The best fence stain for most people is a penetrating, oil-based semi-transparent stain that can be sprayed on without leaving lap marks — because a fence is hundreds of square feet of vertical boards, both sides, and the product that goes on fastest and fails most gracefully wins. On a fence, a semi-transparent stain that would last two or three years on a deck typically lasts three to five, since vertical boards shed water and nobody walks on them.
That changes the shopping list. Forgiveness during application matters more than ultimate toughness, the right sprayer matters more than the right brush, and the quantity is about double what most people estimate because they forget the second side. Below are six stains that suit fences specifically, followed by the coverage math, the preparation that decides whether any of them works, and realistic maintenance cycles.
Our Top Picks
- BEST OVERALL: Ready Seal Exterior Stain and Sealer for Wood, Natural Cedar
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR HOT, SUNNY CLIMATES: Defy Extreme Semi-Transparent Exterior Wood Stain
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR PRESSURE-TREATED PINE AND DAMP SITES: TWP 100 Total Wood Preservative
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR CEDAR AND REDWOOD: Cabot Australian Timber Oil
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BUDGET PICK: Thompson's WaterSeal Semi-Transparent Waterproofing Stain
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR OLD OR WEATHERED FENCES: Behr Premium Solid Color Waterproofing Stain and Sealer
↓ Jump to Review
Why Fences Are Different From Decks
Most stain advice is written for decks, and most of it transfers. But five differences change which product makes sense on a fence and how you should apply it.
Vertical boards shed water. On a deck, rain sits on the boards, soaks into the end grain at every joint and stands in the cupped centre of each plank. On a fence it runs off within minutes. Less time wet means less mildew, less checking and slower breakdown of the finish. The same semi-transparent stain that needs recoating every two to three years on a sunny deck routinely lasts three to five on a fence.
No foot traffic. A deck finish is worn away mechanically as well as by weather — grit under shoes, chair legs, dogs. A fence finish only weathers. That means durability claims built around abrasion resistance matter far less, and it means film-forming products, which peel on decks partly because traffic breaks the film, behave noticeably better on fences.
You will spray it. A deck is a horizontal surface you can roll or pad in an afternoon. A fence is a long vertical surface full of gaps, rails and pickets, and brushing a 150-foot privacy fence on both sides is several weekends. Nearly everyone sprays, which makes a product's tolerance for overlaps, drips and uneven spray patterns the single most practical feature on the label.
Both sides. The neighbour's side weathers just as fast as yours, and staining only one face lets the bare side absorb and release moisture unevenly, which encourages cupping and warping. Plan materials and time for two faces, and talk to the neighbour before overspray reaches their car.
Ground contact at the posts. The part of a fence that actually fails is the bottom: the post at grade and the lower edge of boards that sit in mulch or soil. These stay damp and rot first. Stain cannot fix a post that is not rated for ground contact, but generously coating the bottom six inches, the end grain of pickets and the post faces near grade buys real years. Keep boards an inch or two clear of soil where you can.
The 6 Best Fence Stains
These are chosen for fences specifically: how they spray, how they wear on vertical wood, and how easy they are to recoat across a long run. Ranks reflect fit for the most common fence situations rather than a single score.
Ready Seal Exterior Stain and Sealer for Wood, Natural Cedar
See It on AmazonWhat We Like
- Formulated to avoid lap marks and streaks — ideal for spraying
- No back-brushing or primer required
- Penetrating oil fades rather than peels
- Natural Cedar suits both cedar and treated pine
What We Don’t Like
- Solvent odour and mineral-spirits cleanup
- Colour takes about two weeks to settle
- Limited colour range compared with tintable lines
Product Specs
- Type: Oil-Based Semi-Transparent
- Rank in this guide: #1
Ready Seal is the stain fence contractors reach for when they want a predictable result from a pump sprayer, and the reason is in how the manufacturer describes it: an oil-based penetrating stain formulated to go on without lap marks, runs or streaks, with no back-brushing required and no primer. On a long fence where you inevitably overlap passes and come back to wet edges after a break, that forgiveness is worth more than any other property.
Natural Cedar is the most popular colour because it suits both cedar and pressure-treated pine, warming up pine without turning it orange. The colour takes around two weeks to settle to its true shade after application, so judge the result then rather than on day one. It penetrates rather than forming a film, so it weathers by fading — the next coat goes straight on after cleaning, with no stripping.
