Article by: Brian & Josh Kluth, Co-Founders and Owners of www.FenceMakeover.comIf you live in Co...

1. How to Make Your Gray Fence Look Great for 5+ Years
Article by: Brian & Josh Kluth, Co-Founders and Owners of www.FenceMakeover.com
If you live in Colorado, you know that we have thousands and thousands of gray and ugly fences
everywhere. The problem is that most people think the only option is to spend thousands of dollars
to replace their fence. People often think nothing can be done to make their gray and ugly fence look
bright and beautiful for years to come.
As one of the leading Colorado fence makeover and restoration company specializing in turning old
gray fences into great looking fences and turning nasty looking fences into nice looking fences, we
have learned some things over the years. We hope our insights can help you and hundreds of home
owners, housing complexes, businesses, and landlords/renters know how to turn the tide on the sea
of ugly gray fences to something we can individually and publicly be proud about.
An ugly gray fence can be a nagging concern and even an embarrassment. But a fence makeover
and restoration project that just takes a few days to complete can be done for 80-90% less than
replacing a fence. A properly done fence makeover can make you proud when you drive up to your
house, look out your windows, sit on your patio, and have family and
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/ friends over for a backyard BBQ, picnic, or a family
party/event.
Here are our helpful and proven tips that apply to a fence (and deck) makeover and restoration
project...
#1 - Restoring a fence can be 80-90% cheaper than replacing it.
Most people look at their graying fence, rotting boards, cracked fence pickets, and a possibly a
broken fence post and think the only they can do is tear it all down and replace the entire fence. This
is not true. Most fences, even those 15-30 years old can be made to look like new with a 2-3 day
fence makeover restoration. In the picture to the right, the single woman who owned a townhouse
was told it was going to cost over $1000 replace her old patio graying fence. When she decided to
have a fence makeover instead, the price was less than $200 and she was thrilled with the result

2. when we made her fence look brand new for more than 80% less than a new fence would have cost.
Years and even decades of gray/black mold, mildew, nail/screw black drip stains, and peeling paint,
or old stain can be power washed away in one day on a typical fence! Warped and broken pickets,
boards, and posts can be replaced and the entire fence can be professionally stained to look like
new. And if the correct stain is used, Consumer Report studies show the restored fence can look
great for 3, 6, and even 9 years or more. Replacing a fence is very costly, frequently averaging $22-
$30 per foot to tear down the old fence, rebuild a new fence, and professionally applying a long-
lasting stain. But professional fence power washing and staining makeovers can usually be done for
$2.20-$3.75 per foot ($400-$700 for the average size fence) plus any repairs.
#2 - Power wash the fence before you stain it.
Professional power washing (also known as pressure washing) will clean away years of gray/black
mold, mildew, nail/screw black drip stains, peeling paint, and old stain. Stain will also more easily
adhere to a fence that has been properly power washed. Power washing is very affordable to have
done by a fence makeover and restoration company. The cost is usually around $1 to $1.25 per foot
(usually a few hundred dollars for the average fence). But if you choose to do the power washing on
your own, you should use a http://www.scribd.com/doc/223415420 pressure washer machine with
3000 to 3600 psi. Smaller home model pressure washers normally will not have enough power to
adequately clean the fence before it is stained. If you don't have access to a commercial pressure
washer, you can rent one from Home Depot or an equipment rental stores for usually under $100
per day.
WARNING: When using a pressure washer be extremely careful because it is easy to permanently
damage your fence by putting noticeable cut marks into the wood. If the spray accidentally hits your
hands, arms, legs, or feet you can also experience serious cutting injuries since the powerful spray
will quickly cut through clothing and skin. Be sure to wear safety goggles because splinters and dirt
can easily get into your eyes. Wear very old clothes when power washing because you will get caked
with layers of black gunk. Also be sure http://www.blogigo.com/importedmedal6010/Fence-Ideas/12/
to power wash using the 25 degree tip for your sprayer. Smaller tips will burn cut marks in your
fence and larger tips will not adequately clean the fence in preparation for staining. If you have
never done power washing before, be sure to practice on some old throw away boards to get a feel
for it before starting on your fence.
#3 - Don't use cleaning products on your fence.
There are a number of products on the market that promise great results to clean your fence. While
some manufacturers may be unhappy with our experience, we have tried a number or products and
not yet found anything that is worth the time, money, and hassle to use them. We have not yet found
anything that works better than plain old fashion garden hose water coming through a commercial
grace pressure washer to clean your fence and get it ready for staining. Fence cleaning products
tend to be messy, add to your costs, are frustrating to apply, the chemicals can sometimes destroy
the vegetation or grass around your fence, and frequently they just don't work well. The only
exception we have to this rule is that we do use a cleaning gel and scraper on fences that have old
peeling paint. After the gel has been applied and the fence scraped, the power washing will get your
fence ready for staining.
#4 - Don't hand brush or use a roller to stain your fence.
Most people think they will save money by staining the fence themselves. Since most home and
business owners don't have a professional airless sprayer gun, they will decide to hand brush or use

