Paint and Decorate your Backyard Fence

Absolutely, a well maintained (and now decorated) outdoor backyard fence is a great investment, and especially when hosting outdoor parties, and just generally having your family and/or your friends around in your home backyard come Spring and Summer in particular. Sure, painting a fence is rather time consuming, and it is important to prepare in advance. Focus on the painting first, and then worry about the decorating later.



Cedar on the backyard fence is also great, as it (the cedar) ages naturally, yet there is nothing like a quality fence with quality coats of paint to brighten up the backyard. Extend the life of your fence, and all the repetition of at least a couple of coats of paint will be well worth it in the end. Pace yourself.

1. Painting and preparation

Naturally, it is easier to paint the (ideally new) fence before it is installed. The posts and stringers will be easier to handle, and that way you won't need to cover your plants and soil. Much easier to handle in the garage lying flat on a work table. Remember to also paint the sides in preserving the life of your new (or freshly painted) fence.

It is imperative to also clean your fence prior to painting it. Sure this might pose as common sense, however, many people do (indeed) fail to follow through on removing any cobwebs, stains and/or bird poo for instance. Flaky paint is best removed with a scraper. Otherwise, stains can easily be removed with a cloth dipped in a bucket of warm water. Remember those rubber gloves.



2. Not to prime is a crime

Ladies, no different to adding primer to your face before adding any foundation afterwards. Bare wood needs to be primed before it is painted. The primer protects, and also assists in painting the fence with greater ease.

Now it is time to actually paint the fence. Start with the edges, and work your way in. You don't need to be as careful as if you're painting the walls inside your home. It is a good idea to also slide some thick pieces of cardboard underneath the fence.



3. Other considerations

Do your best to not paint in extreme heat and direct sunlight. Why? The paint will dry way too quickly, hence losing some of its protection. Windy weather is ideal, and while you're at it, paint the externals, or arrange for a painter to do it in really brightening up (albeit refreshing) your outdoor living space.



Once done, feel free to buy some beautiful fence art, as per some of the pictures contained herein. Nurseries and hardware stores are great hubs for such decorative displays in the home outdoors.

Categories:

#_decorating
#_home_improvements
#_renovating
#_painting

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