National Average Improvement and Repair Cost
Pro
DIY
Hours:
9.1
21.5
Cost:
$ 794
$ 245
Would you do this project? According to our survey, 54% of respondents preferred DIY compared to hiring a pro.
The average price to Stain a Wood Fence noted above is cost data to compare a contractor’s estimate with doing it yourself.
Tom Sawyer knew how to paint a fence! Here’s how much it costs. You have two choices: hire a painting contractor for $794 or do it yourself for $245.
Protect a wood fence from the elements and give it a new lease on life with stain to protect the wood from splitting and warping, and improve its look and appearance.
A good choice for a fence facelift is a semi-transparent, water-repellant penetrating stain that colors the wood while protecting the surface from moisture.
Here’s the dollars and cents of the job: A painting contractor will charge $794 to stain both sides of a 50-foot wood fence, which includes labor and material. You can do the job for $245, the cost of the stain, and save 69 percent. You can apply the paint with a sprayer, brush or roller. To help you decide on which method to use, you may read our guide on paint sprayer vs roller.
A paint sprayer is a good choice if there are no buildings or structures nearby that will require masking. If it’s windy, spraying is not a good idea; and while spraying is fast, it uses about 25 percent more material than a brush or roller.
Or you can take Tom Sawyer’s approach and use a brush, but a roller and brush combination is a better bet. Use the brush to apply stain between the fence boards and a roller for the large, flat surfaces. However you apply it, make sure the stain penetrates the wood so it can protect the surface.
Use drop cloths to protect the soil and plantings surrounding the fence. The folks at Behr Paint have this advice in a video How to Stain a Fence.
Before staining a fence, use a garden hose or power washer to clean the surface and remove any dried-on dirt. If there are patches of dirt or mildew, remove them and let the surface dry thoroughly before applying the stain.
The average price to stain a wood fence noted above is cost data to compare a contractor’s estimate with doing it yourself.
For more ideas about garden and yard projects go to Healthy Handyman or–look no further and check out our related guides below:
