<------ NEWBIE. Staining Fence

majortom

New Member
Newbie. Staining Fence

I am interested in staining NEW fences in my area. I have been reading the boards and have probably the dumbest question ever....but here goes anyway:

Do you use a Power Washer to stain a fence? I have seen this done with a machine but not sure if it was called a Power Washer. To me, Power Wash makes me think of water which then makes me think that an oil based stain and water wont mix.

Sorry....I am in the VERY NEW BEGINNING stage of finding a business to start. I appreciate the information and patience.
 

Mark

Moderator / Sponsor
Tom,

You use a power washer / pressure washer for cleaning the fence, and a paint sprayer or other method for applying the stain, or whatever you are using on the fence / deck after cleaning.

Hope that helps!

:)
 

majortom

New Member
Thanks for the info.

How do I determine the coverage ( how far a can will go ) and is there a more economical place to buy stain other than Home Depot? I have seen some people talking about Olympic Cedar Stain????

Thanks again.
 

Mike Hughes

New Member
Local paint stores can be a good source for sealers..........

You can apply in many different ways, but never with a power washer.

You can use a brush, a pump up sprayer, a shur-flo type sprayer, airless sprayer, etc.

Spraying creates alot of overspray. Stay away from windy days, and cover anything you don't want to get sealer on. If its a hot day, don't leave plants covered too long, you'll kill them. Brush the sections close to the house so you don't get overspray on the house.

It also depends on the product you're using............follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
 

majortom

New Member
I have a small pump up sprayer but I imagine that would take a very long time. What is the best way to apply it taking into account coverage and time? Maybe an airless sprayer? Not sure what a shurflo is.
 

Mark

Moderator / Sponsor
Definitely use common sense when spraying , cover anything that might get overspray on it.

I have spent the last 4 days dealing with a paint contractor who had one of his employees not cover anything or put up a vizqueen wall when lacquering my mothers kitchen cabinets.

Fans & air conditioner running too, you guessed it there is lacquer overspray through out the house, two local restoration companies have told us that most everything will need to be replaced, furniture, carpets TV stereo, computer etc.

Lucky for this guy that he has insurance.

Remember if you have employees you are responsible when they screw up!
 

majortom

New Member
I found this sprayer at HomeDepot.com

Is this a good one to start out with???

Product Description
MXR7 Airless Paint Sprayer has maximum operating pressure of 3000 psi. Ideal for monthly use up to 300 gal. yearly. Supports tip sizes up to 0.017 in. Includes SG2 in. spray gun, RST515 reversible spray tip and 50 ft. hose. Versatile for inside and outside from fences to rental properties. Power Flush feature cleans the pump, hoses and gun in minutes. Demand Delivery system reduces wear for longer component life. XR Power Piston pump for long life and dependable performance. InstaClean" filter cleans automatically for added filtration to reduce tip clogs. Paint Saver pail hook reduces spilling while sprayer is on the move. Comfortable, quick-acting pressure control knob maintains pressure settings.


The price is $500. There is a 2800 psi one for $300.

I was confused about the line: " Ideal for monthly use up to 300 gal. yearly." Is that all I would be able to use it for?

I also found this one: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/gleempaint/wagner945.html which I am not sure if it would be overkill or not.

Thanks everyone for the information.
 
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Aplus

New Member
Actually, new wood fences should be washed before being stained, the same as a deck. But the reality is that I've seen many fences stained right after they were built, of in the case of one local fence builder, the raw lumber is stained before the fence is constructed.

The Graco Magnum sprayer you mentioned is the same one I have. I don't spray alot, so it meets my needs quite well. If you are going to do a lot of spraying, then you should invest in a better unit, like a Graco 190ES.

Any sprayer you chose will work best if the correct spray tips are installed. A 211 for spindles and 511 for the floor are good choices.
 

Aplus

New Member
I was confused about the line: " Ideal for monthly use up to 300 gal. yearly." Is that all I would be able to use it for?


About 25 hours per month. That is the suggested point at which you should look for a more robust sprayer.
 

majortom

New Member
A 211 for spindles and 511 for the floor are good choices.

Please explain this further. What is "the floor" of a fence?

