Need ideas for painting the fence

[ashleasmith]

Looking for some tips and ideas -

I think I would like to paint our side of our timber fence, however the posts stick up above the fence height and so are visible from our side and the neighbours’ side (see photo).

I don’t want to leave the sides of these taller posts unpainted as I think that will look funny from our side.

What would be your ideas on how I can paint the fence without making it look strange for our neighbours on their side if the sides of these taller posts are painted, but the rest of their side is not painted?

Hope this makes sense!

 

[Jason]

I understand what you mean @ashleasmith.

Have you spoken to your neighbours? I wonder whether if you chose a popular colour like Dulux Monument and went halves in the paint and a paint sprayer, you could do the job together and paint both sides of the fence. 

Jason

[ashleasmith]

Hey Jason,

Thanks for your reply!

The neighbours don’t really seem interested in painting their side - we live in a new estate and our joint fence is the only fence they have on their property. We’ve lived here for around 2 years and they haven’t bothered to organise fencing with their other neighbours as yet, so I can imagine them wanting to paint any time soon.

I was thinking a light colour like Surfmist, as we have this rendered on a section of the front of our house.

Do you think it would look silly to leave the posts natural wood as a highlight, and paint all the pales in between each? I was also hoping to plant star Jasmine to grow vertically up each post with other plants in between.

Thanks

[EricL]

Hello @ashleasmith 

I totally agree with Jason regarding consulting your neighbour regarding painting the fence. But by your description it appears that they are not really interested on what happens to the fence. I propose asking them if you can paint just the tips of the post, in this manner they are still notified and involved. This would be a win/win for you as you get to paint the fence the colour you like, and the neighbours are aware of your plans and will not throw up a fuss when you start doing it.

But on the off chance that they say no, I propose painting it to the same level of your fence and installing Click Coast Solar LED Fence Light to serve as a border between the timber and the painted section.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[ashleasmith]

Thanks Eric, I will try to speak to them again.

I’m a bit confused about the placement of the lights you’ve suggested?

Do you think it would also look silly to just paint our half of the points? Side on, it would look half painted with their side left natural.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @ashleasmith,

It sounds like @Eric was suggesting you mount the lights on the extended post sections; make a bit of a feature out of them.

I think painting only half the extension might not look fantastic, but also not bad. Do you happen to know why the fencer left the posts that long and with such a steep angular cut at the top? It's not a construction technique I'm familiar with. Perhaps it was a design choice, but they are not needed and could be trimmed down to be flush with the top of the fence, which would resolve the issue of having to paint them.

Mitchell

[ashleasmith]

I have no idea why they were left like that, to be honest! This was the first side of fencing that was completed, and then the contractors that did the back side also followed suit and did the same style 🫠 I don’t like it personally, so maybe I can ask about trimming down the points and see what the neighbours think instead.

If I decide to leave the fence unpainted and natural, are there many cons to this? Will the fence wear out more quickly?

[EricL]

Hi @ashleasmith 

Painting the fence is always a plus of course as it provides an extra layer of protection. I've placed an image below to give you an idea of what I was trying to suggest in regards to the fence post lights. The black solar lights act like borders separating the painted area and the raw post.  

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric