How to Paint a Wooden Face
If you're familiar with Tom Sawyer and his fence whitewash adventure, you may consider painting a fence a chore best pawned off on others. Wood fences are a wonderful addition to the home, but they do need regular maintenance to maintain their appearance. Part of that maintenance is a good painting every few years. Prepping the fence and using the correct painting technique increases the life of the fence facelift. Taking your time prevents extra work in the future. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Paint scraper
- Electric sander
- 150-grit sandpaper
- Wood putty
- Putty knife
- Measuring tape
- Paintbrushes
- Paint
Instructions
-
-
1
Scrape the old paint from the fence using a sharp paint scraper. Hold the paint scraper at a 45-degree angle and scrape in an upward motion to remove the paint.
-
2
Sand down the fence with a belt sander fitted with 150-grit sandpaper to remove any splinters and imperfections in the wood.
-
-
3
Fill any holes in the wood or large dips in the wood material with exterior grade wood putty. Apply the putty with a putty knife, using the sharp edge of the knife to squeeze the material into the hole. Allow the wood putty to dry, then sand down.
-
4
Measure the fence height and width with a measuring tape and multiply the two figures to get the square footage of the fence. You will require one gallon of paint for every 400 square feet.
-
5
Apply paint to the fence using a long brush such as a three-inch siding brush, a two-inch angled sash brush or a two-and-a-half inch straight brush. Paint from the top of the fence to the bottom to prevent dripping. Work the paint into the wood if you are using an oil paint. Latex will absorb automatically.
-
6
Apply a second coat of paint over the first coat a week after the first application to allow it time to dry completely.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Paint outside when the temperature is above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for oil paints and above 50 degrees Fahrenheit for latex paints.
Do not add a clear topcoat your fence when painting. Clear top coats fade and peel in the sun quickly, ruining the appearance of your fence.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
