How to Refinish Chain Link Fencing

Chain link fencing is a strong and affordable solution for yards, public buildings and other large spaces. It’s known for holding up well for decades when cared for properly, and looks nice for much of that period as well. Unfortunately, like anything else, eventually chain link fencing begins to wear out and show signs of aging. One of the best ways to ensure that it remains in pristine condition over time is to refinish it with a coat of paint eventually. 

Remove Weeds and Grass

Before you even start the process, make sure that you go around your fencing and trim down the grass and weeds so that they are out of your way. The last thing you want to do is deal with tall grass that’s constantly getting in your way while refinishing the bottom portion of your fencing. A good string trimmer will make quick work of this task. 

Clean it Down

Get a good powered wire brush tool and use it to scrape off any flaking paint or rust that you encounter on the fence. The larger the brush head, the faster the process will go, so rent a decent sized tool if you have a lot of fencing to go over. Once all the paint and rust is removed, you can finish off cleaning the fencing with a powerful pressure washer. Spray down every part of the fencing to remove any debris, oil and grime that might affect your layers of paint. 

Ground Protection

Wait at least a day after washing down the fencing so that it can adequately dry, and then lay down cardboard or drop cloths underneath a large section of fencing. Be sure to move the ground cover along the fence as you go, if you don’t have enough to protect under all the fencing at once. 

Rust Coating

It’s possible that you couldn’t remove every bit of rust that you encountered, no matter how much you scrubbed and scraped at it, and that’s okay. Now that you’ve got most of the cleaning out of the way, apply a good quality oil-based primer to the rust-covered spots of your fence, to prepare it for the new paint. Be careful not to get this primer on any of the sections of fencing where the original paint is still intact and in good condition. Follow the directions on the primer container and give it plenty of time to dry properly before you begin painting. 

Paint it On

Now that you’ve gone through the process of prepping your fence, take a long knap roller and apply your chosen exterior paint over all the links of your fencing. Take care not to miss any of them during the application process. Finish up any smaller or difficult-to-reach spots using a standard paint brush. 

Now your fencing is protected once again and should be able to withstand whatever weather can throw at it for many years to come. Congratulations, you’ve greatly extended your fencing’s lifespan. To have a fence put up, repaired or replaced; speak with us here at Premier Fence. We can ensure that it is in the best shape possible.