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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To paint my new fence purple?

129 replies

Ladysaurus · 18/05/2023 10:43

I currently have two lovely fellas putting up a fence on top of my short garden walls out back. I'm excited for the privacy. It will need painting to protect it and extend its life. Given that being in a terrace means one face of the fence faces into a neighbours garden, would it be overly offensive to paint it either a pale lilac (I like rustoleum's lilac) or a deep purple (I like cuprinol's summer damson).

Unfortunately, there's not great neighbour relations so I'm not concerned about souring anything. But I also don't want to be completely 'that person'. I won't paint it brown or grey. I might consider a pale sage green if purple shades are considered really too offensive...

OP posts:
Original poster
Ladysaurus · 18/05/2023 11:26

heyitsthistle · 18/05/2023 11:21

Can you post a pic of the type of fence you're having installed? Is it one of those modern horizontal slat ones?

I shall post a photo once it's done. Then maybe what I al saying might make more sense.

It's going to be vertical lathes with a small gap between each (it can get exceptionally windy here so the gaps are necessary, but also why a different colour would show through).

OP posts:
MammaTo · 18/05/2023 11:35

Can you paint both sides with a treatment that’s neutral and then paint your side lilac?

My neighbours just treated ours in a brown colour and we

I don’t think lilac is a colour everyone would like.

MammaTo · 18/05/2023 11:36

Posted too soon

My neighbours just treated ours in a brown colour and we will paint over it to match our house.

AdobeWanKenobi · 18/05/2023 11:38

TheFlis12345 · 18/05/2023 11:19

How will you get to the other side of the fence to paint it? Assuming it’s on the boundary.

If it’s on concrete posts and gravel boards she would lift it and turn the panel.

OP it’s your fence and your property. As long as it’s on your boundary you can paint it any colour you like. Neighbour isn’t allowed to paint it or attach anything to it without permission.

if neighbour doesn’t like that he’s free to erect his own fence inside his own boundary and paint it sky blue pink if it pleases him.

AmytheDancingBrick · 18/05/2023 11:43

GCAcademic · 18/05/2023 11:22

I think this is pretty anti-social. I'd be pretty pissed off to have a purple fence imposed on me, in my own garden.

Me too. It wouldn’t match the rest of my fencing - and purple wouldn’t match the rest of my garden.

Original poster
Ladysaurus · 18/05/2023 11:45

AdobeWanKenobi · 18/05/2023 11:38

If it’s on concrete posts and gravel boards she would lift it and turn the panel.

OP it’s your fence and your property. As long as it’s on your boundary you can paint it any colour you like. Neighbour isn’t allowed to paint it or attach anything to it without permission.

if neighbour doesn’t like that he’s free to erect his own fence inside his own boundary and paint it sky blue pink if it pleases him.

Show quote history

This is the rule I thought.

My neighbour to the opposite side has a small wall topper fence. She paints it dark brown. I hate the colour but it's her fence, and on that side we have good enough relations that she asks to pop round and give it a fresh coat in summer and I say yes. I understand that I either live with her colour choice of find a way to obscure it from view.

Unfortunately it's not post and gravel boards. This (and my lovely neighbours) fence, are attached to the Victorian garden walls of the terrace. There is no turning panels around.

OP posts:
KeepScrapingBy · 18/05/2023 12:40

I’d rather purple than that awful grey that seems to be everywhere at the moment.

AriannasGuitarCase · 18/05/2023 12:58

OP it’s your fence and your property. As long as it’s on your boundary you can paint it any colour you like. Neighbour isn’t allowed to paint it or attach anything to it without permission.

if neighbour doesn’t like that he’s free to erect his own fence inside his own boundary and paint it sky blue pink if it pleases him

100% this. My garden furniture is painted with Cuprinol Purple Pansy and I love it, I'd love to be able to paint my fence that colour

Original poster
Ladysaurus · 18/05/2023 13:14

KeepScrapingBy · 18/05/2023 12:40

I’d rather purple than that awful grey that seems to be everywhere at the moment.

Thanks you! When I was looking on right move so many houses looked like they'd had their photos shot in monochrome. Occasionally there would be a single colourful fake flower or a cushion, standing out like the girl in the red coat from Schindlers list.

OP posts:
JulieHoney · 18/05/2023 13:24

Purple looks great with foliage, go for it!

