Saturday, 3 November 2012

How to paint a fence


  1. . Preparation is a critical phase of fence-painting. You want to protect the vegetation along the fence line while readying the surface for painting. This is a time-consuming process, but it makes the job easier.

    • Mow and edge the grass along the fence line. Trim back bushes and shrubs that abut the fence. Use a leaf blower to blow dirt and grass clippings away from the fence line.
    • Spread a drop cloth or plastic sheeting under the section of fence you'll be painting. Keep it in place throughout the project to collect residue from prep work and protect against spills.
    • If the fence was previously treated, scrape off loose or flaking paint.
    • Pressure-wash or sand a new, untreated wood fence. It's best to sand a fence that was painted before. This helps the paint adhere to the wood. If necessary, use a scrub brush and a 1-to-1 mixture of bleach and water to eradicate mold on the fence. Let the surface dry.
    • If you're painting iron or metal fencing, use a steel brush to remove rust and then sand the surface with medium-grit sandpaper.
    • After sanding, wipe off residue with a clean rag.
    • Seal and tape off parts of the fence you don't want to paint, like ornaments, gate latches and handles and other hardware. This is very important step fencing brisbane
  2. 2
    Pick the right paint for your job. Make sure you use an outdoor paint on your fence. These are specially treated to withstand the effects of weather and come in a variety of types.
    • Acrylics: Acrylic paint is durable, providing an excellent layer of protection for your fence, but you might have to apply a primer to an untreated surface before you can paint.
    • Acrylic stains: Stains bring out the natural beauty of the wood and usually don't require the primer coat that paints do. They also are easier to re-coat and require minimal surface prep.
    • Oil-based outdoor paint: Oil-based paints may require multiple coats and may not protect as well as acrylics, but they do provide a superior-looking finish.
    • Enamels: Enamel paint is ideal for iron fencing and gates. Usually, you'll need to treat the surface with a rust-inhibiting primer.
    • Automotive epoxy paint: The benefits of automotive epoxy are, it's a 1-step process and is very durable. You will have to mix in a hardener with this paint, which does force you to get the job done within about 6 hours.
  3. 3
    Pick a suitable day to do the painting. Certain weather conditions are ideal for fence-painting. Pick a day with no rain in the forecast. Ideally, paint on a day with clam winds and ample cloud cover. Breezes can kick up debris that can stick to your paint job; direct sunlight makes the paint dry too fast and saps its protective properties.
  4. 4
    Decide how you want to paint a fence.
    • Long fence: If you have a long fence, you probably will want to use an industrial spray to complete the job quickly. Aim lengthwise, along the grain of the wood. Spray downwind and wear a respirator. Be sure to cover plants to protect them from overspray. Keep a brush handy even if you opt for a sprayer, in case you need to do any touch-up work.
    • Short fence: If you have a smaller project, you probably can complete the job using a roller on flat surfaces and a brush for detailed, hard-to-reach sections.
    • Wrought iron fence: Because they're often intricately designed, it's best to paint iron fences by hand to get optimum coverage. A single heavy coat of enamel or automotive epoxy paint usually is enough. gold coast carpet cleaning

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