How Much Paint for a Fence?
Quick answer: fence area ÷ 250–350 sq ft per gallon. A 100-foot privacy fence 6 feet tall is 600 sq ft per side — one side needs about 2–3 gallons per coat; both sides double it.
- Fence area math
- One side or both
- Coverage by product
- Picket fences and gaps
- Gallons by fence size
- Worked example: 100-foot fence
- FAQ
Fence area math
Multiply length × height for the area per side. A 100-foot fence 6 feet tall is 600 sq ft per side. For privacy fences, this is the actual board area; for picket fences, the gaps mean less paintable surface — estimate about 70–80% of the full area.
One side or both
Paint both sides — it protects the wood equally and looks finished from the neighbor's side too. That roughly doubles the paint. The most common fence mistake is treating the fence like a wall and painting one side only, which leaves the far side to weather and rot faster.
Coverage by product
Exterior paint covers about 250–350 sq ft per gallon; solid stains 200–300; semi-transparent stains 300–400. Rough or weathered wood absorbs more — and raw wood should get a primer coat before paint. Always budget two coats for even color.
| Fence size (6 ft tall) | Area per side | Paint, one side | Both sides |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft | 300 sq ft | 1–1.5 gal | 2–3 gal |
| 100 ft | 600 sq ft | 2–3 gal | 4–6 gal |
| 150 ft | 900 sq ft | 3–4 gal | 6–8 gal |
| 200 ft | 1,200 sq ft | 4–5 gal | 8–10 gal |
Picket fences and gaps
Picket fences have open gaps, so the paintable area is lower than length × height — use about 70–80% of the full area. Board-on-board fences overlap, so the effective area is close to the full square footage on both sides. Match the factor to your fence style.
Worked example: a 100-foot privacy fence, both sides
- Area per side = 100 × 6 = 600 sq ft
- Both sides = 1,200 sq ft
- ÷ 300 sq ft/gal = 4 gallons per coat
- Two coats → 8 gallons (buy 9–10)
FAQ
Measure the fence area (one or both sides) and divide by coverage — exterior paint covers about 250–350 sq ft per gallon. A 100-foot privacy fence 6 feet tall is 600 sq ft per side; one side needs about 2–3 gallons per coat.
About 600 sq ft per side for a 6-foot-tall fence (100 × 6). Both sides double it to 1,200 sq ft. Picket fences have gaps, so their paintable area is lower.
Yes — painting both sides protects the wood equally and looks finished from the neighbor's side too. That roughly doubles the paint.
About 4–5 gallons per coat for one side of a 6-foot 150-foot fence (900 sq ft ÷ ~250 sq ft/gal). Both sides need 8–9 gallons.
Exterior paint covers about 250–350 sq ft per gallon; solid stains 200–300; semi-transparent stains 300–400. Rough wood absorbs more — prime raw wood first.