Tag: paint

Fence Painting: The Ultimate Guide

Looking to personalise your garden? Painting your fence is a brilliant way to brighten up your surroundings. Whether you want to simply refresh your garden with a fresh coat of fence stain, or you want to switch up the look completely with a bold and colourful fence colour. Painting a wooden fence is a quick and easy job to do. Read this step-by-step guide and we’ll walk you through the process.

1. Prepare your surroundings

First and foremost, ensure you pick a day when the weather is clear and dry. Then, clear the area around your garden fence. Cut back any trees or shrubs or tie them back to make sure they’re out of the way of your workspace. Move garden furniture out of the way and cover your patio, decking, or lawn with plastic sheets to protect it from any paint splashes.

2. Wash and sand your fence

Your fence may be covered in dirt and cobwebs from the harsh winter. You’ll want to remove any dirt, debris or flaking bits of old paint so that it’s ready for a new lease of life. A stiff brush will usually do the trick, but if your fence is really caked in dirt, you can use warm soapy water to help get it off. If you do use water to clean the fence, make sure it’s thoroughly dry before attempting to paint.

3. Apply the fence paint/stain

It’s time to get painting! Choose fence paint with a tough and durable formula that has been specially designed to be used on exterior wood. Whether you use a paintbrush or paint sprayer is up to you.

If you’re using a fence paint brush, ensure that you paint following the direction of the wood grain for a smooth finish. Make sure you start from the top and slowly work your way down so that you catch any paint and avoid waste. If you’ve got a large surface area, a fence sprayer will help you get the job done quickly. Ensure you wear a dust mask and goggles and make sure you’ve covered the areas surrounding the fence properly, as there will be a little bit of overspray.

Allow the paint or stain to dry for as many hours as the tin advises and reapply coats as needed.

4. Clean your tools

Your tools are important, make sure you can use them again! If you’ve used water-based paint, you can simply wash your brushes in warm, soapy water. If you’ve used oil-based paint, you’ll want to soak your brushes in white spirit to get the paint off. This is because oil and water don’t mix.

Looking for the best deals on fence painting tools?

Check out our amazing deals here on the eDecks website!

We also offer plenty of support and expert advice for most projects – and any products we sell online. Contact eDecks here for personalised advice for your project today.

At eDecks you can not only expect a good deal but also:

Superfast FREE delivery on orders over £150*

48 hour delivery on many products

Handy FREE installation guides (and even instructional videos!)

*Free delivery applies to most of the UK, but some areas may incur a charge, unfortunately – please check the eDecks website for more details.

How To Keep Your Timber Fencing Looking Great!

How Do I Look After My Fence Panels?

In today’s blog, we are going to be sharing some of our favourite hints and tips to help you care for your garden fence; by answering some of our most frequently asked questions, you can keep your fencing looking fantastic for many years to come!

Why Do My Fence Panels Rattle?

As we all know, the weather in the UK can be very unpredictable and can cause some issues during high winds. A rattling panel will usually occur when the slot for the fence panel is too wide, allowing the panel to move and vibrate, whilst this is not normally an issue, however, in high winds, this can cause the panels to rattle and occasionally lift from the posts, as the gap will allow air pressure to flow around and under the panel.

How Can I Stop My Panels Rattling?

We would recommend using Fence Panel Grips. Thankfully, these are very simple to install, all you need to do is slot this into the gap down the side of your concrete post and once the clip releases, it will expand and hold the panel securely in place. The recommended amount to use would be four clips per panel for maximum stability and durability.

Do Fence Panels Need Treating?

Yes, all fence panels new and old will need treating, panels will arrive from eDecks dip treated, however, they require some maintenance to make sure they last as long as possible. 

How Often Should I Treat My Fence Panels?

All new fence panels arrive from eDecks dip treated; if you aren’t planning on painting or staining your panels straight away, we recommend doing so after 2 to 3 years depending on the condition of the wooden panels and old panels need treating once a year. This helps to keep them healthy and protected against the elements. 

How Do I Treat My Fence Panels?

Here at eDecks, we recommend using a water-based fence stain on a garden fence is a great way of prolonging the life of fence panels and posts. Fencing stains like Ronseal Fence life one coat is perfect for use on fence panels as they help to protect the timber from cracking, splitting and warping our personal favourite is the Ronseal Fencing Treatment (various colours available) which offers great fencing protection! Once the panels have been cleaned, treated and allowed to dry, fence panels should then be treated with a wood preservative, this will help to prevent future growth of mould and algae. Fence panels that have become heavily soiled with biological growth may require a second treatment.

How Long Do Fence Panels Last?

The typical lifespan of a wooden fence panel is between 10 to 15 years depending on their location and how well they are cared for, the more effort spent trying to maintain, the longer we can expect them to last.

If all this seems like hard work, have you considered our range of composite fencing, not only is it virtually maintenance-free, it will also last for years and years, looking just as fresh as the day it was installed.

