Long, plain and deceptively slow
A fence looks like the simplest surface around a house: flat boards in a row. But a fence is long, it has two sides, every picket has edges and end grain, and it usually runs through grass, beds and shrubs. Staining or painting one in Lexington is priced on a handful of practical questions, set out below.
What the Lexington/Bluegrass figures say
NOAA's engineering weather data for Lexington/Bluegrass lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet), a 100-year rainfall rate of 3.0 inches per hour and about 49 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year. In an average year at Lexington/Bluegrass, NOAA counts about 459 hours with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F and about 1,719 hours above 67°F.
A fence stands in all of it with no roof or eaves. The figures that bear most on a stain job are the freeze-thaw cycles, which work on water in the end grain at the tops and bottoms of pickets, and the warm, moist hours, which suit mildew and slow drying. Both are why cleaning and timing get attention in a fence proposal.
Length, height and style
Painters usually estimate fences by running length and height. Style changes the time per length a great deal:
- Privacy board fences have broad flat faces but many board edges.
- Shadowbox or board-on-board fences have overlapping boards, so there's more surface hiding in the gaps.
- Picket fences have lots of edges and pointed or shaped tops.
- Split-rail and post-and-rail fences are quicker per length but have rough, absorbent wood.
- Lattice tops and decorative caps are slow hand work.
One side or both
Many homeowners stain only the side they see. Doing both sides nearly doubles the work, and the far side may sit against a neighbor's yard, which means access has to be arranged. The proposal should say which.
Cleaning first
Grey weathered wood, mildew and algae need a cleaner and rinse, sometimes a brightener. The wood then needs to dry before stain goes on; that can mean a gap between cleaning and staining, depending on the weather. A fence that's been painted before and is peeling may need scraping, and that changes the job a lot.
Repairs
Loose pickets, popped nails, leaning posts and broken rails turn up during cleaning. Re-nailing is often part of a stain job; replacing posts or sections is fence carpentry. Ask the painter to price repairs separately, so you can compare.
Stain or paint
Semi-transparent stain soaks into the wood and wears away gradually, so the next coat is mostly cleaning and re-applying. Solid stain and paint form a film that hides the grain and can peel when water gets behind it, which makes the next round slower. Once a fence is painted, going back to a semi-transparent stain usually isn't practical. See deck and fence staining.
Spray, roll or brush
Spraying is fast, but overspray drifts onto cars, siding, plants and the neighbor's side. It needs masking and calm conditions. Brushing works stain into the wood well but is slow. Many painters spray and then back-brush. Ask which method, and how overspray is controlled.
Landscaping and access
Shrubs pressed against the fence, flower beds along it and vines growing through it all slow the work. Plants usually need to be tied back or covered. Gates, hinges and latches need masking or removal.
Questions for the proposal
- How many running lengths, at what height, and which style?
- One side or both, and how is the far side reached?
- Cleaning and drying time before staining?
- Which repairs are included?
- Which product, opacity and number of coats?
- How is overspray kept off cars, plants and siding?
The pricing guide explains general cost drivers. To have a fence measured and priced, send a callback request; it goes to one independent painter working in Lexington.