Tools and materials for painting a timber fence?

sapphi

Hi community

I have a standard pine timber fence that I would like to paint. Painting manually.

As a guide how many square meters do you get out of a litre when painting manually?

I have a 22sqm section that I am starting on.

How much paint to do need? Will I need one coat or two?

How do I choose the best type of outdoor paint or is it all similar?

Do I need a roller or brush or both? 

I am trying to keep costs down and opting to hand paint. I will tackle in sections over several months, not looking to complete in a weekend so please don’t tell me how much easier a spray painter will be! 

thank you!

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @sapphi. It's amazing that you've joined us, and many thanks for your questions.

As a general rule of thumb, one litre of paint covers eight square meters with two coats. If you are only doing one coat, it will cover sixteen square meters per litre. This rule holds relatively true for flat and somewhat porous surfaces. Fencing timber will suck up quite a bit of paint, so you should expect to use more. One litre per four square meters wouldn't be unusual. Unless you are doing one exceptionally thick coat, you need two of them instead. It will depend on what colour you are using, but I'd suggest two coats will be most practical.

The best type of paint is the one that will last the longest, is tough and hardwearing, and has the best UV protection. My recommendation has always been Dulux Weathershield as it has outstanding characteristics and is designed to withstand the harsh Australian weather conditions. 

You'll definitely need a roller, and I would use one with at least a 10mm nap, as this allows you to get deep into the timber fibres. A brush will also come in handy as there will be spots that you can't reach with a roller. I've always purchased the cheapest brushes and thrown them away afterwards. However, recently I purchased a mid-range brush and have been washing it out when I'm done. It makes life so much easier, increasing the speed at which you can work as it holds the paint in the bristles much better. Next, I'll be investing in a premium brush.

I look forward to following along with your project and providing assistance as needed. Please let us know if you need further help or have questions.

Mitchell