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SA Painting Professionals

Licensed fence and deck painters

Fence, Deck & Timber Staining in Adelaide & South Australia

Fence, deck and timber staining covers the outdoor timber and steel that cops the weather all year: decks, pergolas, verandah posts, paling and hardwood fences, gates, screens, balustrades and retaining wall sleepers. It suits homeowners who want a grey, blotchy deck brought back, landlords keeping a fence sound, and builders finishing new outdoor timber. SA Painting Professionals cleans and strips the timber, treats mould and rust, and applies decking oils, stains, paints or steel coatings chosen for the South Australian sun.

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  • Licensed and insured
  • Free itemised quotes
  • Trade-quality paints
  • Licensed
    Licensed & fully insured
  • Free
    Itemised, no-obligation quotes
  • 1,890+
    SA suburbs & localities serviced
  • Trade-quality
    Paints and coatings on every job

Overview

Fence, Deck & Timber Staining done properly

Outdoor timber in South Australia weathers faster than almost any other surface on a property. UV breaks down the surface fibres, rain and dew lift the grain, and within a season or two an uncoated or under-coated deck turns grey, dries out and starts to check and splinter. Coating it is not just about colour. A decking oil or stain with UV-absorbing pigments feeds and protects the timber, sheds water and slows that breakdown, and a paint film on a fence or pergola does the same for softwood that would otherwise rot at the joints. The right product depends on the timber, the exposure and how much upkeep you are prepared to do.

Typical jobs include a merbau or spotted gum deck that has gone grey and needs stripping back before it is oiled, a treated pine paling fence that has never been coated, a pergola with peeling paint on the posts and beams, hardwood screens and gates, balustrades with dozens of spindles, and Colorbond or tubular steel fences that have faded or rusted at the base. On new builds the work is coating fresh timber once it has weathered enough to take a finish, and on older homes it often includes replacing rotten palings, boards and post bases before anything is applied.

Good work is visible in the preparation and in the way the coating sits. Grey timber is cleaned and stripped back to sound wood, mould is treated, loose boards are re-fixed, nails are punched and the surface is sanded and dust-free before the first coat. Oils and stains are applied thin, brushed into the grain along the length of each board, and excess is wiped off so the deck does not stay tacky. Coats are applied in the shade or early in the day so they do not flash off and leave lap marks. Fence paint goes on by airless spray and is back-brushed into the timber, with a neat cut at posts, rails and the ground.

Timing depends on the weather more than the calendar. Timber has to be dry before it is coated, usually two clear days after washing, and we do not coat in rain, on dewy mornings or in extreme heat that dries the product on the surface before it can penetrate. Furniture, pots and barbecues are moved off the deck, gardens and paving are sheeted, and pool water and neighbouring walls are protected from overspray. A deck is out of use for a day or two after the final coat. On shared boundary fences we coat your side, and both sides only with the neighbour's agreement, and we tell you that before we quote.

Repainted exterior of a suburban house under a clear sky

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Send a few photos or book a site visit. We reply within one business day with a free, itemised written quote and no obligation.

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What's included

What our fence and deck painting service includes

The work that goes into the job before, during and after the paint goes on. Every item is spelled out on your quote.

  • Timber and steel inspection

    We check every board, post, rail and paling for rot, movement, lifted nails and mould, and steel fences for rust at the base and at welds. We identify the timber and any previous coating, because an oiled deck and a painted pergola need very different preparation and products. The findings are written into the quote.

  • Cleaning, stripping and brightening

    Decks are scrubbed with a deck cleaner to lift dirt, mould and failed coating, and grey weathered timber is stripped and then brightened with an oxalic acid based brightener that restores the natural colour of the wood. Fences and pergolas are pressure washed at a pressure the timber can take. Mould is treated with an anti-mould wash.

  • Repairs and re-fixing

    Rotten palings, boards, rails and post bases are cut out and replaced with matching timber. Cupped or loose boards are re-screwed, nails are punched and holes are filled with exterior filler. On steel, rust is wire-brushed back, treated with a rust converter and rusted-through sections are pointed out to you before coating.

  • Sanding and dust removal

    Raised grain and splinters on decks, handrails and balustrades are sanded back so the finish is smooth underfoot and the coating penetrates evenly. Painted timber is sanded to a key and feathered where old paint has peeled. Everything is blown and wiped down before the first coat so no dust is trapped in the finish.

  • Priming bare timber and steel

    Bare and repaired timber that is to be painted gets an exterior timber primer, with a stain-blocking primer on tannin-rich hardwoods so the colour does not bleed through. Steel fences, gates and posts are primed with a rust-inhibiting metal primer, and Colorbond gets the primer suited to pre-coated steel.

