How Much Does It Cost To Paint A Fence? (2023 Estimates)

How Much Does It Cost To Paint A Fence?

Long story short, I can't tell you exactly how much it'll cost to paint your particular fence.

And that's because there are quite a few variables that factor into the overall fence painting costs you might incur.

For example, the material your fence is made from and the style of your fence will play a huge role in the amount of paint or stain your fence will require.

There are plenty of other things that factor into the total cost as well like fence repair, how many coats of paint your fence needs to look how you want it to look, and whether it's a new fence or you're repainting an older fence.

Average Fence Painting Cost?

When talking about painting costs for a particular painting project, it all comes down to the square footage and how much prep work (supplies) it requires to do the job right.

It's also important to know that before we dive into the cost calculations that things like mildew or peeling paint can make repainting a fence much more time-consuming because you'll be spending more time on the prep work. So make sure you factor that into your cost estimates.

However, here are a few big ballpark numbers that you can expect when painting a fence:

DIY Cost of Painting A Wood Fence: $320 - $650

DIY Cost of Staining A Wood Fence: $300 - $550

Hiring A Pro To Paint A Wood Fence: $500 - $2,000

Hiring A Pro To Stain A Wood Fence: $500 - $2,000

With that said, I'm going to walk through a few different scenarios below so you can get a better idea of the overall total costs you might incur when painting your particular fence.

Factors That Affect Fence Painting Costs?

If you're well versed in home improvement projects and want to DIY your fence painting project, your costs are generally going to be lower than they would be if you hired a professional painter.

However, you'll still need to factor in the cost of materials that you'll need to buy (which you wouldn't when hiring a professional painting company).

That said, there are also a few key factors I'd like to dive into that can alter the cost estimates for your fence painting project.

Fence Material

One of the main factors when estimating the cost of painting your fence is the material it's made of.

Your cost of materials for painting a wooden fence is going to be different from painting a chain-link fence and very different than painting a wrought iron fence.

For example, for painting a chain link fence (or any other metal fence) you'll need exterior paint that is meant to cover metal and adhere to it well.

Whereas when painting a wood fence, you'll need either exterior paint or stain to get a proper finish on it.

Staining A Fence

Staining a wood fence can often be cheaper than painting a fence because it usually only requires one color of stain to seal the wood. 

While it may require a second coat to make sure it looks good and is properly sealed, this often cuts out the cost of a primer, which you'll need when painting a fence to ensure proper paint adhesion.

Painting A Fence

When painting a fence, there are a few more considerations that you'll need to factor into your cost estimates.

For example, if you're going to re-paint over old paint, you'll probably want to do a thorough job of pressure washing the fence first. Get all the loose paint off the surface of your fence so you can get a nice, smooth application and a smooth finish.

Then, you'll also want to make sure you find a great primer.

While there are paints that have a paint/primer combo effect, I personally feel that you'll get better results from your paint job when you make sure you have a fantastic, primed surface to paint over.

This will add to your costs a bit because you need to factor in the cost of the primer as well as enough exterior paint to provide at least two coats of paint.

Surface Area Of Your Fence

The last thing to factor in here is the actual surface area of your fence.

If your fence is a standard privacy fence where the slats sit flush with each other (no gapping between the slats) then it's going to be much easier to calculate the square footage of your surface area.

However, if you're dealing with something like a picket fence or a fence with offset slats, it's a bit more difficult to get a concrete estimate of how much surface area you're working with. 

So make sure to take this into account if you're looking to DIY your fence painting job. 

The surface area will determine how much paint or stain you'll need to get the job done right!

Read More >> What Are The Best Pump Sprayers For Staining A Fence?

How Can You Estimate The DIY Cost of Fence Painting?

So now you must be wondering, "How exactly do I estimate the cost of painting my fence?"

Once you've gone through the factors I mentioned above, it's just about adding up the estimated cost of materials required to paint or stain your fence.

