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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Etiquette when applying creosote to fence

51 replies

LadyIrisBarclay · 05/04/2017 17:08

We lived in this property for 18 years and today is the third time since we moved in that I have applied creosote to the fence

It borders our garden on 3 sides and we get the 'shitty' side on the whole lot. This doesn't bother me in the slightest however it does mean that when it comes to painting the fence, our paint is much more likely to drip down to the other side then their paint is to drip through to ours.

Over the years when the neighbours have done their fences, a little bit has dripped through to our side.

Again, not bothered, even though we are all using very different paint colours.

Neighbour 1: Turgid Green
Neighbour 2: Dog Shit Brown
Us: Calming Lavender ok, purple

So now, as expected Neighbour 2 has come home and spotted what I suspect are drips coming through his fence.

After ranting and raving at his wife, he has now spent 5 minutes banging on our front door and I have completely ignored him.

Surely, if a few drips come through you just do a bit of touching up on your own side and then carry on with life?

Neighbour 2 is a completely dreadful person all round (for reasons I wont go into on here as potentially too outing but it involves dumping raw sewage).

So AIBU to ignore him or better still tell him to get over himself?

Or is there some weird creosote law that I am unaware of?

OP posts:
Shelleymoon · 05/04/2017 18:06

Our neighbour let himself into our garden to paint the other side of their fence when we are away. So no choice for us Hmm
He let's himself in now and again to 'titivate' parts he can't reach from his garden. Cheeky sod

LookMoreCloselier · 05/04/2017 19:19

We had lots of big black drips on our fence after neighbour painted their side. It did look unsightly, so I touched it up, was a bit of a pest as if they had repainted in brown same as ours and how theirs was before it would have been ok and it is hard to paint over black with a mid brown sort of colour. We think it is their fence and sounds like OPs where the posts are in the middle of the slats on either side. This sort of fence is a nightmare to paint without dripping on the other side, when painting our side I was careful not to drip. I posted about it on here before and was told I was out of order for painting over their black drips if it is not my fence. Hmm

JR1111 · 05/04/2017 19:42

Are you aware that creosote for domestic use is illegal.... www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/creosote.htm
Now only to be bought for commerical/trade use (speak as someone whose OH just bought some from a trade merchant ;) ) so might want to be a bit careful getting into an argument with the neighbour over it as he could cause some trouble.

Original poster
LadyIrisBarclay · 05/04/2017 20:58

Here is the offending fence colour.

It's not creosote - this is my catch all phrase (I am old). It's a Cuprinol thingy Grin.

Etiquette when applying creosote to fence
OP posts:
hideehigh · 05/04/2017 21:06

Loving the lavender!

hideehigh · 05/04/2017 21:07

But yes, I can imagine unless you used very considered horizontal strokes they may have quite a lavenderish mess their side oops

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 05/04/2017 21:12

Soubriquet, I thought I was the only one who liked the smell of creosote! Fresh tar is my other favourite.

I love the colour of the fence OP.

Grilledaubergines · 05/04/2017 21:17

To dispel a myth, you don't get to choose the colour of preservative on your neighbour's fence, even if it is your boundary and you paid for it. If it's 'your' fence and your neighbour won't maintain it in their side you can ask to do it but they can tell you to sid off.

To dispel another myth, you don't need to give your neighbour the 'good' side of the fence if it's your fence. This is nothing more than a very old courtesy which has over the years fallen by the wayside. it emanates from the times before concrete posts which allow the panel to be slotted in centrally. With wooden posts, in order to stick to the boundary line with the fence panels, the wooden posts were set a couple of inches into the neighbour's garden. So letting your neighbour have the 'good' side was compensation for this.

OP, the fence colour is really lovely.

LinaBo · 05/04/2017 21:22

Okite we did that too and were completely oblivious to the mess it made on the other side until the neighbour approached us and told us we spray painted her children's uniform that was on the washing line... Blush We offered to pay for a new one, but she declined, she just asked us to let her know when we did it again we used a brush ever since BlushBlushBlush

Mu123 · 05/04/2017 21:30

Ah ffs if you were putting lavender on shitty brown it wouldnt be that noticable surely?

When we moved in here, our side was fucking vile, had never been painted so I made sure I checked what colour his was first, hes 84 and a fucking gem. I felt and wanted to do what he was doing

Suze1621 · 05/04/2017 23:42

Love the lilac fence

NotStoppedAllDay · 06/04/2017 00:42

It's Cuprinol garden shades in lavender

Available everywhere

You can't really buy creosote anymore, but you can get 'creocote' which is the water based equivalent

FairytalesAreBullshit · 06/04/2017 01:33

We just painted it standard brown, no complaints. Lavender I can imagine causing an issue. Even though like many others I now want a lavender fence Grin

Maybe offer to touch up the other side, or he'll do it so your purple gets covered in brown. He sounds delightful!

londonrach · 06/04/2017 04:27

You can get purple fences? Photo please op.

londonrach · 06/04/2017 04:28

A better one as cant see it properly. (Puts glasses on)

BaffledMummy · 06/04/2017 05:46

Mmmm....creosote....love the smell too. Reminds me of playing in the summer as a little girl (it was always sunny then you know....)

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 06/04/2017 06:52

I think the brits drink shed loads in general ! I believe we have a problem in this country and I fully count
Myself in this category Sad

When I see my in laws in another EU country none of the women drink !

I think we have normalized constant alcoholic consumption here and the fact that it's accompanies most socializing ?

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 06/04/2017 06:52

Wrong thread ! 🍷

ClopySow · 06/04/2017 06:59

How do you you pronounce creosote?

Where i come from, it's creesit.

picklemepopcorn · 06/04/2017 07:07

Cree uh sote

I think...

Honeyandfizz · 06/04/2017 07:10

Looks lovely op. Loving the lilac too!

Soubriquet · 06/04/2017 07:12

Soubriquet, I thought I was the only one who liked the smell of creosote! Fresh tar is my other favourite.

Yep love tar too. And petrol!

metalmum15 · 06/04/2017 07:18

It really depends on if the fence is actually your property or your neighbours. If it's yours then you can paint it rainbow colours if you like and he can't say a thing. If it's his then painting it without his permission is actually classed as criminal damage. If you're not sure who's fence it is then check your deeds, and maybe smile politely and apologise if it turns out to be his?

metalmum15 · 06/04/2017 07:18

It really depends on if the fence is actually your property or your neighbours. If it's yours then you can paint it rainbow colours if you like and he can't say a thing. If it's his then painting it without his permission is actually classed as criminal damage. If you're not sure who's fence it is then check your deeds, and maybe smile politely and apologise if it turns out to be his?

SaorAlbaGuBrath · 06/04/2017 07:27

I love that colour and I usually hate lilac-y colours. I can't see why your neighbour is getting so pissed off tbh. I paid for a new fence (with neighbours permission) when I first moved in. When new neighbour moved in she painted her side that burnt orange-y colour, so I did our side the same to avoid drips.

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