Defy Extreme Semi-Transparent Exterior Wood Stain
See It on AmazonWhat We Like
- Zinc oxide UV blockers for sun-exposed runs
- Low odour, soap-and-water cleanup
- Fast drying — both sides in one day
- Good choice where solvent stains are restricted
What We Don’t Like
- Less forgiving of over-application than oil
- Needs thorough cleaning and brightening first
- Not ideal over a previous oil-based stain without full prep
Product Specs
- Type: Water-Based Semi-Transparent
- Rank in this guide: #2
Defy Extreme is a water-based semi-transparent stain built around zinc oxide nano-particles for UV resistance, and it is the strongest argument for water-based on a fence. Sun is what greys a fence fastest, especially the south- and west-facing side, and a stain that blocks more UV holds its colour longer before the wood beneath starts to weather.
Because it is water-based, it is low-odour, cleans up with water and dries quickly enough to do a second side the same day. The trade-off is that it is less forgiving than an oil: it needs clean, brightened wood to penetrate properly, and over-applying it leaves a surface film that can wear unevenly. Apply thin, wipe or back-brush any puddling at rails, and follow the manufacturer's preparation steps closely.
TWP 100 Total Wood Preservative
See It on AmazonWhat We Like
- Registered wood preservative with mildewcide
- Strong on shady, damp fence lines
- Penetrating — recoats without stripping
- Sprays easily through a pump sprayer
What We Don’t Like
- Not available in some low-VOC states
- Solvent odour and cleanup
- Fewer colours than mainstream brands
Product Specs
- Type: Oil-Based Preservative Stain
- Rank in this guide: #3
TWP stands for Total Wood Preservative, and the 100 Series is an oil-based semi-transparent stain registered as a wood preservative, with mildewcides in the formula. That matters most on the shady, damp side of a fence — the side against a hedge or facing north — where mildew, not sun, is what turns the boards black. Pressure-treated pine fences in humid regions are its natural territory.
It sprays well, penetrates rough-sawn boards readily and fades rather than peels. The catch is availability: the 100 Series is a higher-VOC formula and is not sold in some low-VOC states, where the TWP 1500 Series fills the same role. Check what is legal where you live before ordering.
What We Like
- Rich, grain-forward look on cedar and redwood
- Penetrating oil — fades, does not peel
- Warm tones that suit premium woods
- Simple clean-and-recoat maintenance
What We Don’t Like
- Lighter pigment means shorter recoat cycle
- Benefits from back-brushing on rough wood
- Oil-based odour and cleanup
Product Specs
- Type: Translucent Penetrating Oil
- Rank in this guide: #4
Cabot Australian Timber Oil is a translucent oil finish blending linseed and tung oils, originally aimed at dense hardwoods but equally at home on cedar and redwood. Those are woods people buy to look at, and a translucent oil enriches the grain and colour rather than masking it. On a show-side cedar fence or a redwood gate, it gives a warmer, deeper result than a typical semi-transparent.
The trade-off of less pigment is a shorter cycle: translucent finishes let more UV through, so expect to recoat sooner than with a heavier semi-transparent, particularly on sunny faces. It sprays fine but rewards back-brushing on rough-sawn cedar, which drinks the first coat unevenly.
Thompson's WaterSeal Semi-Transparent Waterproofing Stain
See It on AmazonWhat We Like
- Lowest cost per gallon of the group
- Sold almost everywhere — easy to top up mid-job
- Stain and water repellent in one
- Sprays easily
What We Don’t Like
- Shorter recoat cycle than premium stains
- Colour fades faster on sunny faces
- Less penetration on dense or previously stained wood
Product Specs
- Type: Semi-Transparent Waterproofing Stain
- Rank in this guide: #5
Thompson's WaterSeal Waterproofing Stain is on the shelf at nearly every hardware store, comes in a usable range of semi-transparent colours, and combines water repellency with pigment in one product. For a long utility fence where cost per gallon dominates the budget — a back-lot line, a dog run, a rental — that combination of price and availability is the point.
Expect a shorter service life than the premium penetrating stains above, which means more frequent recoating. On a fence that is a smaller penalty than on a deck, because vertical boards are easier on any finish. It sprays readily through a pump sprayer; keep an eye on drips at rails and back-brush where it pools.