Also, I don't understand the purpose of washing a new fence. I read that a new fence should cure in the sun for a few days to a few weeks depending on how sunny and hot so that it will dry out. Won't washing it just increase that lead time?

Also, their are several grayed out fences in my area. These would need to be washed right? Does washing a gray fence make it turn back to the original color? What would be a good starter rig for the power washing part since I hadnt considered buying a power washer too.

I really appreciate all this info.
 
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paul-uk

Guest
hi

i was thinking could you start out as pfctom and the go to majortom in about 5 or 6 months ?.......no i was only kidding.........ring mark on his 1-800 number and you will get all the help you need......cos its a long story.

hope this helps....paul.
 

majortom

New Member
HA HA....VERY FUNNY.

Maybe MINORTOM.

Anyway, I have pretty much figured out that I am going to have to learn the hard way. There seems like there is a ton of opinions on what is the best way and what is not. As you read and become convinced of one tactic you then read a completely opposite account of the same product, rig, or process.

I think I am just going to go and buy a $300 airless sprayer, some stain, and charge my genni-pig neighbors for just the stain and see what happens. HA

Maybe ... Maybe Not.



SERIOUSLY THO: I read someones post that they charge by the 8 ft section of fence ( $25/section ). Does this sound right? Most of the fences in my area are made up of about 10 - 15 sections. Gross Sale: $250 - $375. Given that, how much stain would I need for that area?
 

Mike Hughes

New Member
Some new fences may need to be washed prior to staining because of "mill glaze". Mill glaze, if presesnt, needs to be removed prior to staining.

Do a search on it and see what you come up with.
 

majortom

New Member
I just did a quick count and noticed I have 40, 8 foot sections. At $25 / section that is $1000. Does anyone get this price? I know for a fact that I couldn't get that much. They guy that stained minie 3 years ago charged me $400. Did I get a deal?
 
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paul-uk

Guest
some people get alot more than that and some alot less, it all depends on how you sell the job and yourself.....you can have all the top gear but if you open your mouth and not alot comes out.....well you wont sell anything..........what you have got to do is read everything that you can about this business and then some.....there are 4 or 5 boards hit the search button and read all you can....there 3 boards that are run by people that do wood day in day out...call them on there 1-800 numbers but be sure if your going to start in this biz just remember.....even when you can do the job it is never easy.

by the way it sounds like your deck needs a coat of looking at (3yrs)......practice on your own first and get it pight there and then move on..........did you get a deal on your $400 deck....your the one who is walking on it how can we tell :)

cheers paul.
 

Aplus

New Member
When I mentioned the 211 tip for spindles, and 511 for the floor, I should have mentioned these are what I use for decks. For a fence a 511 or 513 tip will do the job.

Have your salesperson explain what the numbers mean, then you'll know if he knows his stuff.

The first number is the spray pattern. It is always double, in inches of the first number. A 511 tip sprays a pattern 10 inches wide through a size 11 orifice. A nice wide, fine particle pattern.

Good luck.
 
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MARK W.

Guest
I use the 190es all the time. It's a great sprayer for what I do most. I turn the sprayer down to the lowest psi that will give me a nice even coat. Having it that low will help on over spray and over use of finish.
 

Backbrusher

New Member
40 8' sections? If they are 6' high that is 48 sq ft per side, 96 sq ft per panel. 40 x 96 is 3,840 sq ft of fence and if you clean and seal that for $1000 you can come do all my work while I go to the ocean. Figure 150 sq feet per gallon coverage. I guess if you are just spraying it without cleaning first you might make a few dollars.
 

majortom

New Member
Yeah, I am thinking I got a hell of a deal when they guy came and stained my fence. He charged me $400 and said he was going to make about $200 on the job for labor. It only took him about 2 hours to spray those 40 panels so I guess $100/hr aint bad. He didnt have to clean it first cuz the fence was new. ( didnt care about mill glaze either I dont think ) Afterwards he said it would probably need to be done again in a couple of years. It looks great!

I guess that was the original reason for the post. I think I could get the stain for $200 ( that is enuff for the job according to the manufacturers coverage specs ) but wasn't sure what the market price would be. I don't think many people in my area would pay more than $400 for the job. Doesn't seem very hard either.
 

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