PDS Painting Birmingham offers fence and decking painting and staining across Birmingham, covering fence panels, posts, gravel boards and timber decks. As a working painter and decorator in Birmingham, we only put a finish onto timber that’s clean and dry, and everything goes on by brush and roller, worked into the grain.
Garden timber can only be treated in settled weather, so we book these jobs into dry spells from spring to early autumn. If the house needs attention too, see all our painting and decorating services.
What We Paint, Stain and Oil in Your Garden
We paint, stain and oil fences, fence panels and posts, and timber decking with its handrails, balustrades and steps.
Fences, Panels and Posts
We treat overlap and lap panels, closeboard and featheredge fencing, picket fences, posts and gravel boards. Most fence timber is rough-sawn softwood, which soaks up paint and stain, so it has to be brushed well into the grain. A thin coat skimmed over the surface leaves bare fibres showing within weeks.
We treat your side of the fence as standard. The other side is only done with your neighbour’s agreement.
Timber Decking
We work on softwood and hardwood decking boards, handrails, balustrades and steps. Green algae and old flaking finish have to come off first, or the new coat sits on dirt and lets go. We’ll explain how we’ll clean your deck when we quote.
On boards that are walked on, a decking oil or decking stain that soaks in lasts better than a paint film, which tends to peel underfoot. Composite decking isn’t stained or painted.
Paint, Stain or Oil: Which Suits Your Fence or Deck?
| Finish | What it does | Looks | Best for | Upkeep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fence paint or opaque treatment | Colours the timber solidly and hides the grain | Even, solid colour | Rough-sawn fences, older panels | Recoat when it fades or starts to flake |
| Wood stain | Colours the timber while the grain shows through | Natural, with grain visible | Fences, gates and smoother timber | Recoat as the colour fades |
| Decking oil | Soaks in, feeds the wood and repels water, with no film to peel | Natural, slightly richer timber | Decking boards | Re-oiled more often than painted surfaces |
| Decking stain | Adds colour to decking boards | Coloured, grain still visible | Decking where you want a colour change | Can wear through on walkways |
Once a fence has been painted a solid colour, going back to a natural stain isn’t practical, so it’s worth deciding carefully. Recoat intervals vary between products, and the manufacturer’s guidance is the one to follow.
For a fuller comparison, including what to consider if you’re doing it yourself, read our guide on paint, stain or oil for fences and decking.
When to Book: The Fence and Decking Season in Birmingham
Garden timber can only be painted, stained or oiled when it’s dry and the weather is set fair, which in Birmingham usually means late spring to early autumn.
The wood has to have dried out before we start, not still damp from overnight rain or morning dew. It then needs dry weather afterwards until the product is rain-proof, a time the tin states. We avoid frost, days with rain forecast inside that window, and hot direct sun on decking, which makes oils and stains dry too fast and patchy.
New pressure-treated timber may need to weather before some finishes will take, and the product label says how long. Dry-weather slots fill quickly once the season starts, so it pays to book early in the year.
Outside the season, the visit and quote can still happen. Getting that done over the winter means your fence or deck is already in the diary when the first settled spell of spring arrives.
How We Prepare and Finish Garden Timber
A fence or deck finish is only as good as the preparation and the way it’s applied. Our process:
- Protect. We cover plants, paving and walls, and protect the neighbour’s side of the fence.
- Clean. We remove dirt, algae and loose fibres, using a method we explain in your quote.
- Scrape and sand. Flaking old paint or stain comes off so the new finish bonds to sound timber.
- Check. We look over posts and rails for rot or movement and flag anything that needs repairing before it’s treated.
- Apply by hand. Brush and roller, working the finish into rough grain and end grain.
- Second coat. Applied where the product needs one.
- Clean up. We tidy up and walk round the finished work with you.
Applying everything by hand keeps the finish on your timber, and off the neighbour’s car, conservatory and washing.
Painting a Shared Fence: Your Side and Your Neighbour’s
In Birmingham’s terraced and semi-detached streets, most garden fences are shared, and it’s a common worry. You can treat your own side. Painting the neighbour’s side, or a fence they own, needs their agreement, and the colour on their side is their choice.
Your deeds or title plan may show who owns the boundary. We’ll always ask before touching the far side or anything an overspill might reach. This is practical advice, not legal advice: check your deeds and talk to your neighbour.
Fence and Decking Painting Alongside an Exterior Repaint
Many customers book the garden timber in with their exterior house painting, covering render, fascias and windows in the same dry spell. That way access and protection are set up once for the whole job.
What Affects the Cost of Fence and Decking Painting?
Garden jobs vary a lot in size, and the price depends on:
- the length and height of the fencing, or the area of the deck
- one side of the fence or both
- rough-sawn or smooth timber
- the condition of the timber and how much cleaning it needs
- a colour change, especially light over dark
- paint, stain or oil, and the number of coats
- access to the garden, through the house or a side gate
We measure up on the visit and fix the price in a written quote. To get a feel for costs first, see our Birmingham painter and decorator price guide.
Photos of finished fences and decks are added below as garden jobs are completed, or you can see more of our work across the city.
What Our Customers Say
Our painters are DBS-checked, so you can leave us to it in the back garden with confidence.
For more from people we’ve worked for, read our customer reviews.
Areas We Cover for Fence and Decking Work
We paint and stain fences and decking across Birmingham city, including Sutton Coldfield. Local pages for the areas we work in most:
To see every neighbourhood we cover, look at all areas.
Fence and Decking Painting Questions
Is it better to paint or stain a fence?
Paint, or an opaque fence treatment, gives a solid colour and suits rough-sawn panels that have seen better days. Stain keeps the grain showing and suits newer or smoother timber. Bear in mind that once a fence has been painted a solid colour, going back to a natural stain isn't practical. Our guide on paint, stain or oil for fences and decking goes into more detail.
When is the best time of year to stain a fence or deck?
Late spring to early autumn, in a settled dry spell. The timber has to be properly dry before anything goes on, and there must be no rain due until the product is rain-proof, which the tin will tell you. Dry-weather slots go quickly once the season starts, so booking early in the year gives you the best choice of dates.
Can you paint or stain decking?
Yes. On boards you walk on, a decking oil or decking stain that soaks into the timber usually lasts better than a paint film, which tends to peel and wear through underfoot. We also do handrails, balustrades and steps. Composite decking is a different material and isn't stained or painted at all.
Do I need my neighbour's permission to paint the fence?
To treat your own side, generally not. To paint the neighbour's side, or a fence they own, you need their agreement, and the colour on their side is their choice. Your property deeds or title plan may show who owns the boundary. This isn't legal advice, so check your deeds and talk to your neighbour first.
How often does a fence need re-staining?
It depends on the product, the timber and how much sun and rain the fence takes, and the manufacturer's guidance on the tin is the best starting point. Watch for the signs instead of the calendar: colour fading, water soaking in instead of beading on the surface, and timber turning grey. When you see those, it's time for another coat.
Do you spray fences?
No - everything is applied by brush and roller, which keeps the finish off your neighbours' property, cars and plants.
Can you paint new fence panels straight away?
Sometimes, but not always. It depends on how the timber has been treated and on the product going on. Some new pressure-treated panels need time to weather before a finish will take properly, and the product label says how long to wait. We'll check what you've got before we book the work in.