Fence Paint Calculator
Gallons of exterior paint or solid stain for a wood fence — one side or both, rails and gaps included.
Enter the fence size, whether you are painting one side or both, the board size and gap, and the product. The calculator measures the real surface — board faces, the edges that show between pickets and the rails on the back — and applies the coverage printed on the product's data sheet for each coat.
0 for a privacy fence
Calculation Results
Smooth boards use the middle of the label coverage range; switch to rough-sawn if the boards are fuzzy or weathered.
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🛠️ How This Calculator Works
A solid fence is length × height per side. A picket fence only has paint where the boards are, so the face area is scaled by board width ÷ (board width + gap), and the two 3/4 in edges of every board are added because they show through the gaps. Painting the back side also means painting the rails. Each coat's gallons are the area divided by that coat's coverage; solid stain spreads twice as far on the second coat.
📐 Formula
Faces = length × height × width ÷ (width + gap) × sides · Edges = boards × height × 2 × 0.75 in ÷ 12 · Rails (back side) = rails × length × (3.5 + 1.5 + 1.5) in ÷ 12 · Gallons = area ÷ coat-1 coverage + area ÷ coat-2 coverage📝 Example Calculation
100 ft of 6 ft privacy fence, one side, smooth boards, exterior paint, two coats: Area = 100 × 6 = 600 sq ft Gallons = 600 ÷ 325 + 600 ÷ 325 = 3.69 → 4 gal Same fence, both sides with 3 rails: 1,200 + 162.5 = 1,362.5 sq ft → 8.38 → 9 gal (1 × 5-gal + 4 × 1 gal) Solid stain, one side, smooth: 600 ÷ 300 + 600 ÷ 600 = 3 gal
💡 Pro Tips from Fence Builders
- Let new pressure-treated boards dry out before painting — sprinkle water on them, and if it soaks in, they are ready.
- Spraying uses more paint than brushing or rolling because of overspray; back-roll the first coat to work it into the grain.
- Paint the board edges before you paint the faces on a picket fence, or you will chase drips down the gaps.
- Buy 5-gallon pails once you need four or more gallons — it is usually cheaper and every board gets the same batch.
- Paint a board top and the end grain of every picket: that is where water gets in and paint lifts first.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much paint do I need for a fence?
Measure length × height for each side you paint and divide by the coverage on the can for each coat. Exterior paint such as Behr Premium Plus is rated at 250–400 sq ft per gallon. 100 ft of 6 ft fence is 600 sq ft a side, so two coats on one side at about 325 sq ft per gallon is 3.7 gallons — buy 4.
How many square feet does a gallon of fence paint cover?
Most exterior acrylic paints are rated at 250 to 400 sq ft per gallon per coat on the data sheet; rough-sawn wood lands at the low end. Solid-colour stains are rated at about 200–400 sq ft per gallon for the first coat and 400–800 for the second, because the first coat soaks in and the second sits on top.
How much paint do I need for both sides of a fence?
Twice the one-side area plus the rails, which are on the back. A 100 ft, 6 ft fence with three 2x4 rails is 1,200 sq ft of boards plus about 162 sq ft of rail faces and edges. At 325 sq ft per gallon for two coats that is 8.4 gallons, so 9.
Does a picket fence take less paint than a privacy fence?
Less, but not in proportion to the gaps, because every picket's edges now need paint too. A 4 ft picket fence of 1x4s with 3.5 in gaps has half the face area of a solid fence, but the edges add about 40% back on top of that.
Is it better to paint or stain a fence?
Paint gives the widest colour choice and hides mismatched boards, but it forms a film that can peel as the wood moves. Solid stain looks similar, is thinner and more breathable, and covers more area on the second coat. Semi-transparent stain shows the grain and is easiest to recoat — use the fence stain calculator for that.
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Gallons of paint by fence length
Two coats of exterior paint on one side of a solid 6 ft fence, smooth boards (325 sq ft/gal) and rough-sawn (250 sq ft/gal).
| Fence length | Area | Smooth | Rough-sawn |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 ft | 150 sq ft | 1 gal | 2 gal |
| 50 ft | 300 sq ft | 2 gal | 3 gal |
| 100 ft | 600 sq ft | 4 gal | 5 gal |
| 150 ft | 900 sq ft | 6 gal | 8 gal |
| 200 ft | 1200 sq ft | 8 gal | 10 gal |
Where the coverage figures come from
Exterior paint coverage is the 250–400 sq ft per gallon printed on the Behr Premium Plus Exterior data sheet. Solid stain uses the Behr Premium Solid Color Waterproofing Stain & Sealer data sheet: 200–400 sq ft per gallon for the first coat and 400–800 for the second. Smooth wood uses the middle of each range and rough-sawn or weathered wood the low end. Other brands print similar ranges — if yours differs, the exact figure is on the back of the can.
Related calculators
Using a semi-transparent or transparent stain? The fence stain calculator has the coverage for those. Hiring a painter? The fence staining and painting cost calculator prices labour. Building new? Count the boards first with the fence board calculator.