TOP ten Methods for turning a GRAYING fence right into a Terrific Seeking FENCE in a couple of days.

Article by: Brian & Josh Kluth, Co-Founders and Owners of www.FenceMakeover.com

If you live in Colorado, you know that we have thousands and thousands of grey and ugly fences everywhere. The problem is that most people think the only option is to spend thousands of dollars to replace their fence. People often think nothing can be done to make their grey and ugly fence seem bright and beautiful for many years to come.

As one of the leading Colorado fence makeover and restoration company specializing in turning old grey fences into terrific wanting fences and turning nasty on the lookout fences into nice wanting fences, we have learned some things over the decades. We hope our insights can help you and hundreds of home owners, housing complexes, businesses, and landlords/renters know how to turn the tide on the sea of ugly gray fences to something we can individually and publicly be proud about.

An ugly grey fence can be a nagging concern and even an embarrassment. But a fence makeover and restoration project that just takes a couple of days to complete can be done for 80-90% less than replacing a fence. A properly done fence makeover can make you proud when you drive up to your house, glimpse out your windows, sit on your patio, and have family and friends over for a backyard BBQ, picnic, or a family party/event.

Here are our helpful and proven guidelines that apply to a fence (and deck) makeover and restoration project…

#1   Restoring Spray guns spraygunhq.org a fence can be 80-90% cheaper than replacing it.

Most people search at their graying fence, rotting boards, cracked fence pickets, and a possibly a broken fence post and think the only they can do is tear it all down and replace the entire fence. This is not true. Most fences, even those 15-30 several years old can be made to look like new with a 2-3 day fence makeover restoration. In the picture to the right, the single woman who owned a townhouse was told it was going to cost over $1000 replace her old patio graying fence. When she decided to have a fence makeover instead, the price was less than $200 and she was thrilled with the result when we made her fence glance brand new for more than 80% less than a new fence would have cost. Yrs and even decades of gray/black mold, mildew, nail/screw black drip stains, and peeling paint, or old stain can be power washed away in one day on a typical fence! Warped and broken pickets, boards, and posts can be replaced and the entire fence can be professionally stained to glimpse like new. And if the correct stain is used, Consumer Report studies show the restored fence can appear great for 3, 6, and even 9 a long time or more. Replacing a fence is very costly, frequently averaging $22-$30 per foot to tear down the old fence, rebuild a new fence, and professionally applying a long-lasting stain. But professional fence power washing and staining makeovers can usually be done for $2.20-$3.75 per foot ($400-$700 for the average size fence) plus any repairs.

#2   Power wash the fence before you stain it.

Professional power washing (also known as pressure washing) will clean away yrs of gray/black mold, mildew, nail/screw black drip stains, peeling paint, and old stain. Stain will also more easily adhere to a fence that has been properly power washed. Power washing is very affordable to have done by a fence makeover and restoration company. The cost is usually around $1 to $1.25 per foot (usually a handful of hundred dollars for the average fence). But if you choose to do the power washing on your own, you should use a pressure washer machine with 3000 to 3600 psi. Smaller home model pressure washers normally will not have enough power to adequately clean the fence before it is stained. If you don t have access to a commercial pressure washer, you can rent one from Home Depot or an equipment rental stores for usually under $100 per day.

WARNING: When using a pressure washer be extremely careful because it is easy to permanently damage your fence by putting noticeable cut marks into the wood. If the spray accidentally hits your hands, arms, legs, or feet you can also experience serious cutting injuries since the powerful spray will quickly cut through clothing and skin. Be sure to wear safety goggles because splinters and dirt can easily get into your eyes. Wear very old clothes when power washing because you will get caked with layers of black gunk. Also be sure to power wash using the 25 degree tip for your sprayer. Smaller strategies will burn cut marks in your fence and larger recommendations will not adequately clean the fence in preparation for staining. If you have never done power washing before, be sure to practice on some old throw away boards to get a feel for it before starting on your fence.

#3   Don t use cleaning products on your fence.

