DH Painter & Decorator stains and paints garden fences and timber gates in St James, NN5, about 0.6 miles west of Northampton town centre. Dean has over 30 years in the trade and works on everything from small terrace back gates to fence runs on shared rear parking courts.
Where the fences are in St James
This is a dense district. Much of its housing is Victorian terraced, with modest rear gardens or yards, and the remaining garden timber is spread between those terraces and the newer homes built in the gaps. Fence work here falls into two broad kinds, and they need different planning.
Terrace back gardens. Behind houses on streets such as Wimbledon Street and Althorp Road, the garden is usually a narrow strip bounded by close-board or lap panels and a timber back gate. Runs are short but tight to work in, and every panel faces a neighbour. Where there is no rear entrance, materials and dust sheets come through the house, so we protect the hall floor and keep the route clear.
Shared parking courts. Some modern townhouses, including those on Ross Road and Countess Road, have off-road or allocated parking at the rear, with fence panels and gates running along a shared court. These are well suited to staining because the runs are long and continuous, but cars are parked right against them. We agree a day when the nearest bays can be kept clear, and tell neighbours sharing the court so no one comes home to a wet fence beside their car.
Stain or paint for a small St James garden
In a compact yard the fence is often most of what you look at, so the choice of finish matters more than it would in a big garden. A translucent stain keeps the grain visible and wears back gradually rather than flaking, which suits fences that are hard to reach for frequent upkeep. A solid opaque fence paint can cover patchy, weathered timber and, in a pale or soft colour, makes a narrow space feel lighter. Darker colours sit well against the red brick of the terraces. We bring sample boards and talk it through after seeing your fence.
There is no conservation area in St James, so garden colour is entirely up to you.
Damp, low ground and grime
- Parts of the district beside St James Road, Harlestone Road and Weedon Road are low-lying ground in the River Nene floodplain. Posts and gravel boards there can stay damp for long spells, so we check the base of posts for softness and seal end grain well.
- Shaded strips between tall terrace walls grow green algae on timber. It has to be cleaned off and the wood allowed to dry before any stain goes on.
- Front gates facing the main roads pick up the same traffic film as house fronts in the Air Quality Management Area and need a wash before treatment.
Boundaries, neighbours and what we cover
On a terrace, almost every fence is shared. We only stain the side you own unless your neighbour has agreed to have their side done too, and we sheet plants on both sides of the line to keep overspray and drips off them. If a panel or post is broken, we will point it out so it can be repaired first; staining over a failed panel is wasted money.
The full step-by-step process, from cleaning to final coat, is on our main fence and gate staining page. Many owners tie fence work in with front gates or other outside paintwork, and the St James area page covers how the rest of the district’s houses are decorated. For guidance on prices, use our cost guide.
Last updated by Dean, DH Painter & Decorator.