  • Two coats of oil, stain or paint

    Decks receive two thin coats of decking oil or stain, brushed along the grain with excess wiped off. Fences, pergolas and screens receive two coats of stain or exterior 100% acrylic paint, sprayed and back-brushed. Balustrades and spindles are brushed by hand so every face is covered, including the underside of the handrail.

  • Protection of the surrounds

    Paving, lawns, garden beds, pool water, house walls, glazing and the neighbour's side of a boundary are sheeted or masked before any product is opened. Furniture, planters and barbecues are moved and returned. Spraying stops when the wind picks up so overspray never reaches cars or nearby homes.

  • Clean-up and care notes

    Rags and oil waste are removed safely, masking comes down, the area is swept and hosed where appropriate and the timber is left to cure. We give you a short note on how long to keep off the deck, when it can take furniture again, and how often the finish will need washing and recoating in its position.

Our process

How we approach fence and deck painting

From first contact to the final walk-through, this is how a job runs with us.

  1. Step 01

    Enquiry and look at the timber

    Send photos of the deck, fence or pergola and tell us what is on it now, if you know. We reply within one business day. In metro Adelaide we measure and inspect on site; regional jobs are quoted from photos and measurements first and confirmed on arrival.

  2. Step 02

    Itemised quote and product choice

    Your free, written quote lists the cleaning and stripping method, repairs, primer, the oil, stain or paint by type and the number of coats. We talk through oil versus stain versus paint for your timber and exposure, show colour samples on a board of the same timber where we can, and explain the upkeep each option needs.

  3. Step 03

    Wash, strip, repair and dry

    Cleaning, stripping and brightening take a day on most decks, and the timber then needs at least two dry days before it is coated. Repairs and re-fixing happen while it dries. Fences and pergolas are washed early in the week so they are dry and ready to coat when we return.

  4. Step 04

    Coating

    Oil or stain goes on in two thin coats with the recoat time respected, early in the day in summer. Paint is sprayed and back-brushed. Rain, dew and heat above the product's limit pause the work. A typical deck or fence takes two to four days in workable weather, spread over a week or so to allow drying.

  5. Step 05

    Walk-through and handover

    We check every board and paling with you in good light, touch up anything missed, remove the protection and return the furniture. You get the product name and colour for future recoats, curing times and advice on washing the timber each spring so the next coat goes on with far less work.

Materials

Oils, stains, paints and steel coatings we use

Outdoor timber needs a product that suits the species, the exposure and how the surface is used, so we choose between oil, stain and paint on each job rather than defaulting to one.

  • Penetrating decking oils

    Oil-based decking oils soak into the timber, feed dense hardwoods such as merbau, spotted gum and jarrah and give a natural, low-sheen finish that shows the grain. They are the easiest finish to maintain, because a recoat needs only a wash and a fresh coat, but decks in full sun need recoating more often than a film-forming product.

  • Water-based decking stains

    Water-based deck stains form a thin, flexible film on the surface, hold their colour longer in high UV and dry quickly, which suits busy households. They resist mould well but need the old coating fully removed when they eventually wear, so the choice between oil and stain is partly about how you want to maintain the deck.

  • Exterior timber stains for fences and screens

    Semi-transparent and solid-colour exterior stains suit paling fences, screens and pergolas where you want a timber look without the upkeep of a deck oil. Products from trade ranges such as Cabot's, Intergrain, Haymes, Dulux and Wattyl are applied by spray and back-brushed so the stain is worked into the grain rather than sitting on top.

  • Exterior 100% acrylic paints

    Painted pergolas, posts, gates, picket fences and verandah timber are finished in exterior 100% acrylic low sheen or gloss over an exterior timber primer. Acrylic stays flexible as the timber moves with the seasons and holds its colour in UV far better than older oil-based systems, which chalk and crack outdoors.

  • Stain-blocking and exterior primers

    Merbau, jarrah and other tannin-rich hardwoods bleed a brown stain through light paint unless they are sealed with a stain-blocking primer first. Treated pine is primed with an exterior acrylic primer once it has weathered, and end grain and cut ends get an extra coat because that is where water gets in.

  • Metal primers and coatings for steel fences and gates

    Tubular steel, wrought iron and galvanised posts are treated for rust, primed with a rust-inhibiting metal primer and finished in an exterior acrylic gloss or a water-based enamel. Faded Colorbond fences are washed, scuffed and coated with a primer suited to pre-coated steel, then two coats of acrylic in a matched or new colour.