There are a number of products on the market that promise excellent results to clean your fence. While some manufacturers may be unhappy with our experience, we have tried a number or products and not yet found anything that is worth the time, money, and hassle to use them. We have not yet found anything that works better than plain old fashion garden hose water coming through a commercial grace pressure washer to clean your fence and get it ready for staining. Fence cleaning products tend to be messy, add to your costs, are frustrating to apply, the chemicals can sometimes destroy the vegetation or grass around your fence, and frequently they just don t work well. The only exception we have to this rule is that we do use a cleaning gel and scraper on fences that have old peeling paint. After the gel has been applied and the fence scraped, the power washing will get your fence ready for staining.

#4   Don t hand brush or use a roller to stain your fence.

Most people think they will save money by staining the fence themselves. Since most home and business owners don t have a professional airless sprayer gun, they will decide to hand brush or use a roller to stain the fence. The problem with this is that it will usually take days or work and will often go through 50%, 100%, and sometimes even 200% more stain at $100-$150 for each 5 gallon bucket! Instead of saving money, they are actually losing money when they try to do it themselves. This is primarily because using a roller or brush doesn t easily get into all the fence s normal cracks and crevices. So, the homeowner (or someone they hired) keeps dabbing more stain on the fence to try and cover the cracks and crevices. After several extra trips to keep buying more stain, the “finished” fence looks blotchy with grey cracks and crevices still showing through. Inside of a recent Home Show where we were exhibiting in Highlands Ranch, several home owners told us that this is exactly what happened and that they will never try to stain the fence on their own again. They shared that the project took several days longer than they expected, as they burned through vacation days or weekends in the hot sun trying to get this project done. In contrast, a fence makeover company can normally spray the entire fence in less than a day and it will turn out beautifully. Someone using the airless sprayer also saves a home owner or business a lot of money on the cost of stain because the spray easily gets into the cracks and crevices without having to go over the area again and again.

#5 - Be sure to check with your city or homeowners association about stain colors.

Some municipalities and homeowner associations have very specific restrictions on what color stain you can use on the fences in your neighborhood. Highlands Ranch for example, only allows homeowners, housing complexes, and businesses the choice of 5 pre-approved stain colors. Any other stain colors that are used will be subject to fines and the fence owner will be required to stain over the fence again with an approved stain color. Some HOA s even limit you to one or two colors and even mandate Spray guns what stain manufacturer you have to use. Your HOA, city government, or a professional fence makeover company will be able to advise you on the correct stain and color choices to use. Also be aware that some municipalities and HOA s require you to apply for a permit and pay a fee if you are going to build a new fence, add additional fencing, or alter the size and shape of your existing fence. If you are just power washing, staining (with a proper color), and repairing your existing fence no permit is normally required.

#6 - Don t use a clear-coat finish, semi-transparent stains, paint, or poorly-rated solid stains.

When you use these type of products they will not cover over blemishes and nail/screw drip stains, variations in the old and new wooden will be obvious, and normally the fence will only look good for a couple of a long time. This means that if you want a good on the lookout fence you will need to spend the time, effort, and money to do it all over every 18 months to 3 years. Avoid using paint because over time paint will begin to peel in the low humidity and hot sun of Colorado. Consumer Reports did a 3 year, 6 year, and 9 year study on fence and deck wood stain products and the hands down winner was Behr solid color wood stains for fences, decks, and siding. Many of the stains by other manufacturers didn t even last 3 decades. Behr stains provide quality, durable, and long-lasting results. At our company, we actually will not use any other stain because we know that this is not best for the customer and will ultimately cost them a lot more money to use inferior products that won t last long before their fence starts to turn grey, stained, and ugly hunting.

#7 - Replace warped, cracked, rotten, or broken pickets, boards, and posts.

Many older fences will have some pieces that should be replaced inside a fence makeover and restoration project. Most of these can be easily and affordably replaced after the power washing and before the staining. Once the fence is stained with a solid color Behr stain, you won t even be able to tell the difference between the old and new pickets, boards, and posts. The only thing that is costly to replace is fence posts that have been broken off at the base because of rotting wooden and/or high winds. To dig out the cement base that holds each broken post can take hours of hard labor because the dirt is so compacted and rocky in Colorado. Fencing professionals normally charge about $150 to remove an old post and replace it with a new post. Some companies, like ours, have special equipment that can sometime greatly shorten the amount of time needed to dig out a broken fence post concrete base.

#8 - If you put in the new fence or a new section of fence, do not leave it unstained.

