Has your fence seen better days and you want to give it a coat of paint to refresh the look? If so, it will help to know the following tips for getting this job done.
Clean The Fence
The first step for painting a fence will be to clean the surface. The easiest way to do this will be a power washer, since you can easily blast the dirt and debris off the surface in record time. Once the surface is dry, it will then help to use a broom before you get started with painting the fence, so that any debris that is stuck on the fence since you power washed it is removed.
Tape Off The Surfaces That Won't Be Painted
Much like painting a room in your home, you'll want to use plastic and tape off parts of the fence that you do not want to paint. This may include hardware on the fence, such as handles that you do not want to ruin by getting paint in them. You should also put plastic along the bottom of the fence to prevent paint from getting on cement or other surfaces that would be difficult to clean.
Use Your Spray Gun Correctly
While you can brush the paint on using a paint brush or roller, it is going to make the job take much longer than it should. You'll be better off using a spray gun to apply the paint, but it helps to know how to use the gun correctly. It will help align the sprayer so that the stream of paint sprays vertically rather than horizontally. This will allow you to do even sprays across each fence panel going back and forth, which will minimize the amount of squatting that you have to do to get down loan. With the portions of the fence you want to protect taped off, you won't have to worry about overspray issues. If you're not happy with the results after applying the first coat of paint, go back and apply a second coat. The paint is going to be thicker and appear darker, and give the fence more protection in the long run.
Clean Your Equipment When Finished
Now that you've painted your fence, you'll want to clean off your equipment so that you can paint the fence again easily in the future. Make sure to thoroughly clean your equipment so that dry paint doesn't cause the equipment to be damaged while it sits without being used.
If you don't have the time or equipment to get the job done, don't worry! Many fencing contractors will offer services to take care of your fence painting needs.
