Many Americans still believe that good fences make good neighbors. Because of this, the US fencing market is expected to top $11.68 billion by 2025.
If you have a wooden fence around your yard, you need to maintain it to that it stays secure and looking beautiful.
One way to maintain your fence is to paint it. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about giving your fence a fresh coat of paint.
Gather Your Materials
Nothing is worse than realizing you forgot something mid-project. So before you start painting, gather this list of supplies.
- Work gloves
- Water
- Sandpaper
- Outdoor primer
- Paintbrush
- Cloth
- Wire brush and/or scraper
- Outdoor paint
- Cardboard
Prep the Fence
Before you paint, walk the length of the fence on both sides. Look for damage and clean any debris. Wash away bird droppings, cobwebs, or peeling paint. If you find mildew or mold, you’ll need to clean this up too.
Use your sandpaper to clean up any rough spots and prepare the fence for a new coat of paint.
Prime the Fence
Now that your fence is clean and ready for paint, you can apply the primer. Any bare wood needs to be primed before you apply your paint.
If your wood fence is newer or never painted, then you will need to paint the entire fence. If your fence is previously painted, you will only need to prime any bare wood that you installed while making repairs.
Primer gives the paint something to grip to. It can also help seal and protect the wood.
Paint the Fence
Paint your fence in sections. A good rule of thumb is to focus on five boards at a time. Start at the top of the fence and work your way down the boards towards the ground.
Be careful when you get to the bottom of the fence. You don’t want to paint your grass or get dirt in your paint. You can use your cardboard to either slide under the fence or create a solid barrier between the ground and your paintbrush.
If you have landscaping that blocks access to the fence, you can also use your cardboard or a wooden board here too. Slide the board between the bush and the fence. Then leverage yourself between the board and fence.
Now you can use your body weight to push the bush away from the fence and give you access to paint. The board spreads out your body weight so there is less risk of breaking branches.
Paint Your Wooden Fence
As you can see, this project is not a difficult one. The hardest and most important part is the prep work. If you don’t take your time here, the paint will never look as good as it possibly can.
So repair, clean, and prime your wooden fence for painting today. With a little bit of effort, you too can have a beautiful fence around your property.
Contact us today if your fence needs more extensive repair than a new coat of paint.