In short, it depends on how old your fence is. If you’re not sure whether your fence should be sanded first, before you crack on with staining it, keep reading. In this article, we’ve shared the top tips of our fencing installation specialists.
Staining is a brilliant way to breathe some new life into an old fence. It is a quick, easy and affordable process, which highlights the natural beauty of the wood.
The process is just as easy as (if not, even easier than!) painting. And the benefits are fantastic – you’ll be amazed by how much it enhances the visuals of your wooden fence.
Below, you’ll find all that you need to know about fencing – including an answer to the common FAQ ‘Do I need to sand a new fence before staining?’.
What is fence staining?
Fence stain is a treatment for fence posts, which is designed to restore the colour of the wood.
You can either opt for a natural colour, which brings back the intensity and depth of the wood’s original colour, or you could choose a stain that turns the wooden posts an entirely different colour.
When applied, the wood absorbs the stain, so that (unlike paint, which remains on the surface of the wood), it is soaked into the wood itself.
It’s a fantastic way to reverse the visible effects of weather damage, without having to resort to thick or messy paints or oils. This not only allows the wood to breathe, but it also provides some protection against further deterioration.
What is the best way to stain a fence?
Since fence stain is thinner than paint, it can be applied either using a sprayer, or with a paint brush (exactly as you would standard fence paint).
Before you start staining your fence, there are a couple of things that you need to check. Firstly, check the weather forecasts for that day, because wet weather could wash the stain off the fence before it has been soaked in fully. Secondly, you may need to prepare your fence by sanding it. More on this below.
Do I need to sand a new fence before staining?
No – if your fence is brand new, then you will not need to fully sand it down before applying staining.
However, we would recommend that you look for any areas of the wood where it may be more difficult to apply the stain (like any raised bumps or eased edges, for example), and then do a bit of spot sanding on those points.
Also, if your fence is brand new and has only just been installed, then we would suggest that you wait a month or so, before you attempt to stain it. This is because staining works best on wood that has been slightly weathered.
Do I need to sand down an old or painted fence before staining?
If your fence is not brand new, then we would recommend that you sand it down.
Although it’s a lot of extra effort, it will definitely be worth your time – after sanding down an old fence, it will absorb the stain far more effectively. The result will be a far more neat, full-coloured fence.
Another key point to remember is that, if your fence has been painted previously, then it will need to be sanded down before staining can be applied.
For a painted fence, we would recommend using a hand-held power sander. Then, you can apply a medium-grit sandpaper, so that you sand the fence down efficiently, without going too far.
If you haven’t sanded down a painted fence before, then we would recommend that you start with just one fence post. That way, you can get a sense of the right amount of pressure to apply, and how to undertake the process neatly and cleanly.
Then, to finish, use a sandpaper block to go over any bits that you may have missed.
At Barnard Fencing Supplies, our specialist team has over 30 years’ experience delivering premium quality fencing to customers across Nottingham.
So, if you have any further questions about how to achieve the best possible finish for your home’s wooden fencing, then have a chat with our team.
