Fences provide your home with the protection and privacy you need. Wood has always been a popular choice for fencing. It is affordable and has natural beauty. Wood fences can come in so many styles and can be designed just for your home. However, personalization doesn’t stop there. You can also color your fence with either paint or stain to give it a unique look.
Coloring Your Wood Fence
Painting a Wood Fence
Whether you paint or stain your wood fence depends on your preference but fencing companies know that paint tends to chip over time. Often this can happen within a year. This means you will likely repaint your fence more often. The good thing about wood fence paints is that they come in a wide variety of colors. You can pick which may suit your house style best. Paints these days contain sealant to waterproof your wooden border, but if the wood still absorbs water after the paint job, you may want to apply sealant on top. To paint a wood fence, you need to first hose it down with a pressure washer. Make sure you protect the surrounding architecture that you don’t want to be painted, and apply paint with a paint sprayer. Reapply every 2-3 years or as needed if it starts to chip.
Staining a Wood Fence
Staining is highly recommended for wooden fences as it does not peel or chip away. The stain often contains sealant so you will waterproof and color your fence at the same time. The wood will absorb the stain and keep its pigment for longer than paint. Once it fades, you can reapply the stain. Just as with paint, there are many different colors to choose from. You also get the option of semi-transparent or clear stains too, which allow you to still see the color and grain of the wood.
How to Stain Your Fence?
To stain a wooden fence, prepare the structure in the same way you would for painting it. Many homeowners today are opting for gel stain over the traditional wood stains. Gel stain is a go-to choice for DIYers because it delivers a very uniform cover. The thick, pudding-like product sits atop the surface and won’t drip. Unlike traditional oil-and-water-based stains, gel stain is very easy to apply by wiping it on with a brush versus having to rub it in like most stains. On the downside, gel stain is not available in as many color options as traditional stains. As with all stains, test it on a piece of scrap wood before you start. You will need the following items to stain your fence:
- gel stain
- sandpaper
- drop cloth
- latex or nitrile gloves
- rags
- screwdriver
- foam brush
- polyurethane
Instruction
- Step 1: Prep the fence by giving it a quick wipe down with a fine-grit sandpaper. Then, wipe the surface with a damp cloth to remove any dust.
- Step 2: Put on your gloves, and dip the foam brush into the stain. Wipe the stain evenly across the surface. The first coat needs to be thick. Put it on and don’t wipe it away as you would when working with traditional stain.
- Step 3: Remove any excess blobs of stain. This step is very important to ensure that you get an even finish. The stain will retain a thick, pudding-like consistency and dry on the top of the surface. In dry environments, let the first coat cure for 24 hours.
- Step 4: Just like with paint, you’ll find that you’re probably going to need multiple coats to get a perfect, streak-free finish. It’s going to dry looking quite streaky, but subsequent coats will be thinner. Keep in mind that the stain won’t absorb as much as a traditional stain. The gel stain will absorb slightly into unfinished wood but not into non-porous surfaces. Ideally, you should wait 24 hours between each coat and plan to apply 2-3 coats until the finish is even.
- Step 5: Apply a coat of water-based polyurethane to protect the finished surface.
Please reach out to us if you have any questions about staining or painting your fence. We are here to help you get your fence just the way you want it.
