Got some side work for a retired couple that have a home way off the beaten path. Been a while since I stained decks or fences. I'm used to staining furniture most of the time... They have a long staircase that leads from the back deck of their vacation home down to the lake. Anyone have a rough estimate of how much stain I'm going to need to put two layers on 140 stairs with 5 landings? 10 gallons maybe?

I think ten gallons would work with a sprayer but be prepared to use a bit more if brushing.

I'm definitely a brush guy. So I will take that into consideration and build it into my final bid.

You must be more ambitious than me because ain't no way I would brush that. Work smarter not harder.....

I don't think ten gallons would touch that?

1 quart.....start at the bottom and take them down to see and agree with the color...……….then your done. They won't make it back up to the top.

Hope your getting paid well. Are you staining the post as well. Looks like some ladder work involved. How dry is the wood. Might need some sealer and stain combo. Sarge

$25/hour and no not staining the posts or even the undersides of the stairs. Just strictly the railings and wood stairs. We've got rain now and next 2 days but all next week is sunny, clear and 80s. I told him I wanted to wait until the following weekend to do it because I won't put stain on wood that has moisture in it. That's just asking for issues, like those milky spots coming up through the stain. He and his wife live in Canada, this is just their vacation home that they visit once a year for a week in the fall.

That there's some funny stuff!

Guessing that the steps are 1'x4' and the landings are 4'x4'- 140stepsx4sqft=560sqft plus 5 landingsx16sqft =80 sqft, totalsqft ~640 and stain will cover ~150sqft per gallon gives about 4 1/2 gallons needed. So two coats should be close with ten gallons. But the railing will use a lot more than the stair. If my guess is wrong and the whole thing is 5-6-7 feet wide then the numbers need adjusting.

Good stuff. That's as close to an estimate as I'm gonna get. It's an hour and a half from home but only 45 miles. Rural dirt road most of the way. So checking it out before staining is out of the question. I'm just heading there with every tool and material I think I might need. Would hate to have to run back to town an hour and a half

I would bid it @ 10 gallons and tell them that depending on wood porousness may cost a couple more gallons. No way of telling how much is going to soak in .

I would charge more than $25.00 per hour.....
And DEFINITELY spray!

X2

wow!

Quite a "beaten path " to build on.

Double that rate, and spray it, or come up with a square foot price that's even better.

Looks like more than 10 gal to me

From the look of the second pic I think it would need pressure washed.
Unwashed 10 gallons should do fine.
Washed 15 gallons, it will penetrate better
And $25 per hour with trapping permission thrown in would suit me fine on a job like that.
Beautiful scenery and fishing at lunch. It don't get much better than that.
And if you use a brush consider using a 4" roller along with the brush.
And wear shin guards. Lol

With a brush holder, 6" brush, a 2 gallon work bucket and a broom handle you can mop those steps pretty fast. example https://mrlongarm.com/product/tool-holder/
there are other brands
That far out take along and extra 5 gal of stain, you can restock it cheaper than a round trip. (and extra brush, etc)