3. a roller to stain the fence. The problem with this is that it will usually take days or work and will
often go through 50%, 100%, and sometimes even 200% more stain at $100-$150 for each 5 gallon
bucket! Instead of saving money, they are actually losing money when they try to do it themselves.
This is primarily because using a roller or brush doesn't easily get into all the fence's normal cracks
and crevices. So, the homeowner (or someone they hired) keeps dabbing more stain on the fence to
try and cover the cracks and crevices. After a few extra trips to keep buying more stain, the
"finished" fence looks blotchy with gray cracks and crevices still showing through. In a recent Home
Show where we were exhibiting in Highlands Ranch, several home owners told us that this is exactly
what happened reputation marketing and that they will never try to stain the fence on their own
again. They shared that the project took several days longer than they expected, as they burned
through vacation days or weekends in the hot sun trying to get this project done. In contrast, a fence
makeover company can normally spray the entire fence in less than a day and it will turn out
beautifully. Someone using the airless sprayer also saves a home owner or business a lot of money
on the cost of stain because the spray easily gets into the cracks and crevices without having to go
over the area again and again.
#5 - Be sure to check with your city or homeowners association about stain colors.
Some municipalities and homeowner associations have very specific restrictions on what color stain
you can use on the fences in your neighborhood. Highlands Ranch for example, only allows
homeowners, housing complexes, and businesses the choice of 5 pre-approved stain colors. Any
other stain colors that are used will be subject to fines and the fence owner will be required to stain
over the fence again with an approved stain color. Some HOA's even limit you to one or two colors
and even mandate what stain manufacturer you have to use. Your HOA, city government, or a
professional fence makeover company will be able to advise you on the correct stain and color
choices to use. Also be aware that some municipalities and HOA's require you to apply for a permit
and pay a fee if you are going to build a new fence, add additional fencing, or alter the size and
shape of your existing fence. If you are just power washing, staining (with a proper color), and
repairing your existing fence no permit is normally required.
#6 - Don't use a clear-coat finish, semi-transparent stains, paint, or poorly-rated solid stains.
When you use these type of products they will not cover over blemishes and nail/screw drip stains,
variations in the old and new wood will be obvious, and normally the fence will only look good for a
couple of years. This means that if you want a good looking fence you will need to spend the time,
effort, and money to do it all over every 18 months to 3 years. Avoid using paint because over time
paint will begin to peel in the low humidity and hot sun of Colorado. Consumer Reports did a 3 year,
6 year, and 9 year study on fence and deck wood stain products and the hands down winner was
Behr solid color wood stains for fences, decks, and siding. Many of the stains by other manufacturers
didn't even last 3 years. Behr stains provide quality, durable, and long-lasting results. At our
company, we actually will not use any other stain because we know that this is not best for the
customer and will ultimately cost them a lot more money to use inferior products that won't last long
before their fence starts to turn gray, stained, and ugly looking.
#7 - Replace warped, cracked, rotten, or broken pickets, boards, and posts.
Many older fences will have some pieces that should be replaced in a fence makeover and
restoration project. Most of these can be easily and affordably replaced after the power washing and
before the staining. Once the fence is stained with a solid color Behr stain, you won't even be able to
tell the difference between the old and new pickets, boards, and posts. The only thing that is costly
to replace is fence posts that have been broken off at the base because of rotting wood and/or high

