DH Painter & Decorator cleans and stains garden fences, gates and other outdoor timber in Southfields, the NN3 5 estate about 4 miles north-east of Northampton town centre. Fences beside the tree belts are washed and left to dry before a breathable stain goes on.
Back fences along the woodland edge
Many Southfields back gardens finish against public open space rather than another garden. The estate is laced with tree belts and green corridors: Pine Ridge and Brittons Drive open spaces, Watermeadow Drive, the belt along Osmund Drive and the Southfields Linear Open Space. A fence on that boundary spends most of the day in shade, collects leaf litter at the gravel board and takes days to dry after rain. It shows as green streaks on the shaded face, black spotting on rails and soft, swollen post tops. Panels on the sunnier front or side boundaries of the same house often look fine by comparison, so we price the shaded runs and the open runs separately rather than treating the whole garden as one job.
Stain applied over that growth will not take. On these fences we start with a fungicidal wash, leave it to work, then brush off the dead growth and clear debris from the foot of each panel. Only when the timber has dried right through does any stain go on.
Waiting for a proper dry spell
Timing matters more here than on an open, sunny plot. The north edge of the estate, by the ponds and basin in the open space and the farmland towards Overstone, can hold morning damp, and shaded fences may need two or three dry days after a wet week before they are ready. We use breathable, water-based fence stains that let trapped moisture out rather than sealing it in, and we would rather move a booking than stain damp timber. The reasons are explained in our guide on when to book outdoor work.
Which side of the fence is yours
Where your fence runs along a tree belt or footpath, you may only be able to reach one face. We stain the garden side and whatever we can safely reach of the posts and top rail. If the outer face has gone green and you want it done, we work from the public side only where the ground allows and nothing obstructs the path. Between neighbours, it helps to agree which side each household is staining and in what colour, because shared runs on the terraces and semis are often seen from both gardens.
Gates, side passages and sheds
Where a Southfields house has a timber side gate, or a rear gate onto a shared footpath behind a terrace, it needs more care than the panels. Gates take more knocks and more weather, so they get extra attention at the hanging stile and the bottom rail, where water collects. While the stain is out, sheds, bin stores, planters and pergolas can be done in the same visit. Painted gates need sanding and a wood primer rather than stain; the details are on our main fence and gate staining page.
Colour, and fences near the allotments
There are no conservation rules on fence colours in Southfields, so you are free to go from a natural cedar tone to dark green, grey or black. On fences that face the open spaces, mid and dark shades disguise algae regrowth for longer. If you garden on the allotments on the east side, or keep raised beds against the fence at home, tell us, and we will pick a stain that is labelled suitable for use near plants and keep overspray away from beds. Other outside work on the estate is listed on the Southfields area page.
Last updated by Dean, DH Painter & Decorator.
