Timber fencing: preparation is most of the job
Timber is a porous, living material that moves with moisture and temperature, and it greys and weathers when left uncoated. Before any paint or stain goes on, timber generally needs cleaning to remove surface grime and any existing flaking coating, sanding where the surface is rough or previously coated, and a check for any split, warped or rotten palings that need repair or replacement first.
Coating choice matters too — solid stains and paints give more colour coverage and hide the timber grain, while semi-transparent stains let the grain show through but generally need more frequent maintenance. Either way, the coating needs to be flexible enough to move with the timber, or it will crack at the board joints well before the rest of the surface fails.
Colorbond fencing: it's about the primer and the rust
Colorbond and other pre-painted metal fencing come from the factory with a durable finish, but that finish does eventually chalk and fade, and scratches or fixing points can develop surface rust over time. Painting over Colorbond isn't as simple as painting timber — it needs the right specialist primer designed to adhere to a factory-coated metal surface, or the new paint won't bond properly and will peel.
Any rust spots need to be treated before priming, not just painted over, since rust left underneath a new coat will keep spreading regardless of what's on top of it.
The biggest mistake with Colorbond isn't the paint — it's skipping the specialist primer it actually needs to stick.
Sun exposure changes both differently
Fencing usually has no eaves or shelter, so it takes full sun and rain on both faces. For timber, that accelerates weathering and greying on the sun-facing side noticeably faster than the shaded side. For Colorbond, UV exposure is what drives chalking and fading over years, which is why colour-matching an older Colorbond fence to newer sections can be trickier than expected.
Getting the right approach for your fence
Because the preparation and products are genuinely different, the right approach comes down to an on-site look at your specific fence — its material, age, and condition — rather than a generic answer. We assess both timber and Colorbond fencing the same way we would any exterior surface: properly, before quoting, so the finish actually lasts.