4. winds. To dig out the cement base that holds each broken post can take hours of hard labor because
the dirt is so compacted and rocky in Colorado. Fencing professionals normally charge about $150 to
remove an old post and replace it with a new post. Some companies, like ours, have special
equipment that can sometime greatly shorten the amount of time needed to dig out a broken fence
post concrete base.
#8 - If you put in a new fence or a new section of fence, do not leave it unstained.
Building a new fence easily runs into thousands of dollars. It is important to protect your investment
by properly staining the fence with a top-rated stain. Whether it's a DUI attorney or Car Wreck
Lawyer. Dallas has what you need. To ignore doing this will mean that within 2-3 years your fence
will look similar to fences many years old because of the mold/mildew that will turn your fence gray.
#9 - Work with your neighbors. Many fences in Colorado are not stand along fences but instead are
commonly shared fences with your surrounding neighbors. The general rule of thumb is that
anything you can "see" from your back yard or front yard or the sidewalk you have the freedom to
power wash and stain. In most fence makeover jobs we do, people stain the inside fence in their
back yard, whatever fence is visible from their front yard, and anything that is visible from their
sidewalk if they are a corner lot. For back fences that face the street, sometimes the home owner
has the right to choose to stain the fence facing the street and other times it is the responsibility of
the HOA or housing complex to make decisions about if or when this will be stained. For houses that
back up to public open spaces, the view of the fence from the open space is frequently governed by a
government municipality, HOA, or a housing complex. When it comes to fence repairs and replacing
broken pickets/posts/boards, it is best to work cooperatively with your neighbor(s) and see if they
will share the cost or at least let them know you are going to have the work done and that you're
willing to cover the cost. When it comes to staining your fence, fence makeover companies will often
provide a group discount to any or all of the neighbors who are willing to have their fences stained
at or about the same time. When it comes to the question of who owns what side of the fence, the
general rule of thumb is that the responsible "owner" is the person that has the fence posts inside
his property.
#10 - When trying to sell your home, make a wise investment to have your house power washed, and
preferably also stained.
Most home owners know the importance of curb appeal and making a good first impression. Smart
realtors and home seller know that potential buyers actually are deciding if they like a house or not
within the first couple of minutes of driving up to the property and coming into the house. One of the
biggest turns offs for a potential buyer is seeing is a graying fence. Immediately they start thinking it
will cost thousands of dollars to replace the fence. Instead of feeling they are getting a great house,
they are already having negative thoughts about the house and they haven't even gotten inside yet.
Investing a few hundred dollars in at least getting the fence power washed can pay big dividends.
Power washing (see the picture to the right) can normally be done in one day and only costs $1 to
$1.25 per foot. By going one step further, you can have the fence power washed and stained for
$2.20 to $3.75 per foot (around $400 to $700 for an average size fence). This small investment of
hundreds can save or return thousands in the sale price negotiations. Instead of the fence being a
turn-off, the bright and beautiful new looking fence can be a major turn-on when the home buyers
walk up to the house, look out the patio doors, look out the windows, or walk into the back yard and
sees a great looking fence. Instead of being a negative distraction your fence becomes a positive
attraction for a potential buyer who may purchase your home. You only get one chance to make a
good first impression. Don't blow it by having a gray fence for people to look at when they walk up
or walk around your house and property.

5. BONUS TIP! Sometimes you can get a fence makeover paid for through your home owners
insurance.
In Colorado, the high winds and hail wreak havoc on many fences. Every year thousands of fences
are damaged by these weather events. Many times, you can work with a fence makeover company
who will help you submit a written bid to your insurance company for wind and hail damage to help
cover the costs of the fence restoration and repairs.
Well, we hope this material was a great help to you. An ugly gray fence can be a nagging concern
and even an embarrassment to many people. But a fence makeover and restoration project that just
takes a few days to complete at 80-90% less than replacing your fence, can make you proud to drive
up to your house, sit on your patio, and have family and friends over for a backyard BBQ, picnic, or
family party/event.
About the authors: BRIAN & JOSH KLUTH are co-founders and owners of FenceMakeover.com -
Taking Your Fence from GRAY to "GREAT!" and NASTY to NICE in 2 Days!" They have the #1
company specializing in fence makeover and restoration projects that serves the South Denver
Metro (720.432.2422), Colorado Springs/El Paso Country and (719.930.4000), Castle Rock, and
communities along I-25. Their company typically is able to make an old fence look like new within 2
days at 80-90% savings over the cost of replacing a fence. They offer easy payment plans and
discounts for retirees, active military, large projects, neighborhoods, neighbors doing fence
makeovers at the same time, and seasonal promotions, and FREE bids with a 25% DISCOUNT at
www.FenceMakeover.com or by calling 719.930.4000 or 720.432.2422.