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Fence Painting and Refinishing
Painting, staining and sealing for wood and picket fences and gates, timed to the wood and the sun across Athens and North Alabama.
Chapter 01
What a greyed or blotchy run is actually telling you
A fence that has gone silver grey and started to feel rough or splintery under your hand has been sitting unprotected too long. Sun is the driver, and a run facing south takes the worst of it in North Alabama, fading and drying out faster than the same fence on a shaded side of the property. Blotchy, uneven colour on an older stained fence usually means the old coat wore through in the high sun spots first while the shaded sections still held their finish, which is a sign it is due for a fresh coat rather than a full rebuild.
Peeling paint on an older picket fence is a different problem from a greyed, never finished wood fence. Peeling means moisture got underneath a film coat, usually paint, and started lifting it from the wood. A stain, since it soaks in rather than sitting on top, does not peel the same way, which is part of why we get asked so often whether to stain or paint.
White painted picket fence and gate in the front yard of a brick craftsman home, finished by Athens Fence Co
Curing before coating, and sealing versus staining
Our own answer when a customer asks whether to stain a new wood fence is yes, but only once the wood has properly cured. Fresh number 1 grade lumber still carries moisture from the mill, and coating it too soon traps that moisture under the finish instead of letting the wood dry out and settle first. Rushing the timeline is the single most common reason a brand new stain job looks patchy within a year.
Sealing and staining do different jobs. A clear or lightly tinted sealer protects the wood and lets the natural grain show through, while a stain adds colour along with that protection. Either one needs to go on a clean, dry, cured surface, which is why we treat prep, not just the coat itself, as the real work on a refinishing job.
Chapter 03
Recoat intervals and what the warranty covers
How often a fence needs recoating depends on sun exposure and the finish used, but a south facing run in North Alabama will always need attention sooner than a shaded one. Watching for that early graying on the sun side, rather than waiting for the whole fence to look worn, is the cheapest way to keep a finish job from turning into a bigger repair later.
Our one year workmanship warranty covers the labor on painting, staining and refinishing work the same as it covers a new install. If a gate needs repainting to match a freshly finished run, or a section looks off after a coat, call (256) 203-1243 and we will get someone back out.
Athens Fence Co paints, stains and refinishes fences and gates across Athens, Huntsville and Madison. Call (256) 203-1243 for a free estimate.