7 Best Paints for an Outdoor Fence

What Paint to Use on Outdoor Fences

Fences around your home provide security, privacy and curb appeal. Whether they’re made of wood, metal, brick, stucco or masonry, it’s important to keep them from succumbing to the elements, age and abuse. All it takes to have a fence you can be proud of is the right paint, a little know-how and a weekend of your time.

Here are some facts about outdoor fence paint.

Types of fence paint

Oil-Based

Oil-based (a.k.a. alkyd) is a long-lasting paint that tends to be more durable than water-based emollients. Oils take longer to dry and require paint thinner for cleanup. But if you’re looking for a tough, enameled (satin, semi-gloss or glossy) finish that withstands outdoor exposure, there’s no substitute.

Water-Based

Latex (a.k.a. acrylic) paint is a water-based formula that makes a good all-purpose paint solution. Acrylic paint is flexible — expanding and contracting with changes in temperatures — to resist cracking and blistering. Latex paint is also less toxic and better for the environment.

Primer

A primer is an undercoat that creates a bonding layer on a surface to seal it for painting. Besides blocking stains from wood tannins and mildew from moisture, primers give surfaces “teeth” to make the paint adhere better.

A lot of exterior paint formulas are self-priming. If the paint you choose is not, we recommend applying a quality primer to achieve the best results.