Below, I'll go through an itemized list of the standard materials you might need to paint or stain your fence and give you an average fence painting cost based on doing it yourself:

• Power washer (rental) - $56/day
• Power washer (to own) - $120
• Belt sander (rental) - $25/day or...
• Pole Sander - $25
• Paint Sprayer (rental) - $40/day
• Pump Sprayer (for staining) - $60
• Paint Brushes (For Detailing) - $10
• Disposable Painter's Masks - $20 
• Disposable Painting Gloves - $8
• Safety Goggles - $12
• 1 Gallon of Paint - $36
• 1 Gallon of Sealer/Primer - $35
• 1 Gallons of Exterior Stain - $30

You probably won't need to purchase everything on this list if you've painted before, and if you're lucky enough to already have a power washer for pressure washing your fence that'll save you some cash.

Otherwise, you can rent one for 4 hours for about $56 or $80 for a full day from Home Depot.

The same goes for a belt sander (which we'd highly recommend over sandpaper and a hand sander since it'll save your time and your back while sanding your fence).

In fact, you can rent most of the tools you'll need to get the job done right from your local Home Depot or Lowe's for a fraction of the price compared to buying them.

That said, the estimated total cost of all of the painting supplies on this list for painting (or staining) a fence is about:

$320 - $500

This range is based on the assumption that you'd need to buy or rent all of the painting supplies, plus 2-3 gallons of fence paint or fence stain as well as 2 gallons of sealer. 

(This is based on the average fence surface area of about 300 to 600 sq ft.)

Important Note: Make sure you get a true fence paint! Exterior painting isn't something to skimp out on because that paint is going to be exposed to the elements.

Your final cost will ultimately depend on how big your fence is and any other project costs you might have.

However, if you're looking to stain your deck that's a slightly different process, but many of the costs will stay the same. Let's go over the differences below!

What Are The Average Fence Painting Costs If You Hire a Painting Contractor?

If you're really looking to increase the curb appeal of your home and want to hire a company that offers painting services, your costs are going to be a bit different.

Though you won't need to factor in the cost of materials, you will likely pay quite a bit more to hire fence painters than you would if you went the DIY route.

That said, you'll be sure to get a higher quality fence painting job when hiring out for painting services.

Typically, painting contractors will charge you based on the linear foot because it's easier to estimate the costs of labor and materials that way.

Keep in mind, if you're hiring someone to paint a larger fence it'll cost more. 

Make sure to factor in your fence height in your square footage calculations too, you can use a square footage calculator like this one and simply put in your fence's dimensions.)

The national average cost for painting per square foot ranges from $1-$4.

This means it'll probably cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000 to hire a professional painter to paint or stain your deck.

How Can You Save Money When Painting A Deck?

Lucky for you, if you decide to go the DIY route there are several things you can do to lower your painting estimate and save money on your painting project.

Types of Paint

One of the best ways to save money is to choose the type of paint you're using carefully.

Obviously, if you choose to go with the highest-quality paint it's going to cost you more.

The same goes for stain. If you're planning on buying all new stains of the highest quality, it's going to cost you more than if you went with something a little less expensive.

For instance, if you choose to go with a solid stain (which looks more like paint but still seeps into the wood grain) it'll probably cost you more. 

This is because a solid stain tends to look better than paint in the long run and it fades rather than peeling or chipping as deck paint does.

Whereas if you went with a more semi-transparent stain that offers a more natural look to the wood grain, it's going to cost a bit less.

Renting vs. Buying Supplies

Did you know you can actually rent certain painting supplies rather than having to buy them?

Most Home Depot stores and Lowe's stores have a rental program where you can rent out certain painting and home improvement supplies. 

So if you know you'll only need those supplies for this particular project, that can be a much more cost-effective way to get the things you need.

Here's another thing that blew my mind when I learned it: some libraries rent out basic home improvement supplies!

Check with your local library to see if they have any tools like paint rollers and paint trays on hand that you can borrow. 

That'll save you lots of money on your painting project and you'll still be able to get the job done right.

Read More >> What Are The Best Sprayers For Painting/Staining A Fence?

Final Thoughts On Fence Painting Costs

Now that we've broken down the individual costs for painting a fence, these cost estimates should give you a good starting point.

While every painting project is different, knowing the range of costs before you start is always helpful so you can find all the areas of the budget that you can cut back on.

Whether you're going to DIY your fence or plan to hire a professional, I wish you the best of luck.

As always, happy painting!