Behr Premium Solid Color Waterproofing Stain and Sealer
See It on AmazonWhat We Like
- Hides greying, blotches and new-board mismatches
- Longest recoat interval of any stain type
- Huge tintable colour range
- Water-based — low odour, fast drying
What We Don’t Like
- Hides the wood grain completely
- Film can peel if applied over damp or dirty wood
- No easy route back to a translucent look
Product Specs
- Type: Water-Based Solid Color
- Rank in this guide: #6
Not every fence is worth showing off. A ten-year-old pressure-treated fence that has gone grey, blotchy and patched with new boards will look worse under a semi-transparent, because the stain magnifies every difference in colour. A solid colour stain hides grain and mismatches completely while leaving the texture of the wood visible, and Behr Premium Solid Color is one of the most widely available, tintable to a very large range of colours.
Solid stains form a film, and films can eventually peel — which is the main reason to avoid them on decks. On a fence, with no foot traffic and quick drainage, they last considerably longer and peeling is far less common, provided the wood was clean, dry and sound when coated. The commitment is real: once a fence is solid-stained, going back to a semi-transparent means stripping.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Stain | Base | Opacity | Best wood / situation | Typical fence recoat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ready Seal Natural Cedar | Oil | Semi-transparent | Cedar, treated pine; first-time sprayers | 3 – 5 years |
| Defy Extreme Semi-Transparent | Water | Semi-transparent | Sunny exposures, low-VOC areas | 3 – 5 years |
| TWP 100 Total Wood Preservative | Oil | Semi-transparent | Treated pine, shady or damp sites | 3 – 5 years |
| Cabot Australian Timber Oil | Oil | Translucent | Cedar, redwood, show-side fences | 2 – 3 years |
| Thompson's WaterSeal Waterproofing Stain | Check label | Semi-transparent | Long utility fences on a budget | 2 – 3 years |
| Behr Premium Solid Color | Water | Solid | Old, grey or patched fences | 5 – 8+ years |
Recoat ranges are typical for vertical fence boards with average exposure. A south-facing fence in Arizona will sit at the bottom of each range; a shaded fence in a mild climate may exceed the top, though it will need more attention to mildew.
Cedar, Pressure-Treated Pine and Redwood
Western Red Cedar
Cedar is the most common premium fence wood, and it is naturally rot- and insect-resistant thanks to oils and tannins in the heartwood. Those same tannins are the main thing to plan around: water-based stains can draw them to the surface as brownish streaks, called tannin bleed, particularly on new boards. Oil-based penetrating stains avoid the problem and soak readily into cedar's open, often rough-sawn surface. That is why most cedar fences are best served by an oil, and why our guide to stains for cedar leans the same way. Cedar is also soft, so pressure-wash it gently or not at all.
Pressure-Treated Pine
Most fences in North America are pressure-treated southern yellow pine, or spruce/pine pickets on treated posts and rails. Treated pine arrives saturated with water from the treatment process, and staining it before it dries is the most common reason a fence stain fails within a year — the stain simply cannot get in. Once dry, treated pine takes semi-transparent and solid stains well; it has little natural colour of its own, so most people pick a warmer tint such as a cedar tone. The green or brown tinge from the copper preservative shows through lighter stains, which is another argument for some pigment rather than a clear. The pressure-treated stain guide covers this in more depth.
Redwood
Redwood is the most dimensionally stable of the three and has a beautiful colour that greys quickly in sun if left bare. Like cedar it is tannin-rich, so oil-based translucent finishes are the natural fit, and an oxalic-acid brightener after cleaning restores much of the original colour before staining. Heavy pigment defeats the purpose of buying redwood; a translucent oil or a light semi-transparent shows it best. See our redwood sealer roundup for clear and lightly tinted options.
Transparency vs. Lifespan
The more pigment a stain carries, the longer it lasts. Pigment is what blocks UV, and UV is what breaks down both the wood surface and the binder holding the stain in it. The trade is how much of the wood you can see.
| Type | Grain visible | Typical life on a deck | Typical life on a fence | How it fails |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear sealer / water repellent | Fully | ~1 year | 1 – 2 years | Wood greys underneath |
| Toner / translucent | Fully | 1 – 2 years | 2 – 3 years | Fades evenly |
| Semi-transparent | Mostly | 2 – 3 years | 3 – 5 years | Fades evenly |
| Semi-solid | Partly | 3 – 4 years | 4 – 6 years | Fades, may wear unevenly |
| Solid colour | Texture only | 3 – 5 years | 5 – 8+ years | Film can peel |
Clear products are the one category to avoid on a fence you care about. A clear exterior wood sealer keeps water out, but without pigment it does almost nothing to stop UV greying, so the wood turns silver underneath a perfectly intact water-repellent finish within a year or two. If you want a natural look, a lightly pigmented toner or a semi-transparent in a cedar or natural shade is the honest compromise.
