft × sides
gallons = ceil(face_area ÷ coverage_sqft_per_gal × coats)
total = gallons × price_per_gal + line_length_ft × labor_price_per_lf

  • Gallons are rounded up to whole cans — you buy 21, not 20.6.
  • Both sides doubles the area; most stain jobs coat both faces.
  • Coverage 150–200 sq ft/gal per coat is a labeled typical — confirm on the can.

Worked example

A 150-foot, 6-foot fence, both sides, at 175 sq ft/gal, 2 coats, $30/gal stain and $2/ft labor:

face_area = 150 × 6 × 2 = 1,800 sq ft
gallons = ceil(1,800 ÷ 175 × 2) = ceil(20.6) = 21 gal
material = 21 × $30 = $630
labor = 150 × $2 = $300
total = $630 + $300 = $930

So about $930 — 21 gallons at $630 plus $300 of labor. Do it yourself and set labor to 0, and the same fence is roughly $630 in stain.

Coverage, coats and timing

Coverage is everything. The single biggest driver of how much stain you buy is how thirsty the wood is. New, rough-sawn or long-weathered wood soaks up far more than smooth, previously sealed boards, so a first coat on bare cedar can cut your coverage nearly in half. When in doubt, buy for the low end of the coverage range and keep the receipt for a return.

Two thin coats beat one thick one. Two coats penetrate and last longer than a single heavy pass, especially on a new fence. Most jobs are two coats; a refresh of a still-sound finish may need only one — set the coats field to match.

Both faces, and the tops. A privacy fence has two faces, and skipping the back leaves it to weather unevenly. This tool assumes you coat every side you tell it to; picket and shadowbox fences have more edge area than a flat estimate suggests, so round up.

Stain protects and pays back. A fresh coat every few years is the cheapest way to extend a wood fence’s life and delay the repairs priced in the fence repair cost tool. Let new wood dry out before its first coat, work in mild dry weather, and get itemized quotes if you hire it out — this is a planning estimate, not a bid.

Reference table

Wood conditionCoverage (sq ft/gal, per coat)Note
Smooth, previously sealed~200 sq ft/galBest case — a maintenance recoat
Standard dressed lumber~175 sq ft/galTypical planning value
Rough-sawn or semi-rough~150 sq ft/galRougher face holds more stain
New or weathered / thirsty wood~125 sq ft/galBare wood drinks the first coat

Labeled coverage typicals — always confirm the spread rate on your product’s can. Rough, new and weathered wood use more; smooth sealed wood less.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to stain a fence?
It depends on the face area, coverage, coats and whether you hire it out. A 150-foot, 6-foot fence stained both sides in two coats needs about 21 gallons — roughly $600 in stain, or around $900–$1,000 with labor. Enter your numbers above for a figure.
How many gallons of stain do I need for my fence?
Multiply length by height by the number of sides for the face area, divide by the coverage (about 150–200 sq ft per gallon per coat), multiply by coats, and round up. This tool does it for you; the wood fence stain calculator covers the same quantity math.
Should I stain one side or both?
Both, in almost every case. Coating only the visible face lets the back weather and can lead to warping and uneven aging. Set the sides field to both — it doubles the area and the stain, but protects the whole fence.
Why does new wood need more stain?
Bare, new or rough-sawn wood is porous and soaks up the first coat, so your coverage per gallon drops — sometimes to 100–150 sq ft. Smooth, previously sealed wood spreads further. Lower the coverage figure above for thirsty wood so you do not run short.

Related calculators

Wood fence stain / paint calculatorEstimate the stain or paint gallons and cost for a wood fence from length, height, sides, coverage and coats. Formula, worked example and FAQ.Fence area / paint-stain calculatorFence stain and paint calculator: enter length, height, sides and coverage to get the face area and gallons of stain or paint you need, with the formula.Fence repair costEstimate fence repair cost: reset posts, replace panels or sections at your own per-unit prices, less any credit, with a repair-versus-replace check.