If you have a new wood fence, you may have initially decided not to paint it. Maybe the price may have been a bit too high. Perhaps the builder may have wanted way too much money for something you can easily do yourself. Or maybe you have an aluminum or steel wrought iron fence in need of some touch up. Whatever the case, you are looking for black fence paint. If that’s what you’re after, this article is for you.
Best Black Fence Paint: Jetcoat Fence & Barn Exterior Paint
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Unlike most other exterior black paints, the Jetcoat doesn’t fade. Most fence paints we tested would apply well but ultimately look dark gray once the fence had dried. Not only does it look great but it lasts. We saw several neighbors use this paint several years back and their fences still look like they were freshly painted.
Why Is Black Fence Paint So Popular?
Wood fences are most commonly made of cedar. As the supply of cedar becomes harder and harder to come by in the lower 48 states, alaskan yellow cedar has become more common. This is a fantastic wood for fences, with very little in the way of knots and minimal warping and cupping. However, like all cedar, give it a few years and it’ll be a drab gray until it starts to rot. After all, wood fences last about 15-20 years. One way you can stave this discoloration is the use of black fence paint.
So why would you use black fence paint? On a wood or cellular PVC fence, black is a great way to bring your fence into the modern era. Also, if you’re looking for an historic detail in New England for example, it was not uncommon to paint bay windows and fencing black. In modern design you will notice the use of dark grays and black fence paint in lieu of the more common white.
Darker colors will fall into the background and become a natural color in the landscape. If you think about it, there is shade in almost all landscapes. With black fence paint, your fence simply feels like shade. Your eye looks past it, and doesn’t focus on it. White fence paint on the other hand is a focal point. There is almost no white in the natural landscape other than in winter. A white fence says ‘look at me, I’m a fence!’. Though this is a great detail in some landscapes, black fence paint is an ideal option in others.
3 Different Types Of Fences And How To Paint Them
When painting wood, most people opt for stain instead of paint. Paint requires scraping at reapplication, while stain requires only a clean surface. Yes, stain will still show some of the character of the wood through the color. However, in our opinion this is both a superior look and finish. By making the process of ‘painting the fence’ less cumbersome and labor intensive, going through the effort every 5 years or so becomes less of an issue.
Cellular PVC Fences
If you have a cellular PVC fence or AZEK fence, and you don’t want it white, you will need to paint. Thankfully, the surface of cellular PVC is ideal for painting. You do need to use a paint process specific to cellular PVC fencing, but the process is not too complicated. There should be some expectation of touch up over time like any painted surface, and you will need to repaint eventually.
Vinyl Fences
If you have a hollow vinyl fence, we’d recommend not painting it. These fences flex far too much for paint to be a long lasting finish. Hollow vinyl fences tend to have peeling paint within a few years, and can be a real frustration over time. We’d suggest you leave your hollow vinyl fence unpainted.
Wrought Iron Fences
Traditionally, wrought iron was painted black. Many wrought iron looking aluminum and steel fences are painted with black fence paint for this reason. When painting metal, you need to use the right paint and avoid using simple house paint. Not only that, but preparation becomes a huge part of the process.
If you’ve ever seen someone painting historic wrought ironwork, you’ll notice they are working with a hand grinder for hours, sometimes weeks. With traditional wrought iron you need to get all the paint off prior to a multistep application process. Thankfully, modern metal fencing generally only needs touch up.
Best Black Fence Paint For Touch Up Projects
- Ideal for fixing paint touch ups on Indoor/outdoor surfaces including metal, wood, concrete and masonry
- Oil-based formula provides a durable protective coating with excellent rust prevention
- Dries to the touch in 2-4 hours
If you are looking for black touch up paint for metal fences or outdoor furniture, Rust-Oleum touch up paint is the way to go in most situations. Unless you require painting a large surface, this touch up paint gets the job done. Make sure to follow all preparation instructions. As in all painting projects, preparations is everything, and using black fence paint is no different.