Semi-transparent is the sweet spot for most fences. It shows the grain, it lasts long enough on vertical wood that recoating is a twice-a-decade job rather than an annual one, and it fails by fading rather than peeling — so the next coat needs only cleaning, not stripping.
Oil vs. Water-Based
Oil-based penetrating stains soak into the wood and leave little or no surface film. On fences they have three practical advantages: they are more forgiving when sprayed, because wet edges blend instead of lapping; they penetrate rough-sawn boards readily; and they weather by fading, so recoating is simple. The downsides are solvent odour, mineral-spirits cleanup, longer dry times and VOC rules — some formulas are not sold in California and other low-VOC states. Oil-soaked rags are also a genuine fire risk and should be laid flat to dry outdoors or stored in a sealed, water-filled metal can.
Water-based stains have improved substantially. They dry fast — often allowing both sides of a fence in one day — clean up with water and have little smell. The best use UV blockers that hold colour well in hard sun. Their weaknesses on fences are that they are less forgiving of uneven spraying, they can sit on the surface if over-applied or put on unprepared wood, and they can draw tannins out of new cedar and redwood.
Switching between them is where people get caught. Oil over a weathered oil stain is fine. Water-based over a recent oil stain usually is not, because it cannot bond to the oily surface; the old finish needs to weather off or be stripped first. Solid stain over semi-transparent is possible on clean, weathered wood; going the other way requires stripping. When in doubt, stay in the same family you used last time.
How Much Stain a Fence Needs
Fence quantity is the calculation most people get wrong, and it is almost always the same mistake: forgetting the second side. The formula is simple:
Linear feet × height × 2 sides = square feet of fence face. Then divide by the product's coverage on your wood and add 10–15% for posts, rails, end grain and waste.
Coverage depends heavily on the wood. Smooth, planed boards may take a stain at 200–250 square feet per gallon. Rough-sawn cedar and dry, weathered pine soak up far more — 100–150 square feet per gallon is realistic, and the first coat on very dry wood can be lower still. Spraying also uses more product than brushing, because some is lost to overspray and wind. When in doubt, plan around 150 square feet per gallon and buy one extra gallon; unopened stain is easy to return and running out halfway down a run leaves a visible change in colour.
| Fence | Area, both sides | Gallons at 200 sq ft/gal | Gallons at 150 sq ft/gal | Gallons at 100 sq ft/gal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft × 4 ft picket | ~400 sq ft | 2 – 3 | 3 | 4 – 5 |
| 100 ft × 6 ft privacy | ~1,200 sq ft | 6 – 7 | 8 – 9 | 12 – 14 |
| 150 ft × 6 ft privacy | ~1,800 sq ft | 9 – 10 | 12 – 14 | 18 – 20 |
| 200 ft × 6 ft privacy | ~2,400 sq ft | 12 – 14 | 16 – 18 | 24 – 27 |
| 300 ft × 6 ft privacy | ~3,600 sq ft | 18 – 20 | 24 – 27 | 36 – 40 |
Ranges include the 10–15% allowance. Picket fences with gaps have less face area than a solid board fence of the same size, but the extra edges largely make up for it, so treat them as solid for estimating. Shadowbox and board-on-board fences have overlapping boards and more exposed edges; add another 15–20%. For a large fence, five-gallon pails cost noticeably less per gallon than single cans, and buying the whole job in one batch avoids colour variation between lots.
Spraying vs. Rolling and Back-Brushing
Pump Sprayer
A one- or two-gallon garden pump sprayer is the default tool for penetrating oil stains on a fence, and it costs very little. Use one dedicated to stain (or a new one), fit an adjustable fan tip, and spray two or three boards at a time from top to bottom, overlapping the wet edge. Thin penetrating stains such as Ready Seal and TWP are made for this. It is slow compared with an airless, but there is almost no overspray, no setup and no cleaning of a pump between sessions.
