What colour to paint a garden fence ?

[glassbrightly]

Our garden fence needs some TLC. At present it's untreated verticals boards. They haven't warped but do look quite tired. We will give them a clean but have been advised that they need some painting/ protection. Options seem to be something Ronseal like, which seems to orange for us or grey or black. My fathers painted his fences grey during lockdown and it does look smart. However, ours is a less formal garden will trees and wild planting. I am also leaning toward black - just becauce I am quite over grey ! Any thoughts ? Any treatments I am missing ?

We did ours with Ronseal one coat in green. Went in quickly, and genuinely only needed one coat - despite a rather skanky fence. I like green because it blends well with plants.

We painted ours dusky gem which is a light grey/blue. Really brightened up the garden.

Ours are black. I love it, greenery and flowers looks really striking against it and the fence drops into the background and makes the garden feel bigger. Our garden is more on the country / wild flower side than formal.

Personally I think grey fences are for people who don’t do much gardening or dont have lots of plants as the fence becomes the feature and it’s not a great colour for plants to contrast against.

I have a pale grey, but not for much longer as it really is quite dull. My friend has black but her garden is bigger with lots of plants and it does look lovely. I'm torn between a dark brown or dark green as my garden is smallish and south facing.

Mine's painted black, tiny garden. Made it look so much bigger than the plain wood.

@Phillipa12

I have a pale grey, but not for much longer as it really is quite dull. My friend has black but her garden is bigger with lots of plants and it does look lovely. I'm torn between a dark brown or dark green as my garden is smallish and south facing.

Don’t be afraid of black in a small space. Visually it blurs the edges and the corners so makes a space feel bigger.

Your eyes also recess the colour so it drops back and gives the effect of deeper pockets like in a forest if that makes sense? Lighter / brighter colours come to the forefront and sharpen the edges

Cuprinol Forest Green. Def doesn't look like the tin says. It's gorgeous!!

Dark oak. The fence becomes inconspicuous, fades into the background, and the colour covers a multitude of sins.

Any other colour and you are emphasising the presence of the fence, not disguising it.

Cuprinol Somerset Green, Black Ash and Seasoned Oak all look good and make plants and colours 'pop'.

Another vote for black; looks fab.

Make sure you use stain, not paint. Stain goes into the wood so fades. Paint is a layer on top of the wood that when it ages starts peeling.

I use brown so it looks more natural like bark with green stuff growing on top or in front. Russet by protek is what the fencing contractor used.

I've had painted fences for decades, paint has never peeled.

That ronseal 10 year wood stain is amazing stuff. I’ve used the ebony and love it.

@Stickytreacle

I've had painted fences for decades, paint has never peeled.

Can I ask what paint you used? I did my gate 2 years ago and it looks rubbish now (with paint not stain)

Mine are grey, silver copse I think. They look fantastic. I was tying with black, but glad I went with the grey as we don’t have much greenery.

Black - looks great with green

Sorry to hijack your thread @glassbrightly

Those of you who have used a paint or stain - what do you do with your fence posts? I have concrete posts and bottom boards.

@daryldixonwonmyheart

Sorry to hijack your thread *@glassbrightly*

Those of you who have used a paint or stain - what do you do with your fence posts? I have concrete posts and bottom boards.

I used black masonry paint for the cement posts and bottom bits

For those with black fences...how do they look in the winter when there’s not much greenery about? We have a tiny garden and I worry that black might be a bit overwhelming...

I have big pots with some plants/trees that stay green

@freakydeaky

For those with black fences...how do they look in the winter when there’s not much greenery about? We have a tiny garden and I worry that black might be a bit overwhelming...

We grow a lot of climbers so the fences are quite bare right now but they don’t feel dominating.

This link gives good examples of using a black ground and why it pushes back rather than forward in a space. Scroll down to the fruit
www.artistsnetwork.com/art-mediums/oil-painting/color-temperature-painting-demonstration/

This too. Scroll down to image 4 and imagine how that black bathroom would look smaller if it was painted white.
www.designsponge.com/2015/12/why-dark-walls-work-in-small-spaces-2.html

Does painting the fence leak through to the other side? We haven't painted ours but would love to!

Moroccan blue

Some of the colours look great, we did our hut in willow and when done it looks nice, but they need redoing every 2 years. Proper fence preserve only needs done every 5 years.

@MimiSunshine great links, thank you