How do you protect surroundings when spraying a fence?

[Wingingitsince2018]

We desperately need to stain our fence (they are currently 3 different colours) and as it is a large area we would ideally like to use a sprayer.

However, the longest section is adjacent to a road where neighbours park their cars. I am concerned that the spray will come through the small gaps and get on their cars but figured we could tie a tarp over the other side and do it panel by panel. But what about the top? Does anyone have a good solution for this?

frankly, don't use a sprayer.

@PigletJohn

frankly, don't use a sprayer.

What Piglet said! Don't use a sprayer! We bought all the kit to spray our fence and gave up after two panels (out of twenty!)

• it goes everywhere, however careful you are. It gets airborne, so travels in tiny droplets (like the virus )
• it drips
• it uses TONS of paint
• you still need a brush for the hard to reach bits and cracks

Seriously, instead I recommend you get a good audiobook & earphones, lots of brushes and paintpots and as many family members as you can muster . . .

I thought that might be the answer, there's just so much bloody fence 🙈

Il try and drum up some help and get some really big brushes

Can you take the panels out and lay them on a tarp, then the posts won't get splashed, use a big brush not a sprayer as they are frankly more trouble than they are worth.

I thought about taking them out but they are so old I worry that they will fall apart! We do need to paint the post though (because the previous owner clearly went to town on the fence with no care at all) so it would make it easier to do that. I will try one and see how it goes. Thanks!

When our previous neighbour spray painted the fence he also painted our patio , my table and chairs , our rabbit hutch and also our free range rabbit , who did not appreciate having a bath afterwards .

Pot of paint, big brush

Then a queue of local children wanting a go, as organised by Hucklebury Finn

@Floralnomad this is the exact situation I want to avoid! I think I will have to just suck it up and use a brush, haven't listened to the second serious of the Louis Theroux podcast yet so gives me a good excuse and something to keep me entertained