How To Paint A Fence

Painting a fence isn’t as easy as it might look; there are lots of different factors that you have to take into account including the budget, wood paint isn’t cheap! However, if you get through the planning and find the money a newly painted fence can look awesome and has an immediate impact, which can completely enhance your garden. However, don’t be fooled, it is hard work and depending on the size of your fence and the method you choose, is time-consuming too.

You have to do preparation before you can start to paint, ask yourself these questions first:

If you rent you might have to ask permission to paint the fence, check with your landlord first.
Is the fence in good order? There is little point in painting a fence if it is already rotten; check the wood quality and see if you need to replace any aspects of the fence first.
Budget, it isn’t as cheap as you might imagine to paint a fence, paint is not cheap and you have to buy one that is suitable for the weather conditions in which you live.
The colour, it was so easy years ago, you could pick brown and green as a paint option, now the choices are endless.
Method of how to paint: you can buy paint sprayers, these can get messy but they are quicker than the traditional method of using a brush.
Are you priming the wood before the top coat?
What is the weather like in the forecast?

If I assume you can paint your fence, it is important to check over the fence; is there anything that needs fixing or repairing? I did notice that some of my fence just needed a quick repair; some of the nails had popped, they just needed being re-attached and the fence was good to go.

Luckily, for me I had some paint in the shed ready for this year’s painting task. I did wish I could change the colour, but I wasn’t going to waste the paint so I was grateful that this project didn’t cost me any money, it was just a time factor that played the most important factor in the whole procedure.

As I wasn’t changing the colour of the fence I knew that I didn’t need to use a primer, I am hoping to change the colour of my front fence, I want the white look, to do this I am going to have to prime it first before applying the top coat. I am unsure if I will get round to this task this year, it might be one for next year!

Protecting Before Painting

Choosing your paint is not an easy task, there are so many different products out there and they come in a variety of different colours. It is best to research as much as possible, especially if you are not looking to harm pets, your garden or your own health in the process. Don’t forget to consider the weather too, if there is rain forecast, this isn’t the best time to paint as rain can affect the paints performance and can even wash off all together.

Once you have decided on the painting method to use, brush or spray, you must consider protection, not only for yourself but for your plants and your neighbour’s side of the fence too.

You will need to tie back and cover any plants that are growing near the fence; you might have to leave them protected until the paint is dry. An old sheet makes a great painting cover to protect the environment.

Don’t forget about the clothes and footwear you are wearing, no matter how you paint you run the risk of getting it on your clothes and foot wear, using old clothes and removing foot wear before going indoors can prevent the spread of paint to items you don’t wish to damage.

If you need steps to reach to the top, ensure you are placing them safely on the ground, you don’t want an accident to happen.

Be careful with the colour going through the fence and being visible from the other side, it isn’t unheard of that a neighbour might try to claim criminal damage.

Therefore, before you rush out for fence paint make sure that you are ready for the paint and that you have set aside money in your budget for its purchase, it isn’t as cheap as you might imagine. Set aside plenty of time to complete the project and don’t forget to check the weather, some paints need longer to dry than others and the risk of rain can and will prevent the project from even starting.

If you are looking for more articles on this topic head over to the landing page where you will find links to other posts on gardening.

Do You Know How To Paint A Fence?