Airless Sprayer
For more than about 150 feet of fence, an airless sprayer earns its rental fee — typically a half-day to day rental from a tool hire shop. It puts stain on very quickly and handles thicker semi-solid and solid stains that a pump sprayer struggles with. Use a small tip, roughly in the .011–.015 range for stains, and keep the gun moving at a steady distance. The costs are setup and cleanup time, a lot of overspray, and the need to mask anything within several feet: siding, cars, plants and the neighbour's patio furniture. Never spray in wind.
Rolling and Back-Brushing
Back-brushing means spraying (or rolling) the stain on and then immediately working it into the wood with a brush. It evens out heavy and light spots, pushes stain into rough grain and checks, and catches drips before they dry. On rough-sawn cedar and with water-based stains it noticeably improves penetration and evenness. A wide, thick-nap roller works on flat board-on-board fences, but on pickets and rails a brush is faster. Many people spray, then have a second person follow with a brush; it is the best compromise between speed and finish quality.
Preparation
Stain choice matters less than preparation. A good stain over dirty, grey or wet wood will fail on schedule regardless of the brand.
Let new pressure-treated wood dry. Freshly treated lumber needs weeks to months to dry depending on climate and season. Use the sprinkle test: splash water on several boards. If it beads, the wood is still too wet or too new; if it soaks in within a few minutes, it is ready. Kiln-dried-after-treatment (KDAT) lumber can usually be stained much sooner. New cedar can generally be stained sooner too, but should still be cleaned to remove mill glaze.
Clean. An oxygen-bleach (sodium percarbonate) wood cleaner removes grey weathered fibres, dirt and mildew. Avoid chlorine bleach, which damages wood fibres and does not remove grey weathering effectively. Apply, let it dwell, scrub where needed and rinse.
Brighten. An oxalic-acid brightener after cleaning neutralises the cleaner, removes tannin stains and restores the wood's colour — especially dramatic on cedar and redwood. It also opens the surface so the stain penetrates evenly.
Pressure-wash carefully, if at all. A pressure washer speeds rinsing, but too much pressure furs soft cedar and pine, raising fibres that soak up stain unevenly. Use a wide fan tip, keep it moving, and stay low — roughly 500–1,200 psi for soft woods. A garden hose is enough for rinsing cleaner and brightener in most cases.
Let it dry, then watch the weather. Give cleaned wood 24–48 hours of dry weather before staining. Most stains want air and surface temperatures roughly between 50°F and 90°F, no rain for at least a day after, and no direct midday sun on the boards, which flashes off the stain before it penetrates.
Maintenance Cycles and Cost
The sign that a fence needs restaining is not a date but the wood: when water stops beading and soaks in, or when the sunny side has visibly faded toward grey, it is time. On most fences, the south- and west-facing side reaches that point a year or more before the other.
With a penetrating semi-transparent, maintenance is a light clean and a single fresh coat, often needing less product than the first time because the wood is already partly sealed. Doing it before the wood greys is far cheaper than after, because a fence that has gone fully grey needs heavier cleaning and brightening — and may need two coats to look even again.
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mainstream semi-transparent stain | $25 – $45 / gallon | Less per gallon in 5-gallon pails |
| Premium penetrating stain | $40 – $70 / gallon | Longer cycles, better colour retention |
| Wood cleaner and brightener | $40 – $100 per job | Concentrates go further |
| Pump sprayer | $20 – $50 | Dedicate one to stain |
| Airless sprayer rental | $75 – $130 / day | Worth it beyond ~150 linear feet |
| DIY, 150 ft × 6 ft, both sides | $400 – $1,000 | Stain, cleaner, sprayer, sundries |
| Professional, same fence | $1,800 – $4,500 | Roughly $1 – $2.50 per sq ft stained, prep included |
Cost per year is the more honest comparison. A $500 DIY semi-transparent job recoated every four years costs about $125 a year — and the recoat is cheaper than the first application because preparation is lighter. A budget stain that lasts two years at $350 costs roughly $175 a year and twice the weekends. Solid stain often wins on cost per year on an older fence because of its long interval, at the price of the grain. Compared with replacing a 150-foot cedar or pressure-treated fence, regular staining is a small expense that adds years to the boards.
