Keep Your Painted Fence from Chipping

You’ve got that new, beautiful fence up around your backyard and the last thing you want is for it to get chipped or ruined, right? Discovering that your painted fence is flaking or chipping can be one of the most frustrating parts of owning a home. Especially when it happens long before you feel it should. After all, you spent all that time and money having the fence installed and maybe even painted it yourself, and you deserve to have it looking as clean and chip-free for as long as possible. 

The dependable Tampa fence specialists at Mossy Oak Tampa understand your frustration and wanted to give you our expert advice on how you can keep your painted fence from chipping. So, whether you’re getting ready to give it a fresh coat of paint this spring or you’ve just painted it, these tips will help keep the flakes and chips away and your fence looking fresh and clean. 

The truth of it is, when it comes to keeping the paint on your fence is to ensure that you’ve properly prepared the surface and applied the paint the right way. Other than, of course, the rogue stone or stick that gets caught in the mower and becomes a chip monster to your fence on impact. 

So, how can you prepare your fence correctly to keep the paint on for years to come? Here are our expert tips. 

Proper Preparation Matters

You aren’t going to just slap some paint on top of a varnished, already finished fence post and hope for the best? But the fact is that many homeowners still do because they don’t necessarily realize that this makes a massive difference in preventing their fence from chipping. Proper preparation of your fence is critical to the ability of the paint to take hold. 

You will need to remove any varnish or other finishes from your fence before you can begin to paint it. If you can’t entirely remove the varnish, be sure to sand it to open up the wood grain to soak in the paint. This ensures that you’re creating a bond between the actual wood underneath any varnish or finish and the fresh coat of paint. Without this type of preparation, you’re running the risk of the paint not sticking for any period of time to your fence. 

Do Not Paint Wet Surfaces

You must be sure that you’re never painting your fence when it’s wet. You simply can’t pet on wet surfaces, and if you’ve started painting and it starts to rain, then it’s likely that your paint job will be ruined. So be sure to watch out for those Tampa afternoon sun showers if you’re planning to paint your fence anytime soon. Any surface area of your fence that you’re planning to paint must be clean and dry to ensure proper adhesion. 

Choose The Right Paint

There are two choices when it comes to the paint you choose. Do you want oil or water-based paint for your fence? Each type of paint comes with a different set of manufacturer’s instructions on proper application, and you want to always follow those when painting your fence. If it tells you to use water to clean your brushes or thin the paint, then it’s water-based. If it says to use mineral turpentine, then it’s oil-based. And depending on which paint you choose, you may need to prime the fence first. 

Keep these pro tips in mind when you’re painting your fence, and you’ll discover that the paint will last without chipping. If you want more information about proper fence maintenance and care, be sure to check out our blogs, where you’ll find all the pro tips you could ever want! The perfect fence is always just a phone call away with the friendly fence experts at Mossy Oak Tampa. Give us a call today at (813) 590-4482 to set up your free consultation.