Turn your fence into a functional showpiece with fresh paint
Keeping a fresh coat of paint on your fence helps protect it from rotting, corroding, and breaking down as it stands guard out in the elements. We’ll walk through the steps for how to paint a fence so that your work holds up for as long as possible. A good paint job protects your fence, no matter the material (wood, metal, or vinyl), extends its life span, and keeps it looking great. For these directions, we’ll assume that you’re painting a wood fence.
It always helps to have a plan, and painting your fence is no exception. Maybe you need some fence painting ideas. Before you get started, you’ll choose a type of paint, a paint color or colors, and plan how you’ll paint your fence, and how many coats you’ll apply.
Two of the best types of paint for wood fences are oil-based paint and acrylic latex paint. Oil-based paint is very durable and holds up to the elements well. However, it takes a lot longer to dry, so the length of the project will span a few days to allow for the paint to fully dry between coats. For this reason, we recommend latex paint if you’re going the DIY route to save on the cost to paint your fence. Latex is breathable, durable, and yet flexible enough to move with large temperature changes through the seasons.
You should apply at least two coats of paint to your fence, especially if it’s new and has not been painted before. Two coats of paint will ensure even coverage, which is important to protect your fence from the weather.
Lay down drop cloths over areas and structures that need to be protected from paint drips, splatters, and overspray. Use painter’s tape along any edges that should be protected from paint. Would won’t need to worry about protecting your grass when using acrylic paint given its low toxicity level.
If your fence has already been painted or stained before, you’ll want to strip off the existing coating with a stripping agent designed for stripping paint or stain. Make sure to follow the directions provided by the manufacturer. Old stain on the fence may act to weaken the adherence of new paint to the fence.
Yes, if you know that the old paint is a water-based acrylic latex paint, you can paint over it with another water-based acrylic or latex paint. In that case, you can simply sand the fence to rough up the surface for better adhesion and move on to the next step. If the fence already has several coats of paint on it, you may still want to strip off the paint and start back on raw wood, vinyl, or metal.
After stripping and/or sanding the fence, clean the fence with a solution designed for cleaning fences. Follow the manufacturer’s directions. Apply the cleaning solution with a pump sprayer or synthetic-bristle brush, working in small sections so you can keep the fence wet where you’re applying the cleaner. Leave the cleaning solution on the wood to work its magic for about 10 to 15 minutes as you lightly scrub.
Use a garden hose with a spray nozzle or a pressure washer to rinse each section of the fence after you clean it. Allow the fence to dry completely.
Roll or spray paint primer on the clean, dry fence. If rolling, use a 3/4-inch nap roller, and a 4-inch or 6-inch wide paint brush to get the areas the roller won’t reach. Allow the primer to dry for the length of time recommended by the manufacturer.
Once the primer is completely dry, repeat the same process you used to apply the primer, but this time to apply the first coat of paint.
As with the primer, allow the paint to dry for the length of time recommended by the manufacturer, which is typically about 4 hours to recoat, but make sure to check the manufacturer’s directions.
As with the primer and the first coat of paint, apply the second coat of paint with your brush and roller or paint sprayer. Again, allow the paint to dry for the length of time recommended by the manufacturer.
In this article, we’ve described rolling and spraying methods. The ideal method for painting your fence is to spray it. Using an airless paint sprayer will be much faster and easier to get into the hard-to-reach spaces like between fence boards. The same applies to painting vinyl fences, and especially to painting chain-link fences or iron fences, which would be very difficult to paint with a brush or roller.
However, when painting wood or vinyl fences with large flat areas, you can also use a paint brush for the tight spots and a paint roller for the rest. If you don’t have the time, tools, or desire to do the job yourself, you can always hire a professional painter.
Painting your fence is definitely a DIY-worthy project. There may be a bit of a learning curve if you’re using a paint sprayer for the first time, but with a little practice in an inconspicuous spot or on a piece of scrap wood or cardboard you’ll be good to spray away. If you’re strapped for time or really prefer to make sure it’s done right, you can always call a professional painter near you that does fence painting. On average, the cost to paint a fence ranges from $750 to $4,250.
You should repaint your fence every 1 to 3 years, depending on the appearance of wear and tear. Weather and usage will factor into how often you should paint another coat on your fence. If you need to replace a few fence boards or posts, you may want to consider repainting the fence to help protect the rest of the fence as well as the new pieces against damage and deterioration from being exposed to the elements.
If it rains after you paint your fence, you may need to apply another coat of paint after the fence thoroughly dries. This will ensure a good seal if the rain weakened any areas of the paint. However, if your paint had enough time to dry thoroughly before it rained, you should have no problem.
If possible, it is beneficial to paint both sides of your fence to protect the fence more completely from the elements. Painting both sides of your fence will create a more consistent appearance as well. However, the time and cost involved in painting both sides of the fence may cause people to paint only the side they see.
