How can you make sure your wooden fence looks good and has a long life? It’s simple – stain it! Staining a wood fence is relatively easy and inexpensive, and should be done periodically.

What Materials Do You Need?

Before you get started staining your fence you need to assemble all the materials you might need throughout the job. These include:

• Natural bristle paint brush 
• Stiff bristle cleaning brush 
• Garden hose with a high-pressure nozzle
• Five-gallon bucket
• Bleach
• Rubber gloves

Of course, the most important component of the staining process is the stain itself. For best results, Invest in a semi transparent oil-based stain designed for exterior use, from Olympic, Varathane, or another well-known brand. Use this online Fence Paint and Stain Calculator to determine how much stain you need to buy.

Step-by-Step Instructions for How to Stain a Wood Fence

With all your stain purchased and all materials assembled, it’s time to get started. Follow these steps for a successful stain job.

1. Examine and Prepare the Wood

The first thing to do when staining your fence is to examine and prepare the wood. Look for broken pieces, nails, screws, and the like that you can easily remove or fix. The goal is to create a smooth surface to take the new stain. You may also need to sand the wood if it’s too rough or strip old stains or paint from the fence. If the fence is chipped or cracked, use wood filler to smooth over the imperfections.

2. Clean the Surface

Next, make sure the surface is ready to receive the stain by giving it a thorough cleaning. You typically do this by rinsing or power washing it. You can also apply a wood cleaner to remove all dirt and debris. 

3. Treat Mold or Mildew

If your fence is older, it may have mold or mildew deposits. You can remove these with a solution of bleach diluted with water. Mix the solution in a bucket and use a garden sprayer to apply it to the affected areas. Make sure you wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the bleach. 

4. Apply the Stain

Now you come to the main event, applying stain to the fence. You can apply wood stain with a brush, roller, or sprayer. If you’re staining with a deep color, you may need to apply more than one coat.

When you’re using a brush, make sure you’re using one with natural bristles then dip just the tip into the stain. Apply the stain from top to bottom on vertical slats and from left to right on horizontal slats. 

If you’re using a roller, pick a roller cover with a medium nap. Make sure you fully saturate the roller, then apply the stain in two- to three-foot sections at a time. The same technique should be followed if you’re using a sprayer. 

5. Allow the Stain to Dry

When you’re done staining, give the fence an appropriate amount of time to fully dry. That’s probably between 24 and 48 hours, depending on the humidity. 

Let Nortex Fence & Patio Do the Staining for You

Staining your wood fence is a necessary task but not necessarily one you want to do yourself. If you’d rather hire out the work – and make sure it gets done right – give the experts at Nortex Fence & Patio a call. We’ve been doing professional fence and deck staining in the Dallas and North Texas area for more than two decades. We’ll properly prepare your fence beforehand and use our commercial spraying equipment to make your fence look better than new. 

Contact Nortex Fence & Patio today to find out more about our professional fence staining services.