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Help! What colour should I paint my fence?

I had a garden makeover last November, but before I can start planting I need to paint some remaining old but solid fence, and some new bright orange dipped fencing!  I have a pergola, some trellis and a 3 panel fence with trellis at the top, all of which are cream coloured natural wood at the moment.  I don't want to paint them as I know they will age to a lovely grey in time.  Then there is a back and side fence which were previously painted chestnut brown, but now have some algae green in parts.  Then there is the side fence I had to replace which is bright orange, though the men said it would fade in time ...........  I'm going to post some pics to give you a better idea.

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 You can see that last autumn I did try 6 different Cuprinol garden shades on my back fence!  But I didn't like the fact that the colour looked so solid.  I quite like a sponged effect using two colours that merge randomly, giving a more natural aged effect.  Has anyone ever tried that?  The main thing is that the fencing should provide a harmonious backdrop to the garden and also set off the planting to its best advantage.  The style will be informal with lots of climbers and the colour palette mauve, purple, blue, pink with accents of white and peach.  Any ideas and advice would be so helpful!

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  • SalinoSalino Posts: 1,609

    I like the neat and tidy look of your garden with those raised beds just ready for planting, I get the urge to 'dive in' there, so to speak....

    ..very much to personal taste regarding painting of fences, but I always use a dark Oak colour, as I find it blends in better with everything else, compatible with light colours, and doesn't compete in any way... I don't like coloured fencing, even the popular dark green ones you see today, so it's up to you really I think...

  • Salino wrote (see)

    I like the neat and tidy look of your garden with those raised beds just ready for planting, I get the urge to 'dive in' there, so to speak....

    ..very much to personal taste regarding painting of fences, but I always use a dark Oak colour, as I find it blends in better with everything else, compatible with light colours, and doesn't compete in any way... I don't like coloured fencing, even the popular dark green ones you see today, so it's up to you really I think...

    Thanks Salino.  I too am itching to dive in!  Do you know what brand your Dark Oak is?  You wouldn't have a photo of your garden would you?

  • Tropical SamTropical Sam Posts: 1,488

    I would paint all the fence and trellis in one colour. I also think dark stain makes the green of plants stand out.

    I would paint with the pergola orange like this:

    http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/lorees-dangerously-beautiful-garden-garden-tour-173945

    Or paint the shed in yellow with the window trim in white to make it stand out like this:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/christellefv/6091058318/

    If painting one stain the other like the fence for best effect.

  • Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817

    With the older fencing you have with algae on. If you get some Algon and spray it on it works on fences as well as concrete to remove algae.

    I like the dark oak colour but in my other house, because it felt very enclosed I heard someone on TV recommend a sage green, which I used. It still set off the plants well but seemed to open up the light in the garden. 

    It wasn't cuprinol, I think it was Ronseal and for fences rather than structures, course may not do it now.

  • SalinoSalino Posts: 1,609

    Yes I do, at least here is a photo of just one small trellis section that was painted last autumn. 

    I find none of these types of paints last that long, a couple of years and you will be thinking of doing them again.  The company I use is the one that ''does exactly what it says on the tin'', in case this site doesn't like advertising....

    it's called

    Fence Life, One Coat Colour and Protection

    'Dark Oak'

    they also do a '5 year weather defence' version,  so I might go for the this one next time... but that needs 2 coats...

    I don't like colours like 'Harvest Gold' 'Autumn Brown' or even 'Country Oak' as I have found there is too much orange in them to my eye... but it's up to you, you might like those colours, but I find this to be easy on the eye... but as I say, only good for about 2 years I think and I shall have to do it again... you'll notice the fence on the left I have left 'grey' for now as I don't object to that colour too much...

    image

     

  • marshmellomarshmello Posts: 683

    Looks fab even without the plants. Gonna look awesome when it's planted up. I'm a fan of dark oaks/browns. I think greens, as well as colours work well against that coloured darkdrop.

    Like with interiors, a strong colour of some sort can really help to lift the more subtle shades.

    I do like the idea of using a different colour for the pergola. A modern concept.

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039

    The only thing that I would say is that maybe a dark colour would make the garden smaller, whereas the sage green mentioned earlier might make it feel more open. I think most plants would look great against the sage background. Choices choises its going to be a great gaeden

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,023
    edited September 2019

    We painted our shed with Cuprinol Garden Shades "Willow" and I like it, but it's really a matter of personal taste.;

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    I agree with Punkdoc - as someone trained in colour theory I would use strong colours to make features seem nearer and lighter colours to make them seem further away.  image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    Some good sugestions above, love the willow coloured garden shed and orange pergola.

    I think it's a matter of personal choice and chose to paint my fences/trellis rich oak using a wood preserve after having a lighter shade but acknowledge from puckdoc and Dovefromabove that colour does effect your planting and the illlusion of space.

    You've clearly spent time thinking about the design of your garden. I like the colour of your shed from the photo taken of the front, it could be the way the light is caught but it looks rich and natural. I'd go with that colour for your main structures, trellis and shed with a darker colour for the fence, creating both boundaries and space.    

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