How Much to Charge for Fence Painting and Staining
Updated November 2026 US, UK, Canada and Australia Free calculator
Fence painting looks like easy money: long straight runs, no ceilings, no furniture. The catch is that a fence has far more surface than its length suggests, every board edge and rail needs covering, and you are working around plants, gravel and the neighbour's side. Price by length, but think in surface.
To stain one side of a typical backyard fence with materials included, charge $480–$1,000 in the US, £180–£360 in the UK, C$550–C$1,080 in Canada and A$690–A$1,230 in Australia. Both sides, paint instead of stain, and a fence that needs washing or scraping first all add to that.
Set the job details to get a price to quote, then check what that price leaves you per hour once driving, supplies and tax are counted.
ft
Total length of fence. A typical backyard has 120 to 200 ft.Count the panels. A typical back garden has 8 to 14 panels on the sides and back.Total length of fence. A typical backyard has 120 to 200 ft.Total length of fence. A typical backyard has 25 to 50 m.
We only publish going rates for the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Enter the price you plan to charge and the calculator shows what it pays you per hour, and the lowest price you should accept.
Charge about
$700
per job, materials included, for 150 ft
Budget$480Typical$700Premium$1,000
$
per job, materials included, in your own currency
What you really keep
$56an hour in your pocket at the typical price
Adjust the numbers above to match your job.
The price is built as a base fee plus a rate for the size of the job, then adjusted for the options you pick. Time is an estimate for one person working alone; change it if you know your own pace.
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Price list
Fence Painting and Staining prices by job size
Job
United States (USD)
United Kingdom (GBP)
Canada (CAD)
Australia (AUD)
Short run
$230–$400about 50 ft
£100–£170about 4 panels
$250–$430about 50 ft
$330–$510about 10 m
Typical backyard
$480–$1,000about 150 ft
£180–£360about 10 panels
$550–$1,080about 150 ft
$690–$1,230about 30 m
Large backyard
$730–$1,600about 250 ft
£290–£620about 18 panels
$850–$1,730about 250 ft
$1,050–$1,950about 50 m
Full boundary
$1,100–$2,500about 400 ft
£460–£1,000about 30 panels
$1,300–$2,700about 400 ft
$1,590–$3,050about 80 m
Hourly rate
$30–$80what working pros bill
£20–£38what working pros bill
$35–$80what working pros bill
$45–$90what working pros bill
Minimum charge
$200smallest job worth the trip
£100smallest job worth the trip
$220smallest job worth the trip
$250smallest job worth the trip
Prices are per job, materials included in local currency, from a fair budget price to an established operator in a higher-cost area.
United States: Most painters quote per linear foot for a given height. A 4 ft picket fence costs much less per foot than a 6 ft privacy fence, but pickets are slower per square foot because of all the edges.
United Kingdom: Fences are usually priced per panel. Most homeowners use a spray-on or brush-on fence stain, and the customer's side is all you are paid for, so agree in writing whether the neighbour's side is included.
Canada: Published Canadian prices are thin. Figures here follow US per-foot rates adjusted for Canadian labour. The painting window is short: stain needs dry wood and temperatures above about 10°C.
Australia: Timber paling fences are stained or oiled; Colorbond steel fences are painted, at a slightly lower rate per metre. Shared boundary fences mean talking to both neighbours before you start.
Method
Ways to price fence painting and staining
01By length
A rate per linear foot or metre for a given height and one side. It is how most painters quote and how the calculator works. Measure every run, including gates.
02Per panel
Standard in the UK, where fences are built from 6 ft panels. Simple for customers to check and easy to quote from the garden gate.
03By surface area
Best for tall, unusual or decorative fences. Height times length, then double it for both sides. Shadowbox and lattice fences have much more surface than a flat one.
04Labour only
The customer buys the stain. Your price drops by the material cost, but check the product first: thin cheap stain can need an extra coat, and that is your time.
Price factors
What changes the price
01One side or both
Both sides is nearly double the work and materials, and the second side is often in the neighbour's garden. Agree access in advance, and never paint a neighbour's side without permission.
02Height and style
A 6 ft privacy fence has twice the surface of a 3 ft picket fence per foot. Shadowbox, lattice and board-on-board styles hide edges that each need covering. Price the surface, not just the length.
03Stain or paint
Stain soaks in and forgives drips. Solid paint needs careful cutting in, often two coats, and shows every missed edge. Charge more for paint.
04Preparation
Grey, mossy or peeling fences need washing, scraping or a light sand before anything new will stick. That can take as long as the painting. Price it as a separate condition.
