Fences, Tall and Short

Do you have a brand-new fence or do you want to give your old one a makeover? You may be considering what to do with the wood to make it look better. Two options that you have are to paint or stain the surface, both of which have their own pros and cons. Here are some tips for deciding if you should paint or stain the wood.

Paint Provides Protection

You may be looking to paint or stain your fence due to the added protection it provides the wood. It essentially covers the wood with an additional layer that fills in all the cracks and gaps in the wood surface. It also provides protection from mold, rot, and damage from the sun. 

Paint Provides Plenty Of Color Options

One of the great things about using paint is that it is going to provide you with plenty of color options for your fence. You are not bound to the limited colors that stain comes in, since you can use any color that you want. Of course, there are limitations when it comes to what looks good around your home, but you can paint your fence a bright white if that is what you want.

Paint Works Great On Old Surfaces

If you have a fence that has already been painted, know that the new layer of paint is going to go right over it. This can be great, because you don't have to thoroughly remove all of the old paint for the new coat to look good, making the prep time far less than what it would be to stain the wood instead.

Stain Doesn't Last Forever

A huge benefit of stain is that it is easy to remove stains from the surface later on if you change your mind. If you want to go back to that natural wood color, you can sand the surface and get it back. This gives you some flexibility that you don't have with paint, which would be much harder to remove if you change your mind about the look of your fence. 

Stain Highlights The Natural Grain Of The Wood

Many people love the look of stain because it doesn't hide the natural grains of the wood. Instead, it accentuates the wood and makes it stand out in a good way. 

Stain Doesn't Need To Be Perfect

When staining a wood fence, know that it doesn't need to be perfectly applied for it to look good. You can have spots that are a bit lighter and heavier, since the stain will naturally fade over time from exposure to the weather and the sun. This can make the application process much easier if you are doing it yourself. 

Contact a company that offers fence painting services to learn more.