Timber Stain: When To Use Them On Your Decking

If you decide that a decking paint isn’t something you are wanting to finish off your deck look with, then it may be worth considering either a semi-transparent timber stain or a clear sealer to protect your decking. Today we shall talk you through what a timber stain can do for your deck so you can decide whether it is something you would like to use on your project.

decking area

Timber stain retains the natural beauty of the wood, as it lets the wood grain show through. Generally speaking, a stain is less slippery than a paint as it gives a flat surface that protects the timber without creating a really slippery surface. When using a timber stain, you will find it much easier to use than a paint, and it is often more forgiving if you miss a spot here and there without it being obvious. As with decking paint, stains are also available in a wide range of colours, but we do recommend you testing a small area of your wood first, as the colour of the wood can have a different effect with a stain.

Stain does tend to have a shorter life span than paint, depending on the quality and amount of coats of the stain, but this is great if you soon get bored of the same colour. You will also find that a stain is more rustic looking, and for the most part, timber stain results in a more natural looking finish. So you can see the grain through the stain, but if you are wanting to conceal it, then a darker colour stain or a paint would be your best option.

Both paint and stain can give you a decking area that lasts years longer than it would if you left it untreated and these materials make the wood less water absorbent, resulting in the wood to stay dry on the inside. They also include compounds which are designed to protect the wood from harmful UV rays, which means much less sun damage to your timber.

decking stain

If you are considering leaving your wood untreated, it is worth bearing in mind that eventually the elements will wreak havoc on even the toughest of woods. With the exception of some extremely hard tropical hardwoods, you should almost always apply some sort of finish to your decking if you want it to last outside. Skipping a timber stain or paint can lead to the wood cracking, splitting, warping and even rotting before it should do, requiring lots of time and money to make repairs or replacements.

Stain or Sealer Application Tips:

  • When brushing the gaps between boards with a timber stain, be careful not to get much on the top surface, because each coat of stain will darken the stain colour.
  • Use a stain with less pigment to let more of the natural wood grain show through. Always test the stain before applying.
  • If you have a mix of old and new decking boards, use a stain with more pigment to make them look uniform.

decking oil

In conclusion, a little bit of effort to maintain your decking can be well worth it as wood is a natural, renewable resource and some of the faster growing species are very environmentally friendly compared to synthetic materials. Using a timber stain allows your decking to not only look beautifully finished, but which will last for many years to come.

eDecks offers some of the best deals on Timber Stains around, including all of the installation supplies and tools you may need. Not only do we provide plenty of unbeatable deals but also:

Super-fast FREE delivery on orders over £100*

48 Hour Delivery on many products

Handy FREE installation guides and instructional videos

*Free delivery applies to most of the UK, but some areas may incur a charge. Please check the eDecks website for more details.

Decking Paint: The Benefits of Applying Them

Decking paint is a fairly new addition to traditional decking treatments such as decking oils and stains. Whereas decking oils and stains are about retaining the natural appearance of the wood grain, decking paints are designed to give a different kind of appearance. Decking paints are available in a wide range of colours and are ideal for older decking which has been neglected and makeover projects if a major decking restoration isn’t possible. They can also be used on new decking if you are wanting an alternative look to the standard decking finish. As well as decking, these kinds of paints can also be used on arbours, arches, pergolas, car ports and much, much more. So whether you are wanting a colourful garden, or something demurer, read on for our top tips on using decking paints.

ronseal rescue paint

Benefits of Using a Decking Paint

  • Resistant to foot traffic and weathering. Paint often fills gaps and cracks and gives a thicker finish, so it can often be useful for repairing wood that has already been damaged a little by the elements and bad weather. Some paints are made specifically for that purpose.
  • Available in a range of attractive colours. Painting allows you to use any colour you want and because paint is solid, you can completely cover an old colour which leaves your options wide open.
  • Quick and easy to apply as well as quick drying.
  • Gives long-lasting protection and colour. It can also often be easier to clean, especially if it is a good quality paint and is allowed to cure properly before put into use as it will then create a hard shell that dirt usually washes straight off.
  • Paint is more protective of wood and generally speaking, paint resists rot, mould, and sun damage better than other options.
  • A cheap way to resurrect old, worn decking.

ronseal garden paint elderflower

As with all DIY projects, preparation is the key to success. Simply follow these steps to add some colour to your decking project.

  • Before painting, decked areas should be clean, dry, and free from surface dirt, grit and other surface contaminates.
  • Remove all garden furniture and other items from the decking so that the surface is clear.
  • Remove any old areas of decking stain or paint which have started to crack, peel or flake with a jet washer or decking stripper.
  • Any areas that are affected by mould, algae or fungi should be cleaned with a scraper, stiff broom or brush to remove all surface matter. It is worth treating these areas with a mould and mildew cleaner which will kill off any remaining spores in the wood and helps to prevent re-growth.
  • If required, use a wood preservative but one that doesn’t contain wax, oil or silicone.
  • Paint the decking boards with the decking paint working the full length of 2 to 3 boards at a time.
  • Allow the first coat to dry as per the container instructions.
  • Apply a second coat as directed by the manufacturer.

paint brush

Please note that decking paint may not be suitable for decking which has been oiled or treated with a product that contains wax in the last 12 to 24 months.

eDecks offers some of the best deals on Decking Paint around, including all of the installation supplies and tools you may need. Not only do we provide plenty of unbeatable deals but also:

Delivery starts at just £7.19!

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