How to Stain a Wood Fence
Whether you’ve already got a wood fence that needs to be refreshed or you’re considering installing a new wood fence, there’s a good chance you’ve wondered how to stain a wood fence.
We’ve put together some tips about how to stain wood fences either before they’re installed or when they need to be refreshed. We’ve also got some tips about the products and equipment you should use and how much this is likely to cost you.
Why Do We Stain Wood Fences?
The two main reasons why we stain wood fences is to make them look nicer, and to protect the wood.
If you are using untreated wood for some or all of your fence, then stain will help to protect the fence against the elements. Some people also stain treated wood fences, so that they don't have the green color treated wood usually does.
Wood fence stain also comes in a variety of colors, so you can choose a color that works with the design of your home or property.
Choose the Right Wood Fence Stain
The worst thing you can do when you’re trying to figure out how to stain a wood fence is to choose a fence stain simply because it’s cheap.
Paint and stain are definitely one of those things where you get what you pay for, and while you might save a few bucks now, you will almost certainly have to spend more later.
While you can definitely get high-quality fence stain products at the hardware store, it’s often useful to contact a paint company directly. Not only will they be able to give you product recommendations and all the information you need to apply the fence stain properly, but they might also be able to give you a better deal.
Always Read the Manufacturer’s Application Instructions
Different types of paint and stain have different application instructions, and it’s very important that you follow these closely.
Manufacturer’s application instructions usually include the coverage rate, so you can calculate how much fence stain you will need, as well as the method of fence stain application and what equipment you will need.
Usually, these instructions also include information about how many coats should be applied, how long the fence stain takes to dry and other information you will need to do the job properly.
How to Stain a New Wood Fence
If you are installing a new wood fence and you want to have it stained, the best way to do this is to apply the stain before the fence is installed.
This ensures that there will be stain between the various parts of the fence so that they will be protected. If you assemble or build the wood fence first and then stain it later, there will be many places where there is no stain, and when water seeps into those areas, they’re likely to rot faster.
Staining a wood fence before you build it also means you can choose to stain your wood fence indoors or in a covered space. This means you can stain your fence components even when it’s raining, and there will be no damage to the finish.
Be sure to allow enough time for the fence components to dry properly after staining your wood fence so that the wet stain is not damaged during the process.
How to Stain an Existing Wood Fence
If your wood fence is already installed, and it’s looking a little shabby, then you might want to restain it to improve its appearance and extend your fence’s lifespan.
Assuming that your wood fence is already stained, the first thing you will need to do is remove the old stain and any dirt and grime from the fence. There are several ways this can be done, including pressure washing and standing.
Make sure that you get all the dust from sanding off your fence and that it’s properly dry before you start staining your fence.
Once again, choose a high-quality product, and follow all the manufacturer’s application instructions for your wood fence stain. Be prepared to apply more than one coat of most products so that you can get the best possible coverage.
Choose a day when the weather forecast is clear to stain your wood fence because rain will damage the stain and might even wash water-based products off if they are not dry before rain starts.
How to Calculate How Much Wood Fence Stain You Need
The next thing you will need to know when you’re figuring out how to stain a wood fence is how to calculate how much stain you will need.
First, refer back to the manufacturer’s wood fence stain product data that you have. This will tell you the rate of coverage, which is usually expressed as the area the product will cover per unit of measure.
So, in places where metric measurements are used, it will be square meters per litre, and in places that use English measurements, you will see a figure that is square feet per gallon.
Next, you need to calculate the area of the fence. The simplest way to do this is to multiply the fence length by the height of the fence, but you also need to make allowances for three-dimensional elements of the fence, waste and so on. So, you would usually add between 10 and 20 percent to the area you calculate.
There are also two sides to each fence, so assuming you will stain both sides of your wood fence, you’ll need to multiply that figure by two.
Finally, multiply the area of the full fence on both sides by the number of coats you will apply.
So, the formula looks like this:
((Fence Length x Fence Height) + Waste Percentage) x Number of Sides x Number of Coats = Total Staining Area
Once you have the total staining area, you can divide that by the coverage rate provided by the manufacturer to calculate how many litres or gallons of wood fence stain you will need to buy.
Buy a Little Extra Wood Fence Stain
It’s always a good idea to buy a little more wood fence stain than you think you will need. This means you will have wood fence stain on hand to do any touch-ups or to stain any parts of the fence that you might repair in future.
How Much Does It Cost to Stain a Wood Fence?
The last thing many people wonder when they’re trying to work out how to stain a wood fence and whether it’s the best option for their fence is what the cost will be.
Since you already know how to calculate the wood fence stain you’ll need to buy, you can calculate the cost of the stain quite easily. You’ll also need brushes and rollers, paint trays, drop sheets and other equipment.
As far as labor costs go, that depends on whether you plan to do the job yourself or hire someone to stain your wood fence. If you opt for the latter, don’t let the price be the only deciding factor. You want someone who will do a good job of staining your fence – not just the lowest cost!
Staining a wood fence is one of the lifetime costs associated with this type of fence, and with other options like vinyl fence and composite fence on offer these days, it might make more sense to choose a maintenance-free fence product if you’re installing a new fence.
If not, remember that you will need to restain your wood fence every year or two to keep it looking good, so be sure it’s in your home or property maintenance budget!
