Deck and Fence Stain Calculator
Enter your deck, railing and fence sizes. You get the surface area and how many gallons of stain to buy.
How the deck and fence stain calculator works
Stain is sold by coverage per gallon, so the calculator adds up every surface: the deck floor, the railing and the fence. A railing about 3 ft tall has posts, rails and balusters on both sides, which works out to about 6 sq ft of surface per foot of railing. For a fence, length × height gives one side.
Check the coverage on the can. Most deck stains cover 150 to 300 sq ft per gallon. Rough or weathered wood soaks up more, so use the low end for old decks and rough-sawn fences.
Questions
How much stain for a 12 × 16 deck?
The floor is 192 sq ft. Two coats at 200 sq ft per gallon need 1.92 gallons, so buy 2 gallons. Add the railing if you have one.
How much stain for a 100 foot fence?
A 6 ft tall fence, stained on both sides with one coat at 200 sq ft per gallon, needs 6 gallons: one 5-gallon pail and one 1-gallon can.
Should I do one coat or two?
Follow the product label. Many semi-transparent stains call for two thin coats applied wet on wet, while solid stains often cover in one.