Fence Painting in Sydney: Should You Paint or Stain?

For most Sydney timber fences, paint is the better choice when you want a solid colour and longer gaps between coats, and stain is the better choice when you want to see the grain and would rather recoat more often than ever scrape off peeling paint. Metal and rendered fences are different jobs again. Whichever you choose, the preparation underneath decides how long the finish lasts. This guide explains the difference, the Sydney conditions that wear fences out, and what to check before anyone picks up a brush.

Paint or stain: what is the difference?

The two products protect timber in different ways, and that changes how they look, how they wear and what the next recoat involves.

• Stain soaks into the timber rather than sitting on top of it. The grain stays visible, and as it weathers it fades rather than peels. Recoating usually means a clean and a fresh coat, without scraping. The trade-off is that it needs recoating more often, and it cannot hide timber that is patchy, grey or mismatched.
• Exterior paint forms a film over the surface. It gives a solid, even colour, hides old or mismatched palings and usually lasts longer between coats. When it does fail, it cracks and flakes, so the next job involves scraping and sanding the loose paint back first.

One rule of thumb saves a lot of disappointment: you can paint over a stained fence once it has been cleaned and prepared, but you cannot stain over a painted one in a way that lasts. Stain needs bare timber to soak into.

Which suits your fence?

A few questions usually settle it:

• Is the timber in good shape and worth showing? New or even hardwood palings often look best stained. Older palings with patches, repairs and grey weathering usually look better painted.
• Does the colour need to match the house? If the fence is meant to tie in with the trims or walls, paint gives you the full exterior colour range.
• How much maintenance suits you? Stain means lighter, more frequent recoats. Paint means fewer recoats with more preparation each time.
• What is on it now? An existing painted fence nearly always stays painted.

Timber, metal and rendered fences are different jobs

A lot of repainted fences fail on one section and not the next because every material was treated the same. Timber moves and absorbs water, so it needs a coating that can move with it. Metal fences and gates need rust treated back to sound metal, then a primer suited to the metal and the existing coating. Galvanised steel and ordinary steel need different primers. Rendered and masonry fences want a flexible exterior coating that can bridge hairline cracks. On our fence painting page we explain how we work out which you have, including fences built from more than one material.

Sydney conditions that wear fences out

In Sydney, fences usually wear out because of:

• Sun. North- and west-facing runs take the most UV, so the finish fades and breaks down there first.
• Salt air. Near the coast, on the Northern Beaches and in the Eastern Suburbs for example, salt speeds up rust on metal fences and fixings.
• Damp and shade. Shaded sides grow mould and lichen, and timber that stays damp is where peeling and rot usually start.
• Garden beds and sprinklers. Soil piled against the bottom rail and daily watering keep the lowest boards wet.

How a fence repaint runs

Most of the work happens before the colour goes on. This is the order we follow:

1. Inspection. We assess the material, the existing coating, and any rot, rust and movement along the whole run.
2. Repairs. Loose palings are re-fixed, badly rotted boards are identified, and rust is treated back to sound metal.
3. Clean. We pressure-clean or wash down the fence (unless it is fibro, see below), treat mould and lichen, and let the surface dry fully.
4. Scrape and sand. Flaking paint is taken back and the edges feathered (sanded smooth so they don’t show through), and timber is sanded where the finish needs it.
5. Prime. The primer is matched to the material: timber, galvanised steel, ordinary steel or masonry.
6. Two coats. Applied by brush, roller or spray depending on the fence profile, at the spread rate on the product’s data sheet.
7. Protect and clean up. Plants, paving and neighbouring surfaces are covered, and the site is cleaned when we finish.

Weather matters as much as technique. Paint and stain need dry timber and dry days on either side of each coat, and every product has temperature limits on its data sheet. Spring and autumn usually give the steadiest conditions in Sydney.

Check these before you start

Your neighbour. Most fences between houses are dividing fences shared by two owners. Legal Aid NSW explains that under the Dividing Fences Act 1991, fencing work includes the repair and maintenance of a dividing fence, and that it must be done with the agreement of both owners. If you plan to recoat both faces, repair palings or change a colour your neighbour will see, talk to them first and agree on it.

Fibro fences. Many Sydney fences, particularly around older homes, are made of fibro, which is asbestos-cement sheeting. SafeWork NSW warns that homes built before 1990 are likely to contain asbestos, lists fences among the products to watch for, and says never to use high-pressure water on products containing asbestos. Do not pressure-wash, sand, drill or paint a fibro fence yourself. Follow SafeWork NSW’s guidance and have it assessed by a licensed professional first.

Old paint. Fences around homes built before 1970 may have lead paint under the newer coats. Scraping or sanding it releases lead dust, so read our guide to lead paint in older Sydney homes before you disturb it.

Doing the fence with the rest of the outside

If the house itself is due, it often makes sense to have the fence looked at on the same site walk, so colours, timing and access are planned together. Our guide to how often to paint a house exterior in Sydney covers the signs that the walls and trims are ready, and our exterior painting page explains how we prepare. We use low-VOC paints, and every job carries our five-year workmanship guarantee in writing.

Ready for a written quote?

Call 1300 153 163, or tell us about the job and a person will reply within one business day. Every quote is written and itemised after a site walk.

Sources: Legal Aid NSW, Fences, boundaries and retaining walls FAQs · SafeWork NSW, National Asbestos Awareness Week