Installing a Fence With a Designer’s Eye: Beautiful Fencing Tips

Posted on: 12 August 2015

While fencing is a great way to maintain your backyard privacy, your fence is likely to discolour and look weathered over time –– especially if you're located in a place prone to high winds and heavy rainfall. Spray painting is an extremely fast and effective do-it-yourself task that can elevate the look of your backyard fencing almost instantly.

Simple preparation and planning will help you prepare your fencing for a DIY paintjob. Follow these simple steps for spray paining outdoor fences:

Gather Materials

Before undertaking the paintjob, make sure you have fencing supplies for painting:

• high-pressure washer
• paint diluter
• paint stirrer
• masking tape
• paint scraper
• sanding block
• sander
• paint
• paint brushes
• paint thinner
• bucket
• spray gun.

These materials can be bought at your nearest home improvement store.

Prepare the Fencing for Painting

Before you start painting, you must ensure that the fence is cleaned thoroughly to remove any debris, surface grime and peeling paint. Use a high-pressure cleaner to clean the fencing thoroughly. A pressure washer is used through a spray mechanism to remove all types of mud, debris, dirt and loose paint more easily.

Alternatively, you can use a more traditional method with soap and warm water, but this is likely to take you longer. Once the fencing dries, use the paint scraper to remove residual loose paint. Use the sander to sand your fence for smoothing it down. Make sure you sand the fencing thoroughly for a smooth and even finish throughout.

Prepare the Paint Mixture

Keep in mind that paint needs to be diluted before it is placed in a spray gun for the most effective results. Pour your paint into a bucket and add the paint thinner to dilute the mixture. Use a stirrer to mix this diluted solution together. Pour this diluted mixture into a spray gun. Add newspapers to your ground and other areas you don't want painted to protect them from straying paint.

Spray the Fence

Shake the spray gun to ensure that the mixture sits properly and start spraying each picket on your fencing from top to bottom. Once you have applied the first coat, use a paintbrush to even out sections that are thicker –– especially the areas around the screws. Let the paint dry for a few hours before you apply the second coat on your fencing. Follow the same application process as your first coat and let the paint dry before you use your fencing.

These simple DIY steps will have your backyard fencing looking refreshed in no time. Contact a company such as Phantom Fencing to learn more.