Building, replacing or beautifying a fence is one of the common home projects of every owner. It is an exterior element that adds good look of the house. From a distance to beside it, the fence is easily noticed by visitors and bystanders. That is why you need to keep your fence look brand new at most times.
There are two ways to take care of a home fence. You either paint it with a bright or lively color or stain it to prolong its quality. Since we just mention that, which one is better to use for your fence? That’s what we have to discuss on this page, and if this has been an inquiry that you want to find an answer to or a thought out of curiosity, then continue reading.
Factors Affecting the Quality of Fence
Before we answer the headline’s question, let’s first identify the different factors that affect the fence, or its materials. This gives you an idea of the warning signs and preventions of damaged or bad fence.
One common factor has something to do with the environment. Changes in the climate and temperature can damage the fence within a certain period of time. Since most fences are made of wood, they decay and fade in time.
Insects are another factor that spoils the wood material when used as a fence. Some insects do like to live in wood, especially during winter and rainy seasons.
The type of wood may also have an effect on the period of usage. Not all wood material types can withstand in a long time. You must know which type of wood is better to use if you like to install fences for a longer period of time.
Painting the Fence
The primary reason of painting a fence is to make it look better and livelier. However, it also helps get rid of insect infestation. Other than that, it cannot help prolong its durability or quality. Since paint has properties that can affect the material, there is no possible way your fence can easily withstand atmospheric condition. But this does not mean that you should never paint your fence. Just deal with the fact that you need to replace or re-paint the fence after some time.
Furthermore, when you apply paint, you must choose a non-toxic paint. This kind of paint is not only eco-friendly but also safe to the health. You may either use spray or brush it, but whichever you prefer, select the method that is much quicker.
Staining the Fence
The other choice is to stain the fence. This is simply protecting the material, which in this case wood, against weather factors as well as the sun. The result of this is to keep the fence lasts longer. You can certainly use your fence longer than what you expect in regards to its lifespan.
The disadvantage of staining a fence over painting is probably the look. The natural color and appearance of wood is there after staining. The only difference it makes is that it becomes glossy, but not overall pretty.
You cannot stain the fence and then apply coats of paint afterwards. The effect of the stain won’t be that possible. So, it will just be a total waste of time if you attempt to do both methods. If you want to stain each of your fences, it is better that you choose a good material. You need to use wood that has beautiful natural pattern, so that even if you stain it, there is pleasant about it when it is showcased in front of your house, and in the backyard.
The fence may not be as important as the window, flooring or roof, but it is still part of a house that requires maintenance and care. You must not only consider having a beautiful fence, but also a long lasting one that can withstand certain factors, especially atmospheric conditions. Whether you choose to stain or paint, the fence must accentuate your home. Therefore, take good care of it to also avoid replacing one fence to another in a few times within a year. Your goal must be to prevent replacing you fence within a short period of time.
