Deck and Fence Stain Calculator: How Many Gallons from Your Plan
Turn a deck or fence plan into the area to stain and the gallons to buy: tops, edges, railing, stairs, pickets on both sides, posts and rails, with coats and a range. Runs in your browser.
When to use this
- You have finished or planned a deck or fence and want to know how much stain or sealer to buy.
- You do not want to guess the area: edges, railing, stairs, both sides of a fence and the gaps between pickets change the answer.
- You want one buy list that adds the stain to your boards, posts and concrete.
How to use
- If you used the deck, fence or footing tool on this site in this browser, press an Import chip at the top to fill in the sizes.
- Otherwise tick what you will stain and type the sizes. Leave optional boxes blank to leave a part out.
- Pick the wood condition for a starting coverage, or type the coverage per coat from your product label.
- Choose the number of coats and how you will apply it, then press Calculate stain.
- Check the area breakdown, plan for the range, and copy the buy list.
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Report a problem or suggest an improvement
Nothing is sent until you press Send. Your measurements are included only if you tick the box, and you can see the full report below first.
Examples
- 12 x 16 ft deck, two coats: 192 ft² of boards plus 56 ft of 1 in thick edges is 196.7 ft². At 200 ft² per gallon, 2 coats and a brush (5 percent lost) you need about 2.1 gallons, so buy three 1 gallon cans.
- 120 ft fence, 6 ft tall, both sides: 5.5 in pickets with 1/4 in gaps: about 1,377 ft² of faces plus 188 ft² of edges seen through the gaps. At 200 ft² per gallon and 2 coats that is about 16.4 gallons.
Understanding the result
The tool adds up the surfaces you will actually coat: the top of the deck, the edges of the boards, railing, stairs, the faces and edges of the pickets, posts and rails. It divides the area by the coverage of one coat, multiplies by the number of coats, and adds a loss for drips and overspray that depends on how you apply it. Real coverage depends on the wood and the product, so the result also shows a range if coverage is 20 percent better or worse than the number you typed. The containers are rounded up to whole 1 and 5 unit containers.
Limitations
- Coverage on the label is the best source. The built-in starting values are typical ranges, not measurements of your product.
- Some products need only one coat or a thinner second coat. Follow the label.
- Railing and gaps are approximated with a simple surface factor. Complex railings, lattice and carved parts can differ a lot.
- This estimates product only. It does not cover cleaner, brightener, brushes, drying time or safety. Read the label for those.
FAQ
How much deck stain do I need?
Divide the area you will coat by the coverage on the label, multiply by the number of coats, and add a little for loss. A 12 x 16 ft deck with edges, one gallon covering about 200 ft² and two coats needs about 2 gallons.
Do I stain the edges and the underside?
The tool counts the top and the edges of the boards, because they are exposed. The underside is left out unless you add it as another surface.
How do I stain a fence on both sides?
Choose both sides. The tool doubles the faces of the pickets and counts the picket edges that show in the gaps. Posts and rails are optional boxes.
Why is there a range?
Rough, dry or new wood takes up different amounts of stain, and brands differ. The range shows what happens if the real coverage is 20 percent better or worse than your number.
How many coats should I apply?
Follow the product label. Many penetrating stains use one or two coats; film-forming sealers often use two or three.
Does this tool store my measurements?
No. It runs in your browser. The share link keeps your numbers after the # sign, which is never sent to a server.
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