[gatormac2112]

I know nothing about fences so I hope someone can help me here. We just installed a 164 foot privacy fence along the back section of our back yard, it has pressure treated pine posts and the rest is cedar. I know that cedar will gray as it weathers and am not sure that I like that look. I kind of hope to keep the natural look it is now, I'm not crazy about the idea of staining it, adding artificial color to it. I've read all kinds of conflicting things in the interwebs regarding how to treat cedar, but most agree that clear non-opaque treatments are actually harmful to the wood overall. Some suggest not treating it at all.

Questions:

1. Does anyone here have a cedar fence or deck and if so, did you treat it and if having done so would you do anything different now?

• Do you have to treat it?

• are there any clear treatments that preserve the natural grain and color while also protecting from water/mold/mildew/UV?

• If anyone has had success with a specific brand/product, what is it? Does it require stripping/cleaning the fence for a re-application or can you just apply over previous treatment?

Maybe a stain that alters the color would look better anyway, your opinions on that are welcome as well. I'm not wild about high maintenance for the fence, but do wish for the fence to last and remain attractive for as long as possible. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Ware]

I don't care for the gray weathered look, so I'm a big fan of stained fence. I prefer a dark stain - which seems to hold up better to UV. Keep in mind that whatever you choose will not be a one and done. It will start to fade after a few years and will eventually need to be cleaned/recoated. I hire mine out, so I can't comment on commercially available products.

 

[gatormac2112]

I don't care for the gray weathered look, so I'm a big fan of stained fence. I prefer a dark stain - which seems to hold up better to UV. Keep in mind that whatever you choose will not be a one and done. It will start to fade after a few years and will eventually need to be cleaned/recoated. I hire mine out, so I can't comment on commercially available products.

What would be a reasonable cost to hire it out in your experience?

 

[Ware]

What would be a reasonable cost to hire it out in your experience?

It looks like I paid right at $3/ft for 210' of fence in the spring of 2013. It was pretty clean then, and I don't have shadow box, a top cap, or anything special that he had to deal with.

I had to get a new roof after some hail damage in the spring of 2016, which also dinged up my gutters and the fence a little. It was actually good timing because while it didn't look bad, it was starting to look like it could use another coat (after 3 years). The claims adjuster estimated $1275 to clean/re-stain it. I don't think the actual cost was that expensive, but I can't find the receipt at the moment. I do know it cost more than the original $625, but I had added a lot of landscaping that needed to be covered with plastic. Anyway, maybe that will give you an idea of a price range.

I grabbed this photo from the facebook page of the guy that did mine. He has a large steel tank on a trailer with a gasoline powered pump. That all stays in the street and he unreels the long hose to reach the fence. On the end of the hose is basically a dfw_wand without the fancy CF valve, etc. He just uses a brass TeeJet fan tip. You would think spraying it would make a huge mess, but it really wasn't too bad. He was even able to spray only my side of a shared fence without any noticeable bleed through on the neighbor's side. It did kill maybe a 4-6" wide band of grass where the fence meets the ground - which with bermuda basically just meant I didn't have to trim around the fence for a few weeks.

Here is a comparison shot I grabbed today. Again, nothing wrong with weathered cedar - I just prefer the look of a dark stain. My neighbor's fence is a couple years older than mine, and has never been treated. Mine has been stained twice. The guy told me (and I concur) that the second time it is treated takes better and will last longer since the pickets already have a decent base. What you see below is going on 2 years since it was sprayed.

 

[gatormac2112]

Thanks Ware! I will look into services in the area, I really wasn't wanting to tackle it myself :lol:

 

[stotea]

I have a cedar fence that I stained using a Wagner sprayer from HD. It looks way, way better than untreated/unstained, IMO. Here's the exact strain I used: https://www.homedepot.com/p/READY-SEAL-5-gal-Natural-Cedar-Exterior-Wood-Stain-and-Sealer-512/204372098. Lemme know if you want photos.

 

[gatormac2112]

I have a cedar fence that I stained using a Wagner sprayer from HD. It looks way, way better than untreated/unstained, IMO. Here's the exact strain I used: https://www.homedepot.com/p/READY-SEAL-5-gal-Natural-Cedar-Exterior-Wood-Stain-and-Sealer-512/204372098. Lemme know if you want photos.

Pictures are always welcome! I haven't had it treated yet.

 

[TulsaFan]

I have a friend who manages a Sherwin Williams store. He suggested using a 2 gallon sprayer to apply the stain and use a paint roller with a 3/8" nap to back roll it. Said it is super easy. Also, suggested water based over oil for the ease factor. Stated that it would have to be done every 5 years or so.

 

[Topcat]

I used Thomson's water seal on mine when I replaced it 5 years ago. It has held up very well. The Seal that I used did have a light stain in it, so it did provide color to the wood that made it look warmer. I will pressure wash the fence and reapply this year, as the guy that did the fence install recommended about every four years for reapplying the water seal. I bought the cheapest 2 gallon garden sprayer that Lowe's had, used it to spray the stain on. Was fast, and very efficient.

The pic is from last summer...