Fence Square Footage Calculator
Enter your fence run length and height, choose one side or both, and this fence square footage calculator returns the total area — plus how many gallons of stain or paint one coat needs.
Fence stain covers about 300 sq ft per gallon for one coat on smooth wood; rough-sawn boards drink more.
Estimates only — not financial advice. This calculator gives approximate figures for planning. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice; check with a qualified professional before making decisions.
How the fence square footage calculator works
A fence is a long rectangle: length × height is one face. Staining or painting both faces doubles that. The area then divides by the coverage rate — about 300 square feet per gallon for one coat of fence stain on smooth wood — to size the purchase.
Rough-sawn boards absorb more and need about 200 sq ft per gallon; a second coat doubles the gallon count. Measure each run separately if heights change, and add the areas.
sq ft = L × H × sides · gallons (1 coat) = ⌈sq ft / 300⌉
Related tools
Keep exploring: Wood Fence Material Calculator · Privacy Fence Cost Calculator · Paint Calculator.
Fence square footage calculator FAQ
Why measure fence square footage?
Stain, paint, and sealers are sold by coverage — without the square footage you are guessing at gallons. It also sets contractor pricing, which is often quoted per square foot of fence.
Do I stain one side or both sides of a fence?
Both sides if the fence is yours alone; both faces need protection from weather. A shared neighbor fence is often one side each — select “both” above only if you are covering both faces.
How much stain does a gallon cover on a fence?
About 300 sq ft per gallon for one coat on smooth wood; roughly 200 sq ft on rough-sawn boards. A 150 × 6 ft fence, both sides, is 1,800 sq ft — 6 gallons for one coat on smooth wood.
Should I subtract gates from fence square footage?
Gates are usually stained along with the fence, so no. Subtract only large openings you will not coat — and even then, the waste from rounding up to whole gallons covers small deductions.
What if my fence has irregular heights?
Break the run into sections by height, compute each section’s area separately, and add them. This calculator handles one uniform section at a time.