Building a new fence easily runs into thousands of dollars. It is important to protect your investment by properly staining the fence with a top-rated stain. To ignore doing this will mean that within 2-3 many years your fence will seem similar to fences many years old because of the mold/mildew that will turn your fence gray.

#9 - Work with your neighbors. Many fences in Colorado are not stand along fences but instead are commonly shared fences with your surrounding neighbors. The general rule of thumb is that anything you can “see” from your back yard or front yard or the sidewalk you have the freedom to power wash and stain. In most fence makeover jobs we do, people stain the inside fence in their back yard, whatever fence is visible from their front yard, and anything that is visible from their sidewalk if they are a corner lot. For back fences that face the street, sometimes the home owner has the right to choose to stain the fence facing the street and other times it is the responsibility of the HOA or housing complex to create decisions about if or when this will be stained. For houses that back up to public open spaces, the view of the fence from the open space is frequently governed by a government municipality, HOA, or a housing complex. When it comes to fence repairs and replacing broken pickets/posts/boards, it is best to work cooperatively with your neighbor(s) and see if they will share the cost or at least let them know you are going to have the work done and that you re willing to cover the cost. When it comes to staining your fence, fence makeover companies will often provide a group discount to any or all of the neighbors who are willing to have their fences stained at or about the same time. When it comes to the question of who owns what side of the fence, the general rule of thumb is that the responsible “owner” is the person that has the fence posts inside his property.

#10 - When trying to sell your home, make a wise investment to have your house power washed, and preferably also stained.

Most home owners know the importance of curb appeal and making a good first impression. Smart realtors and home seller know that potential buyers actually are deciding if they like a house or not within the first couple of minutes of driving up to the property and coming into the house. One of the biggest turns offs for a potential buyer is seeing is a graying fence. Immediately they start thinking it will cost thousands of dollars to replace the fence. Instead of feeling they are getting a fantastic house, they are already having negative thoughts about the house and they haven t even gotten inside yet. Investing a handful of hundred dollars in at least getting the fence power washed can pay big dividends. Power washing (see the picture to the right) can normally be done in one day and only costs $1 to $1.25 per foot. By going one step further, you can have the fence power washed and stained for $2.20 to $3.75 per foot (around $400 to $700 for an average size fence). This small investment of hundreds can save or return thousands in the sale price negotiations. Instead of the fence being a turn-off, the bright and beautiful new wanting fence can be a major turn-on when the home buyers walk up to the house, look out the patio doors, seem out the windows, or walk into the back yard and sees an awesome looking fence. Instead of being a negative distraction your fence becomes a positive attraction for a potential buyer who may purchase your home. You only get one chance to generate a good first impression. Don t blow it by having a grey fence for people to glimpse at when they walk up or walk around your house and property.

BONUS TIP! Sometimes you can get a fence makeover paid for through your home owners insurance.

In Colorado, the high winds and hail wreak havoc on many fences. Every year thousands of fences are damaged by these weather events. Many times, you can work with a fence makeover company who will help you submit a written bid to your insurance company for wind and hail damage to help cover the costs of the fence restoration and repairs.

Well, we hope this material was a terrific help to you. An ugly gray fence can be a nagging concern and even an embarrassment to many people. But a fence makeover and restoration project that just takes a few days to complete at 80-90% less than replacing your fence, can make you proud to drive up to your house, sit on your patio, and have family and friends over for a backyard BBQ, picnic, or family party/event.

About the authors: BRIAN & JOSH KLUTH are co-founders and owners of FenceMakeover.com - Taking Your Fence from Gray to “GREAT!” and NASTY to NICE in 2 Days!” They have the #1 company specializing in fence makeover and restoration projects that serves the South Denver Metro (720.432.2422), Colorado Springs/El Paso Country and (719.930.4000), Castle Rock, and communities along I-25. Their company typically is able to make an old fence appear like new within 2 times at 80-90% savings over the cost of replacing a fence. They offer easy payment plans and discounts for retirees, active military, large projects, neighborhoods, neighbors doing fence makeovers at the same time, and seasonal promotions, and FREE bids with a 25% DISCOUNT at www.FenceMakeover.com or by calling 719.930.4000 or 720.432.2422.