A fence has more surface than it looks
A fence is easy to measure along the ground and easy to underestimate. Every board has two faces and two edges, the rails and posts add their own surfaces, and gaps between boards have to be reached without dripping. Shadowbox and lattice styles add more. This guide covers what drives the price of finishing a wood fence, whether with stain or paint. It doesn't give figures; the painter needs to see the fence.
Length, height and sides
The starting point is how much fence there is:
- total run, measured along each line;
- height, since a taller fence holds more boards per foot;
- whether one side or both are being done, and whether the neighbor's side is reachable;
- gates, which take longer for their size because of hardware and framing.
If only your side is being finished, say so clearly, and ask how the painter will keep overspray off the neighbor's side.
Board style
Flat, tightly butted boards go fastest. Board-on-board and shadowbox styles hide surfaces behind overlapping boards that must be coated separately. Lattice tops, decorative caps and picket points add slow, detailed brush work. Ask that the style be named in the proposal.
Cleaning and brightening
New stain will only soak into clean wood. Old fences carry dirt, mildew, gray weathered fibers and failed coatings, so preparation usually includes:
- a cleaner to lift dirt and growth;
- a wood brightener to restore color after cleaning;
- gentle pressure washing, or scrubbing, to rinse;
- several dry days before the finish goes on.
If the fence was painted or had a solid stain before, it may need scraping, or the choice of finish is limited to another solid coating. Ask what the old finish is.
Repairs before the finish
Posts rotted at the ground, loose or cracked boards, sagging rails and leaning sections all have to be fixed or noted first. Finishing over a failing board just wastes product. Repairs may be done by the painter or by a fence crew; ask who does them, and whether they're priced separately.
Stain or paint, and which kind
The finish affects both cost and upkeep:
- Clear and toner finishes show the wood and need recoating soonest.
- Semi-transparent stains show the grain but add color and some protection.
- Solid stains look more like paint and hide uneven boards.
- Paint gives a uniform color but can peel on rough-sawn boards and is the hardest to change later.
Our deck and fence staining page explains each type and how it wears.
Spray, brush or roll
Spraying is fast but needs care with drift onto cars, plants and the house. Back-brushing after spraying pushes stain into the wood and evens the color. Brushing alone is slowest but gives the most control near the house and the neighbor's property. Ask which method is planned and what will be covered or moved first.
Rain and the fence
NOAA's engineering weather data for Stockton lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 85 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet), a 100-year rainfall rate of 1.3 inches per hour and about 11 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year. These are design figures for the Stockton station. For a fence they translate into two practical points: wind affects whether spraying can go ahead, and wet wood can't take stain. A proposal should say how rain days are handled.
CSLB's statement
CSLB says a license is generally required when the total cost of labor and materials on a project is $1,000 or more, or when the project needs a building permit or uses additional workers. Read the statement in its source, linked in the card below.
Questions for each bid
- How many feet of fence, how high, and which sides?
- What cleaning and brightening is included?
- Which repairs are needed, and who does them?
- What product, how many coats, and applied how?
- How will drift be kept off cars, plants and the neighbor's property?
Our pricing guide covers the wider picture.