05What is next to the fence
Flower beds, climbers, gravel, sheds and cars parked by the fence all need covering. Overspray on a neighbour's car is an expensive mistake. Sprayers are fast but need masking and still air.
Worked examples
Real quotes, step by step
United States
Backyard privacy fence, one side
150 ft of 6 ft cedar privacy fence, weathered but sound, stained on the owner's side with a sprayer and back-brushed.
A sprayer turns a two-day brush job into one day. Back-brushing the first coat gives an even finish and stops runs.
Base price, 150 ft
$700
Paint a gate, both sides
+ $50
Quote, rounded
$750
Going range
$530–$1,050
Time, with 15 min driving
8.25 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $146
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $151
You keep
$55 an hour
United Kingdom
Ten panels, both sides
Ten 6 ft lap panels along a shared boundary. The neighbour has agreed to have their side done too, and the owner is paying for both.
Get the neighbour's agreement in writing, even a text message. It protects you if anyone complains later.
Base price, 10 panels
£260
Both sides
× 1.85
Protect beds and climbers along the fence
+ £25
Quote, rounded
£510
Going range
£360–£690
Time, with 15 min driving
9 hours
Supplies and fuel
− £203
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− £77
You keep
£26 an hour
Australia
Old paling fence that needs prep
30 m of grey timber paling fence with lichen, washed down first and then given two coats of fence stain on one side.
Washing first adds a day for drying, so it is two visits. If you also pressure wash, offer the clean and the stain together.
Base price, 30 m
$930
Needs washing, scraping or repairs first
× 1.3
Quote, rounded
$1,210
Going range
$900–$1,600
Time, with 15 min driving
8 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $186
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $256
You keep
$96 an hour
Your costs
What it costs you to do the work
You can start with brushes and a pump sprayer. An airless sprayer is the upgrade that makes fence work pay. Stain for each job is covered in the calculator.
Item
USA (USD)
UK (GBP)
Canada (CAD)
Australia (AUD)
Airless paint sprayer
$300–$900
£250–£800
$400–$1,200
$450–$1,300
Brushes, rollers, pump sprayer and drop sheets
$80–$200
£60–£160
$100–$260
$110–$280
Fence stain for a typical backyard, one side
$100–$200
£60–£120
$130–$260
$150–$300
Masking film and tape, per job
$10–$30
£8–£25
$12–$35
$15–$40
Liability insurance, per yearOverspray onto cars and neighbouring property is the usual claim.
$400–$1,200
£70–£200
$500–$1,300
$400–$900
Avoid these
Pricing mistakes that cost beginners money
Pricing by length without looking at height
A 6 ft fence and a 3 ft fence of the same length are very different jobs. Always note the height and style on your quote.
Spraying on a windy day
Fence stain carried on the wind lands on cars, windows and the neighbour's patio. Spray only in still air, mask what is near, and keep a brush for gusty days.
Painting the neighbour's side without asking
A boundary fence often belongs to both houses. Painting the other side without permission can start a dispute you are blamed for. Get it agreed first.
Staining wet or new wood
Stain on damp wood peels, and brand-new pressure-treated timber often needs weeks to dry out. Check the wood, wait if you must, and tell the customer why.
Questions
Common questions about fence painting and staining prices
How much should I charge to stain a fence?
For one side of a typical backyard fence with materials included, charge $480–$1,000 in the US, £180–£360 in the UK, C$550–C$1,080 in Canada and A$690–A$1,230 in Australia. Charge about 85 percent more for both sides.
How much should I charge per linear foot to paint a fence?
In the US, about $3 to $5 per foot for a 4 ft picket fence and $5 to $14 per foot for a 6 ft privacy fence, depending on sides and finish. Staining usually costs a little less than painting.
How much should I charge per fence panel?
In the UK, about £20 to £30 per 6 ft panel for one side including stain, and roughly £20 to £45 for both sides.
How much should I charge per metre in Australia?
About $18 to $35 per linear metre to stain or paint one side of a timber paling fence, and a little less for Colorbond steel.
How long does it take to stain a fence?
With a sprayer, one person can do one side of 150 ft of 6 ft fence in about a day. By brush it can take two. Washing first adds a day for drying.
What is a fair hourly rate for fence painting?
Painters earn about $30–$80 an hour in the US, £20–£38 in the UK, C$35–C$80 in Canada and A$45–A$90 in Australia, though most fence jobs are quoted by length or panel.
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Where these numbers come from
The rates on this page were set in November 2026 from the published price guides below, then checked so that the calculator, the price list and the examples all agree. How we work out prices.