Painting vs. Staining Your Fence

Is your fence looking a bit lackluster? When your fence has gone through enough wear and tear, it can start to show signs of aging. You’ve heard of staining and painting methods, but which is better for covering up your fence’s imperfections and rejuvenating the overall look of your yard? Your pals at Mossy Oak Fence Orlando compared the differences between staining your fence and giving it a decent paint job.

The Cost of Painting vs. Staining Your Fence

One of the first questions that people ask involves the cost of each method. Is it cheaper to buy a bucket of stain or a can of paint? In a way, it’s kind of the same. While stain may cost more on the surface, it’s fully capable of working on its own. Paint, on the other hand, might be a bit cheaper by the bucket but it involves multiple layers of different liquids. When you factor in the cost of the primer, base coat, and top finishing coat, you could end up spending more than if you were to just grab a can of stain.

Resilience Against Natural Occurrences

Stain and paint both increase the longevity of your fence by adding a protective layer to defend against the elements. It becomes more difficult for water and insects to find their way to the natural wood fibers, thus shielding your fence from structural damages such as mold, rot, and warping. Although stains and paint won’t make your fence impenetrable, every bit helps in making it last much longer.

The Amount of Required Upkeep

Both stain and paint require some upkeep over time, but the frequency of the maintenance and the processes are different for each. Stain lasts longer since it seeps into the fence’s wooden fibers. And when it does start to fade, revitalizing it is as easy as reapplying more stain. Paint, however, is more prone to chipping, since it’s only applied to the surface of the fence. Simply touching up exposed areas can appear tacky; in which case you’d need to completely remove the old coating and start from scratch.

Creativity Factor

The main benefit that paint has over stains is its limitless creative potential. Paint comes in thousands of different shades, and the designs and techniques become vaster in the hands of an artist. Stain is beautiful, but it only comes in natural wood colors.

Why Fence Material Matters

The effectiveness of a stain or paint application is also dependent on the material of the fence in question. Stain works best with natural wooden fences like cedar because it can seep into the fibers unhindered. This is difficult to achieve with pre-coated or treated fences where the stain has a harder time passing through, but this type of fence is an ideal canvas for paint jobs.

The Best Fences in Orlando

Eager to get started on a brand-new fence setup for a fresh home exterior? Call the professional contractors at Mossy Oak Fence Orlando at (407) 900-2940 to get started with a free estimate! We have fences of all materials and styles so we can achieve your vision.