OMG - Painting fences

[SciFiScream]

We're painting a fence after having some repairs work done.

It's been long over due (I think painted once in 14 years).

It's a really fiddly fence to paint as we had slats off set on other slats to give us more privacy, and act as a better wind break in our exceptionally windy garden.

The majority of the fence is not shared with neighbours.

I could quite happily never paint the fence again BUT would it be easier if we did it more often?

Or I'm going to save up and pay someone.

Any top tips to make this painful experience easier?

Spray it!

We can't spray it. Garden is too windy, gaps between slats too big. Paint would go every where and even though we only share a small section with neighbours, there are cars that would get covered in paint on the other side of our fence.

We gave it serious consideration but had to rule it out.

Wind was blowing paint off my roller to give you an idea of how windy it can be...

Fence paint sprayer. Bit messy (wear old clothes and don’t do it on a windy day) but much much faster.

Take the panels out, lie them on a dust sheet and spray them? Definitely much quicker with fiddly things.

We painted it ourselves once. Never again. 😂
Now we just pay someone, so worth it.

There aren't any fence panels! It's all individual slats. Spaced about 4 cm apart. We had it double slatted so that the gap has a slat offset on the other side.

There's about 28 slats on each "panel" (not a panel - just the size of one).

So each slat needs painted. Then the fiddly, tiny sides need done then you need to squeeze behind to get the slat at the back. Argh

It's never not windy here. I wish I was exaggerating.

I must be weird, I actually quite enjoy it. Do mine every year. I just take it slow and do a bit at a time. Think mine took me 3 days last year.
Meanwhile my 20 something male neighbour attempted his and gave me a right laugh. Whinged, moaned and cursed, whinged some more about splinters then called his mum to come and help .

Like this (this is a painted section)

I'll come and do it, I'm a weirdo who loves painting fences, decking, sheds. Nothing better than getting out on a half decent day, earphones in to paint. Cant wait!

Why not go round otherside and put some sheets up so you can spray the panels which is quicker and safe knowing it won't damage anything

This is precisely the job ‘Bob a job week’ was invented for.

My solution would be trellis and clematis...

I did mine last April when I was furloughed, I quite enjoyed being outside in nice weather doing it, but then I did have time to kill and nowhere to go.
ExH did it about 20 years ago when we'd not long moved in and he sprayed it. It hadn't been done since.
I'm going to do it again this year if I get motivated as I think it could do with another coat, plus I'm having a new 45m fence put in on the other side which will need doing.

That does look fiddly SciFi

if u spray it you will have paint everywhere including your neighbours house!

I listen to audio books while painting our fence using Bluetooth headphones
Passes the time quite nicely.

I'd still spray it. God I love Cuprinol spraying. Shame our fence needs to be done so infrequently, because I love doing it.

Don’t spray it. My window frames are ruined from where our neighbours spray painted their fence

Could you persuade a local teen that it would help them learn karate?

Even if I covered the other side of the fence I couldn't spray it. The wind would blow the paint away before it even touched the fence! The wind is windy enough to blow paint off a roller and brush...imagine that with a sprayer.

(I want to use a sprayer, I wish I could use a sprayer)

Our neighbours have asked us not to based on their bad experience.

I wish bob-a-job week was still a thing.

I'm hoping that if we paint it more regularly next time won't be so bad?

@FlatterNow

Could you persuade a local teen that it would help them learn karate?

I've been thinking about that and wasn't there a Huckleberry Finn story about painting a fence too?

Oh god. I've spotted a bit I've missed in the photo

@ShinyHatStand

I listen to audio books while painting our fence using Bluetooth headphones Passes the time quite nicely.

I thought about doing that too but the wind is blowing the paint onto my face and glasses. I don't want my earbuds to get ruined with paint!

That does look like a real pain of a fence to paint.

I can't give much helpful advice but when DH paints our fence he drinks quite a few beers and it seems to make the experience a bit more enjoyable for him.

My partner just painted my mums fence today, right round the whole back of the garden....he started at 8am and finished at 6.30pm....he’s just in the bath having a long soak😁

@Lindy2

That does look like a real pain of a fence to paint.

I can't give much helpful advice but when DH paints our fence he drinks quite a few beers and it seems to make the experience a bit more enjoyable for him.

That might cheer my DH up if I suggest it to him...