Painting your Chain Link Fence

Painting your Chain Link Fence

By: Kurt Zier

If you own a chain link fence then you are already aware of the many benefits that come from having such a fence. Whether put around a yard, a ballpark, a school, or any other property, chain link fencing can protect your property and belongings while offering visibility that most other types of fences cannot offer. If your chain link fencing is looking a little bit shabby and old, you may want to paint it to give it a more vibrant, fresh look. Here is some helpful information about how to paint your chain link fencing.Before you paint your fence, you will need to have some basic tools like a paint brush, a roller brush, cardboard or plastic, and some old drop cloths. You typically shouldn\'t spray chain link fences with paint because it can be incredibly messy, but if you have helpers who can hold up large pieces of cardboard on the opposite side of the fence as you spray, and some plastic to cover the ground, then spraying your fence may be an easier option for you than hand-painting the entire thing. However, hand-painting your chain link fencing may not take as long as you think, and is usually pretty easy and simple to do.Most chain link fencing is made of galvanized steel and is silver in color, and you may choose to simply repaint it in silver so that it looks new again. Keep in mind that galvanized steel is susceptible to rust, so you should choose a paint that is made for galvanized fencing and is rust-inhibiting. If you purchase a silver aluminum flake paint for your chain link fencing, you have made a good choice because this type of paint typically covers very well, and only one coat is usually sufficient. This type of paint is also rust-inhibiting and is known for its excellent adhesion and durability for exterior uses. The overlapping of the aluminum in this type of paint is also very good at protecting the paint from weathering and damaging UV rays.If you want your chain link fencing to be a different color, such as brown, green, or black, then you can choose one of those colors as well. Green blends well into background grass and trees, but can be a hazard if people don\'t see it and run right into it. Black can make chain link fencing look more attractive and sophisticated, while brown can make your chain link fencing look more natural and welcoming.Before you begin painting your chain link fencing, make sure that you wire brush it carefully to remove any rust or grime that may be caked on the mesh. Next you can begin painting the fence with a roller brush using long strokes. A long roller cover will paint almost the entire surface, and you will only need the small paint brush for hard-to-reach places near the ground, or small areas where the roller brush missed. Make sure the ground is covered and protected from paint splatters and drips. Before long, your chain link fencing will look as good as new!

Tools For Painting And Decorating

Painting A Wood Picket Fence

By: Kurt Zier

There may come a time when you need to do a repair on a vinyl or aluminum picket fence, but on a wooden picket fence, you may need to repaint it each year as it may go through some bad weather. The heat of summer and the moisture of winter can each affect a wooden picket fence so that it will need a little bit of tender loving care to start looking new and inviting again. A picket fence is often the first thing a person might see when approaching your house and you always want it to be in top repair so it is welcoming to your guests.
The first thing to do when repainting your wooden picket fence is to strip the fence of the old paint. There are many ways to do this, such as sandblasting, using a power wash, or using a paint removing chemical, but the most typical ways are sanding the paint off and scraping the paint off. Repainting a picket fence might be something your kids would want to help with, and scraping the old paint off the picket fence is a great job for the kids to do. Put them in an old t-shirt, give them a scraper or sandpaper, and tell them you\'ll give them a dime for each slat they sand down on the picket fence. Not only will it save you a little time to go buy some supplies for your picket fence, but it will teach the kids about hard work. After the scraping is completely done, you might want to do an inspection of all the wood of the picket fence to make sure there are no nails, screws or staples that need to be removed or hammered back in. You want your picket fence to be in good repair before moving on to the next step, which is filling in any holes or dents with a wood filler. When the holes and dents in the picket fence are all filled in then you can apply a clear product that will protect your wood that you can purchase at a home repair store. After the wood protector is completely dry, you should use caulking on the cracks and splits in the wood of your picket fence so that you have a nice surface to paint. Before you apply the paint, you might want to paint on a primer, which you might be able to have the paint department tint to the same color as your paint. When you purchase your primer, you will want one that dries slowly, and when it is completely dry, you can then paint the picket fence. You will probably want to do two or more coats of paint on your picket fence, letting the paint dry in between layers.
A picket fence is a great attraction for your company and just a fun way to make your house look quaint and cozy. A picket fence that is made from wood will eventually weather over time, so you will probably want to be sure and repaint your picket fence when you notice that it is looking weathered. It is not too hard to do and is worth the time and effort you will put into it.