Paint or Stain a Fence
A good-looking fence is a large part of your home's curb appeal. Whether you have a wood or chain-link fence, a well-applied stain or paint job every few years helps your fence last longer and keeps it looking great.
If your fence is starting to look a little worse for wear, now is a good time for a touch-up. If you let it go much longer, you may need to do more prep work when you do get around to painting or staining your fence—and the prep work is the hardest part of the job.
Wood Fence
Chain-link Fence
Visit your local True Value hardware store for the expert advice and products you need to get started. Then follow the steps below to spruce up your fence.
Wood Fence
Step 1. Prepare the Ground
Get rid of any leaves, grass or weeds along the base of the fence by mowing, raking, weeding by hand or spraying a weed killer. Place a drop cloth below or next to the fence to catch debris, dripping paint or overspray.
Step 2. Prepare the Fence
As with all painting projects, preparation is key to good-looking and long-lasting results. You'll have to clean, scrape and sand your fence before you can paint. You may want to rent a power washer to clean the fence and blast off loose paint. You can also use a hose with a power nozzle, a scrub brush and a solution of detergent and water.
Finish removing loose paint using a paint scraper. Use a power sander to blend any raised paint edges into the surrounding areas. Sponge any mold or mildew spots with a half household bleach, half water solution. This will keep the mold or mildew from growing back.
You should also check your fence for any termite or insect damage. If you find insect activity, replace the damaged wood.
Helpful Tip:
- Anytime you rent a power washer, take advantage of the minimum rental time allotted to clean your sidewalks, decks, porches and driveways. Remember to wear goggles and appropriate protective clothing.
Step 3. Paint or Stain Wood
To make sure your finish stands up to the elements, you'll want to use a high-quality stain or exterior paint with UV inhibitors, such as Woodsman® stain or Weatherall® paint. Use a roller, pad or sprayer to paint large, flat surfaces. If you choose a sprayer, use an airless model or rent a high-volume/low-pressure (HVLP) sprayer. This will give you greater control with less overspray. Whatever applicator you choose, you'll also need a paint brush to catch any drips and work paint into hard-to-reach areas. For watery stains, use a stain brush, which holds more finish with less dripping.
Helpful Tip:
- It's a good idea to do a yearly cleaning and touch-up of any peeling areas on your fence. If your wood fence is unfinished or not stained, consider using stain or solid-color stain instead of paint. While stain must be reapplied more often than paint, it involves less preparation.
Step 4. Clean Equipment
When the job is done, discard the used roller sleeve and clean the roller frame and pan with the appropriate solvent (water or paint thinner, depending on the type of paint used). Follow the manufacturer's instructions for a thorough cleaning of spray equipment.
Chain-link Fence
Step 1. Prepare the Ground
Clear a space to work before you get started. Get rid of any leaves, grass or weeds along the base of the fence by mowing, raking, weeding by hand or spraying a weed killer. Protect the area by putting down a drop cloth to catch debris, paint drips or overspray.
Step 2. Prepare the Fence
Brush off any dirt, spider webs and debris. If there are any rusty spots or the fence is generally rusty, scrape off the loose rust with a wire brush before applying a rusty metal primer with a roller.
Helpful Tip:
- Don't attempt to paint a vinyl-coated chain-link fence. This type of specialized work should be done by a qualified fencing professional.
Step 3. Paint It
Apply paint liberally to chain-link with a 1 1/2" nap roller. Roll slowly at a 45-degree angle to work the paint into the chain weave. Have a helper follow up with an almost-dry roller. Use a brush to paint the posts, horizontal supports, gates and other hardware to complete each section.
To eliminate the dripping associated with rollers and brushes, you can also apply two light coats of paint with a sprayer and follow up as needed with a brush. However, with a sprayer you'll be wasting a lot of paint since much of it will spray right through the fence. If you do choose a sprayer, be sure to paint on a day that's not windy—you could end up with paint mist everywhere.
Helpful Tips:
- Thin paint will give better coverage on wire fencing. Thin your paint with up to one pint of solvent per gallon of paint.
- For slow-drying paints, string up some caution ribbons or hang "wet paint" signs to warn people. If you've got pets, keep them on a leash until the fence is dry.
Step 4. Clean Up
Once the fence is painted, you can discard of disposable materials like the used roller sleeve. Thoroughly clean the roller frame and paint brushes.
Now step back and admire your handiwork. With a little preparation and a couple coats of paint, you've made your fence look like new. Head to your local True Value hardware store for all of your paint project needs.