The saying “good fences make good neighbours” makes a lot of sense. After all, in most backyards, the fence is a big part of the landscape backdrop—for both you and your neighbours. So, why not make it as attractive as possible? Sure, a run-of-the-mill pressure-treated, board-on-board fence does the job, but the goal of this project was to build a fence that would make a more aesthetic statement.
To keep costs down, we used off-the-shelf pine tongue-and-groove boards as well as plain pine 1x6 boards to wrap the posts. And since the fence was designed to be finished with a solid stain, the rails and other structural sections were built with pressure-treated material so any colour differences would be hidden by the opaque stain.
Stain vs. paint
Exterior stains have been around for well over a hundred years. The first stains were often creosote-based and quite toxic, but modern stains are divided into two types: semi-transparent and solid.
Semi-transparent stains are made with smaller amounts of pigment, so they are mostly translucent, allowing the grain and texture of the wood to show through. These stains are most attractive when used on new wood, but they offer little protection from the effects of ultraviolet exposure and they must be renewed fairly frequently (about every three to five years for a vertical surface such as a fence). Semi-transparent stains are available in water-based and oil-based formulas.
Solid stains are heavier-bodied than semi-transparents and contain more pigment so they cover the grain of the wood but still allow the texture to show. They are also available in both water- and oil-based formulas. Solid stains work well on both new or weathered surfaces.
Exterior paint is another option. Because it's film-forming, paint offers more protection to the underlying wood and will typically last longer than either semi-transparent or solid stains. The downside is that when the paint eventually breaks down, it typically flakes and peels, requiring sanding prior to refinishing. Although stain wears more easily, it's fairly forgiving. Once the colour begins to fade, it can simply be recoated, usually without requiring resanding.
Whichever way you go, keep in mind that latex-based products usually require a primer coat, while oil-based products can be applied without a primer.
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