How to Stain a Fence

If you have a garden outside your house, you must be aware of the importance of having a fence. It helps keep unnecessary intrusions out of the garden and lets your plants be trouble-free. While it is easy putting a fence around your house, maintaining it is something that most of the people forget to do. As such, with time, the fence becomes wearied and ruptures the look of the entire house. What is point of having a flamboyantly designed bungalow, with aesthetic interiors, if you have an ugly looking fence? Remember, the fence of the house creates the first impression on visitors, of how the insides are going to be. Make sure that the fence around your house reflects the beauty and richness of the insides. While getting a new fence can be an option for changing the look of the house entirely, ones who cannot afford to change the fence after a little span of time can go for staining. Staining is one of the ways through which you can not only maintain a wood fence, but can also give it a new look altogether. In case you need any tips regarding the same, just make use of the ones provided in the lines below.

How To Stain A Wood Fence

Things Needed

Brushes
Protective Wood Stains
Strippers
Sanding Blocks
Sandpaper

Instructions

First of all, you will need to decide on the wood stains for your fence and purchase it from the market.
Next, clean your fence properly. Make sure that it is completely free of dust as well as grease.
You will now need to strip off existing finishes on the fence and sand the wood completely.
Take a 4-inch paintbrush or painting pad and apply the stain on the fence.
While staining the fence, remember to always work with the grain and never across it.
Take a 2-inch paintbrush and with its help, apply the stain in the cracks and crevices as well as between boards and around hardware.
In order to prevent stripes from forming on the fence, blend the edges of each application.
Your fence has been stained once. Now, apply a second coat and your work is done.

Tips

Early mornings and late evenings is the ideal time to paint the fence. This is mainly because sun is at its peak when you paint in the mid-afternoon. The excess heat and light would dry the paint sooner than expected, giving your fence less protection.
Using a small roller of about three inches works well for painting the face of the fence board, instead of the brush. The roller not only leaves a smooth paint on the fence, but also proves to be easier on wrists and shoulder. Remember, it might look like a simple task, but a fence usually stretches to a long length.
In case you have long shrubs near your fence, painting can become an arduous task. To get rid of the problem, place a piece of plywood, ½ sheet would do, vertically between the fence and the shrub. Wiggle in between the plywood and fence, so that you can paint behind the shrub.
The plywood would serve as an additional support for you. So, you can lean on the plywood pushing the shrub away, without bothering about the breakage of the branches.

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