Deck stain calculator

Every line shows the quantity to buy and how StudSheet got it: the spacing, the waste and the package size, so you can check it before the supply house or the quote.

In Canada (4.88 m × 3.66 m deck)

Set to Canada, the Sheet works the job out again for Ontario: metric sizes, bag sizes, the frost depth and the code notes. It doesn't just convert feet to meters. The first lines:

• 3 × 3.78 L + 1 × 946 mL, Exterior stain or sealer (deck and railing): floor 19.6 m² + railings 24.1 m² + stairs 3.0 m²: 46.7 m² ÷ 23.2 m² per 3.78 L for the first coat + ÷ 46.5 m² per 3.78 L for the second (thin, wet-on-wet) = 11.4 L. Cans are counted at 3.78 L — read the litres on the can (Canadian “gallon” cans hold 3.6–3.79 L).
• 2 jugs (3.78 L), Deck and wood cleaner (concentrate): 46.7 m² ÷ about 37.2 m² per 3.78 L mixed (labels: 23.2–46.5 m² per 3.78 L).
• 2 jugs (3.78 L), Wood brightener: 46.7 m² ÷ about 25.5 m² per 3.78 L: neutralizes the cleaner and brings gray wood back.
• 1, Stain pad applicator with a refill: Lays stain along the boards without lap marks; fits the extension pole.
• 2 covers, Roller covers 230 mm: Floors and fence boards, then back-brush; a spare.
• 2, Plastic sheeting 2.7 × 3.7 m: Over the plants, the siding at the deck’s edge and anything below that cleaner or stain can drip on.

1. Check the wood: replace soft boards and set popped nails (the Deck Sheet covers structure).
2. Clean: wet the plants and siding, spray the cleaner on, scrub it in, and rinse — low pressure, a fan tip, with the grain.
3. Brighten: spray the brightener on while the wood is wet, let it work, and rinse.
4. Dry: let the wood dry 24–48 hours with no rain — stain needs dry wood.
5. Sand the fuzz the washer raised, lightly, and sweep and blow the deck clean.
6. Stain: railings and balusters first; then the floor two or three boards at a time, end to end, keeping a wet edge; the stairs last, working off the deck; back-brush so it soaks in, and wipe off any puddles.
7. Recoat: the second thin coat goes on wet-on-wet, within the can’s window (Behr: about an hour or two), before the first one dries.
8. Keep foot traffic off for 24–48 hours and furniture off for 72; lay used rags flat outside to dry.

Must-have tools first, then the ones that help and the ones to rent for the day.

Mistakes that cost a callback or a second trip

• Staining wet or new wood that beads water: The stain can’t soak in and peels. Sprinkle water on a board: when it soaks in within minutes, stain.
• One heavy coat: It stays sticky and peels. Thin coats, back-brushed, and wipe up puddles.
• Semi-transparent over solid stain or paint: It can’t get into the wood. Strip to bare wood, or stay with a solid stain.
• Lap marks: Stopping mid-board leaves dark stripes. Finish whole boards end to end, keeping a wet edge.
• Staining in hot sun: It flashes off before it soaks in. Work the shady side, early or late.
• Balled-up oily rags: Oil-based stain on a wadded rag can catch fire by itself. Lay them flat outside or soak them in water.

What the calculator assumes

• Areas: deck floor 16′ × 12′ + 10% for board edges and gaps; 37 ft of railing × about 7 sq ft a foot of rail (both faces); 4 steps × about 8 sq ft (tread, riser, stringer faces).
• Coverage per gallon on smooth wood: semi-transparent stain 250 sq ft/gal first coat, 500 sq ft/gal second (Behr semi-transparent: 250–300 then 500–600 sq ft a gallon; Olympic one-coat: 250–350; rough wood at the low end).
• Cleaner about 400 sq ft, brightener 275 sq ft, stripper 125 sq ft a gallon (the middle of the labels’ ranges).
• Cans: up to a quarter gallon over is a quart; four gallons or more of the rest become a five-gallon pail.

The Sheet sets its code notes for the job's state or province. These are New Jersey's and Ontario's; the code reference has more. Always confirm with your building department.

• Stain weather: Most stains go on between about 40°F and 90°F with no rain for a day (Behr’s semi-transparent stain); Olympic’s one-coat stain wants 35°F or warmer for 24 hours. Dry wood, no direct midday sun, no dew coming — read the can.
• Oily rags: Rags soaked in oil-based stain can heat up and catch fire on their own: lay them flat outside to dry, or soak them in a closed can of water.

What materials do I need to stain or seal a deck or fence?

For the worked example, a 16′ × 12′ deck, the Sheet counts 6 lines with waste included, starting with exterior stain or sealer (deck and railing) (3 gallons + 1 quart), deck and wood cleaner (concentrate) (2 gallons), wood brightener (2 gallons), stain pad applicator with a refill (1). Each line's math is in the table above. Put in your own sizes in the deck & fence stain calculator and every line is counted again.

How long does it take to stain or seal a deck or fence, and can I do it myself?

About 23 to 36 hours for the worked example, in 8 steps. StudSheet stamps it DIY OK: you can do this.

What tools do I need to stain or seal a deck or fence?

12 in all. The must-haves start with pump sprayer, stiff deck brush on a pole, 9″ roller frame, extension pole, 2″ angled trim brush, paint tray. On the Sheet you mark each one as owned, to buy or to rent.

Stuck while you stain or seal a deck or fence? Ask in the Deck and fence stain group of the StudSheet community with this Sheet attached. Homeowners who've done it and verified pros answer, and anyone can read it.

• Painting for contractors: run this takeoff at your own prices, send the estimate, and get it signed and the deposit paid.
• Paint a room (14′ × 12′ room): Prep, primer, paint and supplies — walls, ceiling, trim and doors.
• Paint the outside of a house (40′ × 25′ house, 2 stories): Siding, trim, doors and shutters: gallons, primer, caulk and ladders, with lead-safe rules for older homes.
• Paint kitchen cabinets (20 doors, 8 drawers): Doors, drawer fronts and boxes counted into square feet: degreaser, sanding, bonding primer, cabinet enamel, rollers or a sprayer, and the days it takes.
• All 45 Sheets, across 16 trades.
• Code reference: frost depths, guard heights, stairs, retaining walls.