How to Paint a Garden Fence
Treating your fence to a fresh coat of paint can completely transform your outside space. Whether your garden is a wildlife haven, your favourite spot for entertaining or simply somewhere to sit and relax, give it an instant lift with one of over 260 colours in our hard-wearing Exterior Eggshell range.
We’ve gathered a few of our favourite fences for inspiration, plus created a step-by-step guide to achieving a perfect finish that lasts for years.
Complementary Neutrals
Let your garden take centre stage with a subtle, flattering background for plants to flourish against. A neutral garden fence can complement a minimalist planting scheme, as this backdrop of Mole’s Breath highlights the different shades of green foliage in the flower bed. Alternatively, this Hardwick White fence creates the perfect background to let pops of pink blossom and green leaves stand out.
Fence: Mole’s Breath No.276, Planter: Down Pipe No.26 (all in Exterior Eggshell)| @eastlondongardendesign
Fence: Hardwick White No.5 in Exterior Eggshell | @fionaandroger
Be Bright
Enjoy a bright outlook no matter the weather with a pop of colour, like this uplifting, sunny example in India Yellow. For a touch more warmth, this relaxed space with Red Earth is the perfect spot for watching a sunset.
Fence: India Yellow No.66 in Exterior Eggshell
Fence: Red Earth No.64, Chair: Green Smoke No.47 (both in Exterior Eggshell)
Dark and Dramatic
Don’t be afraid to add a touch of drama to your garden with a dark fence colour. Using a deep shade like the owner of this Railings fence has, creates a brilliant, bold contrast with the bright chair and Bancha planter. Similarly, this fence painted in Monkey Puzzle acts a striking backdrop for the delicate pink of the roses, making them look all the lovelier.
Fence: Railings No.31 in Exterior Eggshell, Planter: Bancha No.298 in Full Gloss
Fence: Monkey Puzzle No.238 in Exterior Eggshell
How to Paint a Fence
It’s easy to keep your fence looking fresh with our protective and flake resistant fence paint, featuring a resin-rich formula that takes care of the wood beneath while staying picture perfect for up to six years.
Here is our step-by-step guide to perfecting your fence’s finish, for both brand new fences and pre-painted wood.
Our hard-wearing outdoor paint is ideal for transforming most fence types; however, we wouldn’t recommend painting coarse sawn or tanalised fence panels.
The ‘How to’
- Tidy up the surrounding area so no plants or vegetation interfere with the painting. This means raking up loose leaves, mowing the lawn and securing nearby plants away from the fence with twine or using a barrier like a spare piece of wood or plastic liner.
- Ensure the fence surface is sound and in good shape. You may be able to repair any small cracks with wood glue, but if the damage is more serious you may want to replace the slat or panel in question.
- Clean the fence to remove any dirt or other debris.
For a previously painted fence, you may want to use a pressure washer, which will also help remove any loose paint, but be sure to let the surface fully dry before moving on to the next step.
- For both new and previously painted fences, lightly sand the surface. This removes any patches of pre-existing paint that have peeled or blistered, creating a smooth surface, and improves the adhesion of your new paint to the underlying wood.
- Use Farrow & Ball Wood Knot & Resin Blocking Primerto patch-prime any knotty or resinous areas.
- Apply a coat of Farrow & Ball Exterior Wood Primer & Undercoatin the recommended colour tone for your topcoat.*
- Apply two coats of your chosen colour in Exterior Eggshell, allowing the recommended drying time between coats.
*Our Primers & Undercoats are available in four tones to enhance the depth of your chosen colour. Check the product page for your topcoat colour to see which shade is recommended.
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