Fence painting question

[handirifle]

We have a fence surrounding 3 acres, that is wood post, with 2x8 runner across the top, and either 2x4 or 4x4 hog wire in between. I have no desire to paint this by hand, but I also have no desire to try and remove the wire fencing to keep from spraying it at the wood.

Is this how folks normally do it, just spray where the wood is?

The fence is getting to it's last days but a few hundred dollars now should give me a few more years before I have to replace it, which I anticipate will be in the thousands, depending on what we use. I really do not want to replace it just yet.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

I would just spray it all. Pick a color you like and be happy. Around here, people like black fences. Not my cup of tea, but it's easy and presentable, and it works well.

 

[handirifle]

By spray it all, do you mean the wire too? I could waste a lot of paint that way.

Mine is white and I would do white again. Black would soon be gray. I guess I'll wire brush it and spray away then.

 

[2458n]

Spray the wood and get some kids with yellow fuzzy gloves to do the wire.

 

[handirifle]

There aren't any kids around us My chance to be Huck Finn

 

[EddieWalker]

Are you painting it to stop it from rotting or to make it look pretty? Most exterior paints will just flake off of raw wood fairly quickly. Spraying is hard to control where it goes, and coverage is rarely 100% because of the angle you spray from. With most houses, I'll spray first, then go over it with a brush or roller. If I was doing a fence, I'd just use a brush and a roller.

Valspar at Lowes is probably your best paint for the least amount of money and still being a good paint. For really good paint, you need to go to a place like Sherwin Williams.

If you want to paint to keep out moisture and protect the wood, you have to prime it first. Zinnser is the best primer for the money for most things, but before buying that, I would talk to the pros at Sherwin Williams and ask them if they have a specialty primer for exterior wood. There is a huge difference in what a specialty primer does compared to a general primer.

 

[handirifle]

Mostly for looks at this point. Not sure how old it is, but am guessing about 20yrs, based on some know factors. We have lived here since 2009 and the parcel was split by the previous owner about 10-12 years prior, so I assume it was during that time.

Existing paint still covers it about 80+%. Some rot is showing up in the posts, that's how I know it will need replacing. I just want to be a politician and kick the can down the road. The difference is it will be me finally picking the can up.

The fence really took a beating this last year with all the trees falling. Weakened by drought for 5 yrs then near flood conditions. The drought weakened the root system (killed one of my BIG oaks) and then this past winter saturated the ground so bad a 100ft oak just fell over, very sad year.

Either whole trees or their individual limbs would drop amd wipe out 30-40ft of fence at a time.

 

[handirifle]

The fence material perfectly matches the fence, that was around a house built in 1920, that was here when we bought the property. The house was termite ridden so we tore it down and built a new one. I saved the old fence boards, luckily because they sre hard to find around here. Rough cut 5/4 boards.