InMySpareTime · 18/05/2023 13:40

Do it!
I painted this fence, and it makes me happy whenever I see it.

To paint my new fence purple?
Dotjones · 18/05/2023 13:44

Ladysaurus · 18/05/2023 11:45

This is the rule I thought.

My neighbour to the opposite side has a small wall topper fence. She paints it dark brown. I hate the colour but it's her fence, and on that side we have good enough relations that she asks to pop round and give it a fresh coat in summer and I say yes. I understand that I either live with her colour choice of find a way to obscure it from view.

Unfortunately it's not post and gravel boards. This (and my lovely neighbours) fence, are attached to the Victorian garden walls of the terrace. There is no turning panels around.

Show quote history

How are you going to paint the other side then? If you'd need to go onto their property and they didn't want to give you permission I mean. Given it's a new structure they don't have to give permission. (If it was an existing structure you could take them to court to try to get a ruling they have to give access to maintain it, but that doesn't apply for new structures.)

xILikeJamx · 18/05/2023 13:46

I painted our fence Summer Damson on the 'inside' and love it. Great backdrop for loads of colourful plants in front of it.

On the outside (we're on an end) I went with Silver Copse - in part so it wasn't so bright for others but mostly because it's like 1/5th the price. Don't waste money painting the neighbours side - use something cheaper!

Original poster
Ladysaurus · 18/05/2023 13:48

So the boys have just left. Excuse the mess. They were about to sweep but I told them to go on to their next job as they did me another favour whilst I was here which out them behind.

@JulieHoney that is exactly why I wanted purple. I plan to grow in this garden and love the contrast.

@InMySpareTime I love your fence. And I love that it brings you joy. I don't think I could do the stripes but I am very jealous.

OP posts:
Whitebeamtreelover · 18/05/2023 13:51

Personally I’d be royally pissed off if my neighbour painted their fence my side purple or lilac, I dislike the colours. A pale sage green id be all for. I’d have to put another fence up beside it and hide it if it was purple.

Original poster
Ladysaurus · 18/05/2023 13:54

Dang. Photo didn't attach

To paint my new fence purple?
OP posts:
dotdotdotdash · 18/05/2023 13:55

Maybe you should have asked your neighbours? That would have been a decent thing to do. Instead you've imposed your dodgy taste on them. Not the worst thing in the world, but inconsiderate and annoying.

Abitofalark · 18/05/2023 13:56

It also depends on which direction the fence faces and the light and level of sunshine in your garden versus shade. If you want to increase the lightness and brightness a pale shade would do that and equally to tone down too bright light or too much direct sun, a dark shade on the fence would help to absorb some of the stark brightness. Dark shades, such as deep grey or black also to me give a more urban and even sophisticated look while pale (pastel, not white) shades give a more gentle and naturalistic feel. Purple is dark and strong but on the edge of being a more acquired or even eccentric choice than a deep green, blue, grey, brown or black.

LolaSmiles · 18/05/2023 13:56

I would carefully paint just the inside purple or the colour of your choice

A neighbour deciding that my garden should have a bright purple fence would annoy me, and we have good neighbourly relations.

dotdotdotdash · 18/05/2023 13:58

Ah, you haven't done it yet? Fences looks great. It's a lovely light natural wood. Why not use a clear protector and express your love of purple through gardening? Lilac, buddleia, alliums, lavender. Your neighbours and the bees will thank you.

Blinkingheckythump · 18/05/2023 14:01

Surely you only paint the side that faces your garden?

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 18/05/2023 14:03

Now that I've seen a pic I think you paint your side purple only. Fair enough do both sides on the bit that shows into the back lane, but not the other sides of the ones facing the neighbours.

GasPanic · 18/05/2023 14:11

From that photo I don't see why you have to paint both sides purple at all.

You can paint one colour one side and another the other. It will barely show through on each side.

Now it's up how could you paint the other side anyway ?

Firstmonthfree · 18/05/2023 14:13

If it’s up then you’re buggered. There’s no way I’d give access to my garden to an unfriendly neighbour to paint the fence purple 😂

why cant you just let them paint their side the colour the want- at least then it’ll be treated

RedToothBrush · 18/05/2023 14:13

Purple. Go for purple.

Other people are boring farts. My neighbour would twitch. Good. We put up with her crap for years.