Finishing your Fence: Paint or Stain

When deciding on whether to paint or stain your new wood privacy fence there are a lot of factors in play to consider. Painting a wood privacy fence is often cheaper than staining. The main disadvantage with painting a wood privacy fence is that it will start to crack and peel after a couple years, requiring more frequent maintenance. When trying to repaint a wood privacy fence you have to scrape off the old paint and prep the fence for the new layer of paint ultimately costing you more in the long run. The main advantage to painting a wood privacy fence is that you get exactly what you are going for with color.

Staining a wood privacy fence will have more upfront cost involved but the stain lasts much longer than paint. Yes, the stain will eventually fade but does not peel or crack like paint. Another advantage to staining a wood privacy fence is that there is a lot less involved in prepping for a stain. The prep work only requires a pressure wash to set up for the stain. When choosing to stain a wood privacy fence the shades and transparencies should be considered. There are stains that are completely see through maintaining the original look but adding protection to the wood. There are also semi-transparent stains that semi change the color of the wood privacy fence a few shades darker but still allow for the wood grain look to show through. Lastly there are completely opaque shades that will give your privacy fence a painted look changing the color fully.

All in all both painting and staining your wood privacy fence are great options and a must in order to extend the life of your fence. Staining the fence saves in long term maintenance costs but might not give you the look you are going for. Painting your wood privacy fence gives the look but requires a lot more attention long term, ultimately costing a bit more. Wood privacy fences do not last without paint or stain so it is important to get one or the other done. Lastly do not immediately paint or stain your fence as it is crucial that you give your fence time for the wood to cure as this will interfere with the finished look of the paint or stain if not given the proper time.