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Fence paint - light versus dark?

Newbie_gardenerNewbie_gardener Posts: 6
in Garden design
Hi, 

I'm looking to paint my fence panels. Sadly wood stain isn't an option so we are looking at different paint colours. Has anyone used cuprinol urban slate? Our garden is long and narrow(ish) so don't want it to feel too closed in! I was originally thinking pale green but read somewhere that the lighter/warmer colours visually 'move forwards' making the garden feel smaller so I'm thinking mid/dark! Any advice or pics of your painted fences would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks. 
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  • Newbie_gardenerNewbie_gardener Posts: 6
    We also have old railway sleepers so would need to tie in!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Having gone from dark fences to light ourselves,  my message to you is to go dark.
    Ours will be going dark next time we do them. 

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





  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Dark for me too, ours are a darkish grey with natural sleepers. We did paint some sleepers but I always seem to get soil on them and they look messy whereas with the unpainted ones it blends in!
  • Big Blue SkyBig Blue Sky Posts: 716
    I would definitely recommend dark fencing. About two years ago I decided to change our dark red/brown colour to lighter warm golden brown. The colour as such was beautiful, but it made our already small garden look even smaller, it felt almost claustrophobic. Besides some flowers being yellow or orange were almost invisible with the golden brown background. 
    I only had the colour for one summer and returned to the original one as soon as I could. Thinking of trying an even darker colour next time the fences need to be refreshed. 
    Surrey
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    edited April 2020
    I like the idea of dark panels but I do think it depends on the rest of your garden and the effect you want to create. In K67’s picture the slate of the fence panel matches the sleepers on the bottom left and imo really works.

    Ive got dozens of 3m panels that took years to hand paint ‘autumn gold’ and they bring out the harvest colours I have in the long grass in the centre of the garden, and the colour of the sheds and arches.


    And the low sun brings out the colour (apologies for the mess)


  • OmoriOmori Posts: 1,674
    We have urban slate, it makes the fence recede into the background and foliage really pops against it. It goes with everything, too, plant-wise.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Mine are all dark, but I also have a screen and a bench painted in 'Willow' which is a soft green, as an accent.
    Many people moan about repainting each year, and I certainly have to do that as the paints don't last if you get a lot of weather, but if you have a lot of planting, it isn't necessary to do it all either. I don't use the one that's meant to last five years, I use a  Ronseal one - Tudor Black [?]  and some areas only need 'a lick and a promise' as my Mum used to say.  :)
    I've just been doing mine on the good days recently. I find it very relaxing, but maybe I'm just weird. It's that 'mindfulness' thing for me. Radio on, cup of tea, and a paintbrush or roller in my hand.  
    Just be careful if you do that  - don't dip the brush in the wrong container...

    Old pic but it shows how it can set plants off

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • the tidy gardenerthe tidy gardener Posts: 591
    I would always go for green.and dark. You want it to blend in tou dont want oh theres the fence! Mine are all dark green.and the more expensive you get if you have to replace the better!
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Barn Black , Shows off everything in front of it, but the fence vanishes so doesn't stick out like a sore thumb
    Devon.
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    You don't have to restrict yourself to just dark or light, you can find mid-range colours that work very well.  We painted the fence in our previous garden grey, although it looked more like purple.  It picked up the green of foliage very well.  It wasn't one of the pre-selected shades you can buy from Cuprinol, etc.  We got it mixed for us at our local DIY superstore, from the thousands of shades that Dulux do.  You'll find a much wider range of colour options if you do this.  We just made sure to select the right kind of paint for use on outdoor wood.  It wasn't a stain, it was completely opaque, which we preferred, as we wanted a very contemporary look.


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