5 Best Paints for a Wood Fence

While the classic American dream conjures a pristine white picket fence, if yours is in disrepair your neighbors might be calling you the American nightmare. In that case, it’s time for a new coat of paint to refresh your reputation. If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at the options for painting on wood and determine which kind of paint best suits your needs. We’ve rounded up five of the best paints for wood fences to help you get your project off the ground.

1. Oil-Based Paint

From chilly days to sunny ones, choosing the best paint for a wood fence can sometimes come down to the time of year you’re painting the fence. Oil-based paint tends to have a wider temperature threshold, opening up your calendar to more days of the year that you can paint.

Unlike many latex paint brands, where you must paint when temperatures are between 40 and 85 degrees, oil-based paint can be applied in temps a few degrees higher and lower.

Oil-based paint is fade-resistant and less likely to peel over time compared to latex, but its odor might make it unsafe for livestock—which makes it a no-go if your wood fence contains barn animals or dogs.

For inspo, check out:

• Valspar® Door & Trim Oil Enriched Enamel

2. Acrylic-Latex Paint

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Homes in very humid or rainy climates may want to choose this one. Acrylic-latex paint is an exterior- and interior-friendly paint that sports excellent moisture resistance thanks to its lack of nutrients for mold and mildew. 

High-quality latex paint dries quickly, so you can worry less about moisture or rain damaging your freshly painted fence. Be on the lookout for paint that offers enhanced features for extra moisture protection if humidity is a concern.

For inspo, consider:

• Sherwin-Williams® Resilience Exterior Acrylic Latex

3. All-in-One Paint

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Say goodbye to the hassle of priming your surface before painting. An exterior paint and primer is an all-in-one way to paint your wood fence. By eliminating your need to use a primer, you’ll save on time, materials, and labor costs if you hire an exterior painter near you. 

Choose a high-quality paint brand that offers thick coverage to hide old discoloration or bright paint colors and prevent those unsightly hairline cracks that can appear on wood surfaces.

For inspo, try:

• Valspar® Duramax® Exterior Paint + Primer

4. Siding Restoration Paint

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The first paint that comes to mind when you think of painting a wooden fence may not be a siding restoration paint, but don’t let that stop you from trying it. Paint that’s specifically labeled for barns and fences can often come in a limited variety of colors. You can expand your options by choosing a name-brand exterior paint designed for siding restoration. 

Sherwin-Williams® Rejuvenate, in particular, is a high-build, all-in-one exterior paint and primer that can transform aging wood into a silky smooth sight for sore eyes. One of the greatest features of this exterior acrylic latex paint is that you can tint it to several of the brand's most popular exterior paint colors for a look that is truly unique to your style. 

For inspo, consider:

• Sherwin-Williams® Rejuvenate Siding Restoration

5. Alkyd-Based Paint

Alkyd-based paint is a unique combination of oil and latex. Latex paint has a reputation for being the absolute best paint for preventing mold and mildew, making it a popular choice for wood. Combine those features with a high-quality, color-rich oil-based paint, and you have one strong paint for wood fences. 

This paint is durable, breathable, mildew- and UV-resistant, crack-, peel-, and blister-resistant, and it’s self-priming to save you on the time, labor, and money it takes to paint or stain a fence. But keep in mind, alkyd paints tend to emit more volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than other more environmentally-friendly paints like water-based latex. 

Best Barn and Fence Paint

Some specialty oil-latex paint is livestock-safe so that you feel confident your animals will be protected. These specialty paints tend to come in just two classic colors—barn red or barn white—but if you’re looking for that picturesque and classic look, oil-latex paint may be the perfect go-to. 

For inspo, check out:

• BEHR® Barn & Fence Paint

• Benjamin Moore Regal® Select Exterior Paint