Most wood fences in the valley are never sealed, and sun and sprinklers turn them grey and brittle in a few years. We wash the boards, let them dry and spray and brush a stain into the wood. Sound posts come first, so we check those before we quote.
Most wood fences in the valley are cedar or pressure-treated pine, and most are never sealed. In our sun and dry air, bare boards turn grey, shrink and crack within a few years. Sprinklers make it worse. Water that hits the same boards every morning leaves hard water marks and rots the bottom of the pickets and the posts at the soil line. A coat of stain on sound boards slows this wear and evens out the color.
Stain is the usual choice for a fence. We wash the boards, let them dry and apply a penetrating stain by sprayer and brush so it gets into the joints and the end grain. A semi-transparent color shows the wood. A solid color hides grey, weathered boards and mismatched repairs. Paint can be used on a smooth picket fence, but on rough boards it peels and is hard to redo.
Before staining we check the fence itself. Loose pickets are re-fixed and badly rotted boards are best replaced first. A fence with posts that have rotted through at the ground is not worth staining until the posts are dealt with. New pressure-treated wood needs time to dry before stain will soak in. Shared fences are worth agreeing with the neighbor, since stain can come through gaps. We tell you what we find before any stain is opened.
Fence painting & staining in Salt Lake City: common questions
Should I stain or paint my wood fence?
Stain, in most cases. It soaks in, does not peel and is easy to recoat. Paint sits on the surface and peels on rough fence boards after a few winters of freeze and thaw.
Can an old grey fence be stained?
Yes, if the boards and posts are still sound. Washing takes off the grey surface and a solid or semi-solid stain evens out the color. If the posts move when pushed, fix those first.
Will overspray reach my neighbor's yard or car?
We shield plants, walls and anything close by, and we brush or roll where spraying is not safe. We do not spray in the afternoon winds that are common here. Tell your neighbor the date so cars can be moved.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the job and measure.
- Written quote: Prep, paint and price in writing.
- Prep & protect: We cover floors and furniture, repair and prime surfaces.
- Paint & walk-through: Two coats, clean lines, full clean-up and a final walk-through.