A cheap way to paint a wooden rail is by using an oil-based exterior wood stain for fence paint or a wood fence.
The purpose of a fence is to provide security and privacy, but sometimes they can become unsightly. If you're thinking about having your rail power-washed or perhaps just painted over for a different colour, here are some helpful tips regarding the cost of pressure washing, fence staining or fence painting and fence painting costs.
On average, prices of rail painting or rail painting costs are between $15 and $35 per square metre.
The rail painting costs depend on the size, how much paint you want, the number of coats of paint and the type of fence. A cheap way to paint a wooden rail is by using an oil-based exterior wood stain for fence paint or a wood fence. This is normally applied with a sprayer and provides approximately 200 square feet of coverage. If you're considering painters or fence painting services to paint your rail for you, there are two types of pricing structures that they use:A labour charge plus the cost of materials on the wood fence. The advantage here is that anything which falls outside the scope of work will simply be absorbed into the original price quote without additional charges. It's typically rare for fences to require any additional work so this structure doesn't impact most transactions.
Oil-based paints and fence staining cover more of the surface area of a fence than latex types and its true for picket fence as well. This means that oil-based paint and stain finishes for fences can be cheaper than using latex depending on fence length, but you will need to bear in mind that the costs of the two products are not necessarily directly comparable. For example, an oil-based finish can be twice as expensive per litre as a water-based one, but still, provide as much as four times as much coverage as its cheaper counterpart and can be great for picket fence. In general, though, you should expect to pay between $30 and $50 per linear metre for a solid coat of exterior paint or stain for your fence paint job.
On average, it will cost between $300 and $400 per linear foot to stain a small fence, between $600 and $900 to stain a larger fence and a complete boundary fence stain may cost up to $2,000 by professional fence painters. Timber stain is applied by brush or spray and provides a solid, even coat that offers great coverage on wrought iron fences. It will protect the fence from water damage, rot, and insect infestation. It can be used on all wood types but will last longer if applied to previously oil-treated surfaces because it forms a better bond with them than water-based types and is a great rail painting technique as a professional fence painter will tell you.
There are mainly 4 types of fence paints, listed below.
Acrylic latex type exterior fence painting dyes are by far the most popular choice for homeowners because they are affordable with low fence painting costs, durable, easy to apply and clean up. They offer great coverage on fences but may not last long if applied over previously oil-treated surfaces because it forms a poor bond with them compared to water-based ones. It sometimes requires a rust proof primer on metal for exterior painting.
Alkyd type paints are very popular among homeowners, fence painters and professional fence painting services alike because they offer excellent coverage, durability and fade resistance and are epoxy based paint and can do good prep work. They can also be used on previously oil-treated surfaces and will last longer than water-based types in this case and is great for picket fences with paint sprayers.
Oil-based exterior paints for fence painting provides phenomenal coverage and protection compared to other spray paint types on any surface area and is good with just one coat because it's made with a harder resin compound and is good for metal fence when you are thinking to paint a fence. It's also very durable but not good at blocking moisture penetration. Many people use water-based stains instead of oil in prep work since it doesn't leave the surface looking dimpled like orange peel. If you want to use oil-based stains, it's best to use them on previously oil-treated surfaces. If you wonder how many coats it requires the answer is not too many. Oil-based paints are also known for their great coverage and durability and less cost to paint.
Water-based paints for fence painting are not made with organic solvents like most paints, they're solvent-free. If you're looking for products that do not contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds), water-based type is your best choice to paint a fence with. Because they use an acrylic or alkyd binder that contains synthetic resins, they offer superior coverage compared to other fence paint types per square foot and can also be used on previously oil-treated surfaces. Make sure you do two coats for amazing work.
Preparing before you paint a fence is very important as it not only increases the attractiveness of the finished product before the fence painting work but also ensures that it lasts as long as possible and does an amazing job but will require at least two coats. You should consider these steps:
Remove any existing loose paint and dirt from the surface using a wire brush to remove peeling paint and flaking rust before you paint a fence. If you're trying to strip old paint, use a two-step process: first by applying a heavy-duty or professional stripper and then caustic soda (sodium hydroxide). Prior to application, protect plants and grass near the fence with polythene sheeting since they can be killed if exposed to direct contact with chemicals with more paint.
Fill cracks in wood caused by termites or rot using a wood filler.
Sand any rough areas on the fence or any patches of previously painted surfaces using a masonry hand pad prior to painting it. This will help the new paint adhere better and last longer.
Use a power washer if there is heavy dust build-up on the fence but only use one that's compatible with your fence type (wood, metal or vinyl). This process will also let you use less paint. These are the steps almost all fence painting service providers include. Tweed Shire Council has a handy guide to fencing and gates, but check if any legalities apply to your area.