Hi, I would like to give my fence a fresh coat of paint. Before I do that, what should I do to fix a hole in the fence and a small section where the wood has split? Thank you.
Hi @hf,
The split in that paling isn't really something that can be repaired in a way that will provide a good long-term result. The easiest option would be to replace the individual paling before painting. If the split isn't bothering you aesthetically, you could also simply leave it and paint the fence as it is.
The hole looks to be where a knot has fallen out of the timber. Again, you could replace that paling if you'd prefer not to have the hole, but otherwise, I'd simply paint over and around it.
There are exterior timber fillers that could be used to fill smaller imperfections, but I don't think there's much benefit in this situation. Fence palings naturally have knots, grain, splits and other imperfections, so a perfectly smooth filled section could actually look a little out of place compared with the surrounding timber.
Ultimately, I think all you really need to do is give the fence a good clean, remove any loose material and then allow it to dry thoroughly before painting.
Check out https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/building-construction/fences-gates/freshen-your-fence for some further guidance.
Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Jacob
Thanks for taking the time to reply!
