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...get 7-10 years out of it before a refinish is required.
No, 7-10yrs and REBUILD IT.
As previously stated- the fence is already installed- if you can't seal all six sides of a board completely where ever it isn't sealed will suck up moisture, get trapped inside, and rot the wood. I can't remember how many deck railings I've replaced because it was painted redwood.
No, 7-10yrs and REBUILD IT.
As previously stated- the fence is already installed- if you can't seal all six sides of a board completely where ever it isn't sealed will suck up moisture, get trapped inside, and rot the wood. I can't remember how many deck railings I've replaced because it was painted redwood.
I'm sorry, let me go back and see where I stated to "Paint" the fence. Nope not there. I have been staining redwood since the 1980's. My own redwood deck and patio cover are over 30 years old without any major restoration and replacement, yes stained/sealed as needed every 5 years.
I’m rather surprised by the emphatic “don’t paint, can’t paint, only dopes paint redwood†advice here. One need look no further than the 100 year old Victorian houses of San Francisco to see the results of painted redwood. California is loaded with very old homes built with redwood. I like the look of stained redwood, but staining cannot compete with properly applied paint for durability and protection of the wood.
If anyone has had bad luck painting a redwood fence, it is most likely the result of 1) not allowing the wood to dry properly before hand, 2) improper surface preparation and/or 3) improper application of primer.
Knots in redwood will bleed for a year or two, so some spots will require attention. But once things stabilize, you can forget about it until it’s time to re-coat. Your milege will vary according to conditions. The value of using redwood is in its resistance to insects and fungi.
This technical data sheet prepared by the California Redwood Association is an excellent guide:
Painting Redwood Siding: Guidelines to Extending Maintenance Cycles
You don't seem to be paying attention Chet. Your opinion about whether or not to paint/stain wasn't asked for, HOW to do it and WHAT to use was the question. Redwood fencing is painted or stained ALL THE TIME in California where Redwood is just as inexpensive to use for fencing as cedar or any other wood. And as far as your "wicking" concern goes, we don't routinely build fences where the picket touch the ground! That would be ignorant. So, it makes little difference if the bottoms of the pickets are painted or stained or whether they aren't. The last fence I primed and painted I did so before it was constructed so all sides of every picket and post were sealed even though the pickets don't touch the ground.
Redwood does have acid in it and yes it does bleed, but if a white stain is used instead of a paint, it will already have more of an informal look to it so if a little acid bleeds through it will only look like the fence has aged. Growing some climbing roses on it afterwards will only add to it's charm.
Is it possible the fence is not actually Redwood but a wood that appears red (like a cedar?)? I would think Redwood would be prohibitively expensive for a fence these days. Anyhow, I agree that painting a fence as opposed to staining with a solid colored stain is asking for tough maintenance issues.
I'm amazed at the claim that a redwood deck or fence should not be painted. Twenty years ago I installed a redwood fence between my house and my neighbors. I chose to paint my side of the fence. He chose not to do anything. Today, my side looks like it was installed yesterday. His side is weathered, blackened and warped.
I've now completed another redwood fence on the other side of my property (55' X 6'). I used the redwood 2 X 6's from my old deck of 25 years (which I've now replaced with Trex). The old deck had been painted on one side. After removing the paint from the old boards, I've discovered that the wood under the paint was like new, while the unpainted side was weathered and its surface "granulated". Had the underside of the old porch deck been painted, I suspect the wood under that paint would have protected it like the top side was.
As an aside, the neighbor on the other side of this fence says he wants to only treat it with the Water Seal, sans any paint! I pleaded for paint, but to no avail. However, with this fence now made of 2 X 6's, I suspect I'll be dead and gone before it needs to be replaced.
I am planning on treating my side of the "new" fence with Thompson's Water Seal. Once done, I'd like to know if I should prime-coat it (with an oil-based paint!) before painting it the color to match my house? Someone tell me if I'm wrong. ...Tom
Can I paint for my wooden fance? It is bit wet in the morning.
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