Paint or stain? That is a common question we get from homeowners in Horsham, PA, Ambler, Ft. Washington, Blue Bell, and other surrounding areas. Both painting and staining protect the fence against harsh weather conditions, wear and tear, and insect invasion.
While stained fences are the most common, you can still find plenty of painted fences around. Each option has pros and cons, and we discuss them to help you make the best choice of your situation. Here you go;
Fence Staining
Stain generally gets absorbed into the wood and doesn’t form a film on the painted surface. It also allows the wood character, such as grains and knots to show through, with minimum or no alteration to the wood color. They’re also available in transparent to solid options, depending on your preference.
As hinted above, most painters and homeowners prefer staining over painting. This is because stain gets absorbed deep into the wood, unlike paint, and it requires much less maintenance. The best part about stain is that it ages gracefully and relatively uniformly. They will typically fade off without the signs of peeling, cracking, flaking or bubbling.
Surface preparation is also less intensive when re-staining a fence since you don’t have to do all the sanding, peeling, and scrapping. You will, however, need to re-stain more often to restore the fading stain. Staining also offers less surface protection compared to paint, and if you want a little more protection, you might have to opt for the solid stains. However, if you want to show off those grains and knots in the wood, you should consider semi-transparent stains.
Fence Painting
Fence painting is also another viable option of protecting your fence. Unlike stain, paint forms a solid film on the surface and tends to offer superior protection against the elements. With high-quality paint and regular touch-ups, your fence paint job could last up to three years before requiring a full repaint. You also have a wide range of colors to choose from, so you can blend your fence color into your overall home color theme.
Paint is also excellent at covering surface imperfections, which makes it the best option for refinishing older fences. One of the reasons paint fencing isn’t so popular is that it requires a lot of maintenance due to paint peeling, cracking and bubbling. For this reason, you might need to repaint every after three years to keep it looking tip-top.
Also, keep in mind that once you decide to repaint, you will have to scrape off all of the existing paint, prep the surface for new paint, and then finally repaint. That requires a lot of time and effort, and in the end, it might cost you more. So when you decide to go for painting as your option for fence refinishing, keep those few downsides in mind.
Bottom Line
Fence refinishing is an essential practice if you want your fence to keep looking good and last longer. Both painting and staining, as you can see, are viable refinishing options. But fence staining seems to win in most cases due to the ease of application, low maintenance cost, and the ability to be absorbed into the wood.
But if your fence is older with surface imperfections, you need more superior surface protection. Also, if simply want a broader range of color options, fence painting might be your best option.
If you need professional help refinishing your fence, Aspen Painting can help. We offer professional fence and residential painting services in areas of Horsham, Ambler, Dresher, Ft. Washington, and Blue Bell.
Call us today on 215-773-8422 for a FREE estimate to get started.
Ray is an inspiring leader with a strong work ethic stemming from his exemplary upbringing in a caring and loving family environment. His parents modeled the importance of integrity and hard work to him and his siblings, values which Ray now instills in his teenage daughter. As the owner of Aspen Painting & Wallcovering, Inc., he leads by example by expecting nothing but the best from himself and his employees. His primary goal is to provide superior service and quality craftsmanship to each of his clients so that they become enthusiastic ambassadors for the company. Ray is a passionate team player who always strives to exceed expectations.