The Benefits and Drawbacks of Fencing Treatments

When a fence is newly built, that's the perfect time to explore treatment options for the fence surface. Today. We’re going to talk about some of those options and how to make good choices on treatments for your fence.

Regardless of the type of treatment you use, bear in mind the final color and style should match your home and unify it with the surroundings, such as other hardscaping features. A fence can be the icing on the cake, and nothing is more gorgeous than a fence which is cohesive with all of the present elements. Also, if the HOA has rules about the fencing color and treatments, those should be followed.

Natural

Some homeowners like the natural look, and let the fence age as it will. The upside of this is that it costs nothing. The downside of it is that the fence will age faster than it would if it was protected and require more maintenance and repair down the road.

Perpetual irrigation overspray will damage even the toughest fence treatments.

Stain

Staining will protect the wood from the elements and extend the life of the fence. There are many beautiful stains from which to choose, but the essential thing is that a waterproof stain will keep wood from splintering, cracking and warping. The price of stain and the cost of applying it should be weighed against leaving the fence bare and the prospect of repairs and treatments down the road.

Paint

Paint is another option for a fence. It’s essential for the color of the fence to match cohesively with the home and the rest of the property. The upside of this is that paint is cheaper overall than stain and can make an entire property look gorgeous. The downside is that paint requires much more maintenance than stain, which may make it cost more in the long run.

Eventually, time takes a toll if fencing isn't properly maintained.

Stain versus paint

It’s easy to think that you have to paint a fence in order to achieve color, but that is not the case. Solid stains come in a plethora of colors, in fact, many shades of all of the primary and secondary colors.

This is where a little math comes in. Stain is cheaper than paint. However, stain is absorbed much more deeply into the wood, which means it takes more stain than paint to cover the same area. At the same time, stain will last longer than paint, which will require more labor-intensive sanding and scraping once it peels before it can be repainted. Stained fencing only requires cleaning and restaining. 

M & B PAINTING, a Father-Son family-run business, has a proven record of Service Excellence in residential and commercial interior and exterior paint projects. Call us at 623-289-3366 for all of your painting needs!