Protecting a wooden fence from the rain, wind, and snow is vital to its longevity. The question is, what’s the best way to seal a wooden fence? Some people opt for paint, but others prefer staining. So, which is better? Is staining or painting a more effective way to protect a wooden fence from the weather?
Benefits of Painting
Painting is a great way to prevent your fence from wearing out because it keeps the water from ever touching the wood. However, if your paint chips or even splits, moisture can get underneath it. Then, the wood of your fence gets damp and the moisture is trapped against it.
So, paint can be a really great way of protecting a wooden fence, but the paint needs to be upkept. Upkeep will ensure it doesn’t leave weak spots for rain water to get at your fence.
One of the benefits of painting your fence is that you can choose any color you want. If you’re a fan of the white picket fence look, paint is your best friend. Or, if you prefer something a bit more artsy, you’ve got a world of options available to you. In fact, you could go so far as to paint a mural on your fence if it suits you.
Benefits of Staining
Now, what about staining? How does it compare? Staining comes with a few benefits as well. Wood stains are also meant to keep your wood from rotting. However, instead of creating a barrier on the outside of the wood like paint does, it penetrates into the wood. Even after soaking into the wood and drying, it acts as a repellent against water, is UV resistant, and mildew resistant.
Let’s also not forget how great stain looks. Protecting a wooden fence with wood stain means altering the color of your wood with a whole load of different hue variations. Turn light wood dark, give dark wood more color, and more. If you’re a fan of natural wood tones, you’ll love the options you have when staining your fence.
Which One Works Better?
If you’re not partial to one or the other, and are just looking for the best result, you’re probably wondering now which one you should go with. Both are clearly good options in their own rights. But, which one is better?
Generally speaking, stain is the better option for protecting a wooden fence. It does need to be redone every few years. However, paint should also be redone as often. People just tend to neglect repainting because it’s a hassle. Upkeeping a fence will be a hassle no matter how you protect it from the weather. However, staining your fence will mean better quality protection through the years and a much lower chance of needing to replace boards as time passes.
Professional Fence Builders in Toronto
If you’re not a fan of building or upkeeping your own fence, you’ll be happy to know you don’t have to. Toronto’s fence experts at City Wide Post Hole Digging can keep your fence in good repair for you. Just give us a call if you need a fence built or repaired and we’ll be happy to help.