The Short Version
For most fences, buy a penetrating oil-based semi-transparent stain such as Ready Seal and spray it with a pump sprayer, back-brushing rough spots. In strong sun or where solvent stains are restricted, use a good water-based stain like Defy Extreme and prep thoroughly. On a damp, shady fence line, a mildew-resistant preservative stain like TWP is the better fit. Show off cedar or redwood with a translucent oil, and hide an old grey fence under a solid colour.
Whatever you buy, calculate linear feet × height × 2, let new pressure-treated wood dry, clean and brighten before staining, and plan on recoating every three to five years. If you are also doing a deck, our deck stain guide covers what changes when the boards are horizontal.
Frequently Asked Questions
For most fences, a penetrating oil-based semi-transparent stain. It shows the grain, lasts three to five years on vertical boards, fails by fading rather than peeling, and is the most forgiving type to spray over a long run. Ready Seal in Natural Cedar is the easiest to get a good result with. In very sunny climates or low-VOC states, a quality water-based semi-transparent such as Defy Extreme is a strong alternative. On an old, grey or patched fence that you want to look uniform, a solid colour stain is the better choice and lasts longest of all.
Longer than on a deck, because vertical boards shed water and take no foot traffic. Typical fence lifespans are one to two years for clear sealers, two to three for translucent toners, three to five for semi-transparent stains and five to eight or more for solid colour stains. The sunny south and west faces wear fastest — often a year or more ahead of the shaded side. Recoat when water stops beading and soaks into the wood, rather than on a fixed schedule, and before the wood turns grey, which keeps the recoat to a light clean and one coat.
Multiply linear feet by height by two sides, divide by the stain's coverage, and add 10–15%. A 150-foot run of 6-foot privacy fence is 900 square feet per side, or 1,800 square feet in total. Smooth boards may cover 200–250 square feet per gallon, but rough-sawn cedar and dry weathered pine are closer to 100–150, so that fence needs roughly 12–14 gallons at a typical 150 square feet per gallon. Shadowbox and board-on-board styles need 15–20% more again. Buy the whole job at once to avoid colour variation between batches.
Spray, then back-brush where needed. Brushing an entire privacy fence on both sides is several weekends of work; a pump sprayer handles thin penetrating stains well with little overspray, and an airless sprayer is worth renting beyond about 150 linear feet or for solid stains. Back-brushing — working the stain in with a brush right after spraying — evens out heavy spots, pushes stain into rough grain and catches drips, and noticeably improves results on rough-sawn cedar and with water-based stains. Spray in calm weather and mask anything nearby.
Until the wood is dry enough to absorb stain, which can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on climate, season and how wet the lumber was when installed. Use the sprinkle test: splash water on several boards, and if it beads up, wait; if it soaks in within a few minutes, the wood is ready. Kiln-dried-after-treatment lumber can usually be stained much sooner. Staining wet treated pine is the most common reason fence stain fails in its first year, because the stain cannot penetrate wood already full of water.
Yes, if at all possible. The unstained side weathers, greys and absorbs and releases moisture differently from the stained side, which encourages cupping, warping and checking in the boards. It also shortens the life of the fence overall, since rot and mildew work on bare wood regardless of which side faces your yard. If the neighbour's side is on their property, ask before going over, and agree on colour if they will see it. Many neighbours are happy to split the cost of materials.
Oil-based is better for most fences, especially cedar, redwood and rough-sawn boards. It penetrates readily, sprays without lap marks and fades gracefully, so recoating is simple. Water-based stains dry faster, have little odour, clean up with water and hold colour well in strong sun when they use good UV blockers — but they need thorough preparation, are less forgiving of uneven spraying and can draw tannins out of new cedar. Avoid putting water-based over a recent oil-based stain; it will not bond until the old finish weathers off or is stripped.
For a 150-foot, 6-foot privacy fence stained on both sides — about 1,800 square feet — expect roughly $400–$1,000 doing it yourself, covering stain, cleaner and brightener, a sprayer and sundries. Professional staining of the same fence typically runs about $1,800–$4,500, or roughly $1 to $2.50 per square foot stained including preparation. Mainstream semi-transparent stain costs about $25–$45 a gallon and premium penetrating stains about $40–$70, with five-gallon pails cheaper per gallon. Recoats cost less than the first job because preparation is lighter and the wood absorbs less.