I want to paint flowers on my new fence. What medium should I use?

Deborah
by Deborah
I've already started to seal the fence with wood oil. It looks beautiful but I want to add a flower border. I haven't oiled it all yet. Should I paint first and then oil it or the other way around?
  15 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on May 29, 2016
    Paint will not adhere correctly on a oil stained fence. I would paint your design and then seal it.
  • CrowEyes CrowEyes on May 29, 2016
    Perhaps try both methods on a scrap piece of wood (leaving the wood outside in the elements for a few days)? Better than having a mess of trying to remove peeling paint or discoloration from the oil over the paint (there are a variety of oils to choose from). The best to you on the project,...PLEASE post pics when done! 😀
  • Sandra Sandra on May 29, 2016
    Go online and look up Unicornspitgellstain.com to see what neat things can be done with it, including flowers. I think it would look fabulous and after its sealed it will last a long time. The company will help you purchase the product, of course, but will also tell you what sealant to use. It's a water based stain so I think you need to know what sealant would work on that.
  • Johnchip Johnchip on May 29, 2016
    Stop! Think again. So often these 'crafty painted ideas' get old and tired in time. Most often they are just not done very well and the lack of artistic finesse rears it's ugly head. You will have a sight making for sore eyes. IF you must have 'painted flowers' how about cutting them out and attaching them or doing them on a strip that can be changed or removed later? First it would add dimension, and second, it is changeable. Paint on the wood is there to stay: and all 'seasons of the mind change'.
  • Juliebd Juliebd on May 29, 2016
    How about stringing fish line in a few places up and down and planting something to climb and entwine along the fence? Maybe morning glories or hummingbird vine or sweet potato vine or ... ? It's not permanent. I'd prob finish the oil first -
    • Deborah Deborah on May 30, 2016
      Thanks, I've got clematis and morning glories growing on trellises in front of some of the fence, but the rest is in shade so it's hard to grow anything. That's why I thought I'd paint something. It's the back side of the yard so I don't go back there a lot.
  • BrendaG BrendaG on May 29, 2016
    I am curious as to what oil stain you used because your fence appears to have many colors in it. I LOVE it! Mind my asking?......
    • Deborah Deborah on May 30, 2016
      I'm using Cabots Australian Tree Oil, the natural shade.
  • Ste6680487 Ste6680487 on May 29, 2016
    As you have used oil based oil,l think you are limited to oil based paint.It would have been easier using acrylic first then coating it when dry with your fence oil.There are water based oil paints in good art shops now,however they can be expensive.
  • LadyJoker LadyJoker on May 30, 2016
    DYI - has a great project using old garden hoses and plates - you can paint the plates to the flower of your choice and use garden hose as your stem - this manner can be changed anytime - should you ever decide to move
  • Jean Myles Jean Myles on May 30, 2016
    I have seen LadyJokers idea and it look nice. Worth checking out.
  • Deborah Deborah on May 31, 2016
    I've actually experimented with acrylic and oil over the oil sealant and on the raw wood. I found that acrylic on the oil sealant works great and doesn't run and has smoother edges than painting on the raw wood.
  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Mar 13, 2023

    You could use Coloured Wood Stains, or Flat coloured Fence paint, coms in pretty colours.

  • Betsy Betsy on Oct 05, 2023

    Hello Deborah: You can use any exterior acrylic paint. Just make sure you prepare the fence first. I like Thompson's Waterseal. Even though most of these aren't flowers, here are a few really neat fences I found:



    Look at the fence, it's a planter! :)




  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Oct 06, 2023

    Wood Stain!

  • Deb K Deb K on Oct 06, 2023

    Hi Deborah, you will need to paint your florals on it first then you can seal it. You can use acrylic paints but you will need to seal them. Oil paints would be the best as it will stan up to the elements.

  • Dee Dee on Oct 08, 2023

    Love the color of your fence. I am in the process of putting in a new fence, what kind of wood oil did you use.