WITH the warmer weather approaching, many of us will be feeling inspired to give our gardens a glow up so that we can really enjoy the scenery and ambience all summer long.
But it turns out there are some classic mistakes people make during one of the most popular DIY jobs – and it’s actually costing us a significant amount of money.
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Paint and interiors expert Anjelica Delfino, from , has revealed we’re all making common mistakes when painting our garden fences, so she’s shared some handy tips on how to reduce costs in the future.
So, if you’re looking to paint your fence any time soon, then you may just want to take note…
5p household hack
According to the interior design whizz, using the humble sponge to paint a fence is a great trick, especially if you’re not the best painter.
“It’s incredibly affordable, and you probably already have one lying around,” she says.
“This is of course a great money-saving hack, but it’s also good to avoid streaky painting which is very common with fences, especially wooden fences.”
Neighbour squabbles
Anjelica warns that before painting your fence, you should probably ask, or notify neighbours with a connecting fence.
If it’s too hot the paint will dry out fast and uneven.
Between five and ten degrees is the optimal temperature for this DIY jobAnjelica Delfino
“This is because the paint can leak through between any gaps in the fence or drip down from the top,” she explains.
“Not only can this issue lead to a cost increase, as you may have to pay to fix your neighbours’ bad paint job, but it can also cause arguments too.”
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She goes on to say that for the average UK garden size, a full fence repaint can cost between £180-200 just for the paint supplies.
“Not to mention the time taken to repaint your neighbours fence after doing your own,” Anjelica adds.
Too hot to handle
The painting expert points out that working in the garden is always associated with a nice summer day.
However, she warns there is such a thing as it being ‘too hot’, especially for painting a fence.
“If it’s too hot the paint will dry out fast and uneven,” she says.
“Between five and ten degrees is the optimal temperature for this DIY job.”
Anjelica goes on to say that if you’re not careful, you might have to start from scratch and remove all of the uneven paint.
“Paint stripper costs can be up to £40 for just 2.5L so it’s best to avoid this in any way possible,” she adds.
Dry clean
It’s commonly known that surfaces need to be cleaned before painting, but according to Anjelica, fences are different.
“You don’t want to clean a fence with soap and water as the fence must be completely dry before painting, otherwise the paint will not apply properly,” she explains.
Instead, the interior design whizz advises using a stiff brush to get as much dirt as possible and then sanding your fence so that you have a smooth and clean surface.
How high can a garden fence be?
Despite what many people think a garden fence can be as high as 100m but you need to get planning permission for any fence taller than 2m.
Any fence under 2m does not need planning permission.
However, there are some complications to this.
If you are thinking about front garden fences, restrictions state that fences alongside a driveway can be a maximum of 1m or 3ft.
You would need to get planning permission for putting a trellis on a fence of 2m.
But, if any plant that you grow on that trellis exceeds 2m, you do not need to obtain a permit for the
“If the paint is not absorbed properly, you’ll need to start again and could completely waste a good coat of paint,” she continues.
Anjelica warns that not following these steps can lead to more frequent repaints, costing Brits hundreds of pounds every year.
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“A well kept, properly painted fence can be left in excellent condition for three to four years without needing to be redone,” she says.
“A poorly painted fence might only last a year or two and can be very costly to redo!”