  • Deck cleaners, strippers and brighteners

    Preparation products matter as much as the finish. Deck cleaners lift dirt and mould, strippers remove failed coatings, and oxalic acid based brighteners take the grey out of weathered timber and neutralise the stripper so the new oil or stain penetrates evenly and does not go blotchy.

Pricing

What affects the price of fence and deck painting

Every quote is itemised, so you can see exactly where the money goes. These are the factors that move the number most.

Want a number for your job?

No two surfaces are in the same condition, so we quote each job properly rather than guessing. Send photos or book a site visit and we reply within one business day.

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  1. 01

    Area, length and detail

    A deck is priced on its area and a fence on its length and height, but the detail matters as much: balustrades, spindles, lattice, picket fences and pergola rafters are brush work that takes far longer than a flat run of palings.

  2. 02

    Condition of the timber

    A deck that only needs a wash and a fresh coat of oil is a quick job. Grey, blotchy or peeling timber needs stripping, brightening and sanding, and rotten boards, palings and post bases need replacing first.

  3. 03

    Oil, stain or paint, and coats

    Penetrating oils go on quickly but need more frequent recoats. Stains and paints take a primer or extra coats, and a change from a dark stain to a lighter one means the old colour has to be stripped out.

  4. 04

    Timber species and age

    Dense hardwoods such as merbau and spotted gum take oil well but bleed tannin under paint, so they need a stain-blocking primer. New treated pine has to weather before coating, and old softwood often needs more repair.

  5. 05

    Steel versus timber

    Steel fences and gates need rust treatment, a metal primer and a different topcoat, and rust that has gone through a post or panel adds repair or replacement before painting can start.

  6. 06

    Access and both sides

    Elevated decks, fences on a slope, boundaries backing onto a laneway or a neighbour, and pergolas over a pool need extra protection and time. Coating both sides of a shared fence roughly doubles the work and needs the neighbour's agreement.

  7. 07

    Season and weather

    Drying time between washing and coating stretches out in a cool Hills winter, and summer coating is done early in the day, so the same job can take more site visits in one season than another.

FAQ

Fence, Deck & Timber Staining questions

Straight answers to the questions we hear most about this service.

Should I oil or stain my deck?
It depends on the timber, the sun it gets and how you want to maintain it. A penetrating oil gives a natural look, is kind to dense hardwoods and is easy to recoat after a wash, but a north-facing deck in full sun will need it refreshed often. A water-based stain holds its colour longer and dries faster, but when it eventually wears it needs stripping before a new coat. We look at the deck and tell you which suits it.
Can a grey, weathered deck be brought back?
Yes, as long as the boards are sound. Grey timber is surface fibre broken down by UV and rain, and it is cleaned, stripped and then brightened with an oxalic acid based product that restores the natural colour of the wood. A light sand removes raised grain and splinters, and two thin coats of oil or stain finish it. Boards that are cracked through, rotten at the ends or cupped badly are replaced rather than coated over.
How often does a deck need recoating in South Australia?
More often than most people expect, because the UV here is hard on timber. A deck in full sun with a penetrating oil is usually recoated every year or two, and a shaded or stained deck goes longer. The finish tells you: when water stops beading and the colour looks flat, it is time. A wash and a maintenance coat before the timber goes grey is quick and cheap compared with a full strip, so we give you a recoat guide at handover.
My deck or fence is brand new. Can it be coated straight away?
New hardwood decking such as merbau is best coated soon after installation, once it has been cleaned to remove the surface tannin and mill glaze, or it goes grey and stains the paving underneath. New treated pine is different: it should weather for a few weeks so the treatment surface dries and the timber opens up enough to take a stain or primer. We advise on timing for your timber when you enquire, and we can clean the merbau to stop the tannin run-off in the meantime.
Do you paint both sides of a boundary fence?
We coat your side as standard. A boundary fence is shared with your neighbour, so the other side is theirs to decide on, and we only coat it with their agreement, which some neighbours are happy to give and split the cost. Either way the neighbour's side, plants and paving are protected from overspray, and we let you know before the quote so you can have the conversation early.
Can a Colorbond or steel fence be painted?
Yes. Faded Colorbond is washed, lightly scuffed, primed with a primer suited to pre-coated steel and given two coats of exterior acrylic in a matched colour or a new one. Tubular steel, wrought iron and galvanised posts and gates are treated for rust, primed with a rust-inhibiting metal primer and finished in an exterior gloss. Rust that has eaten through a panel or post base is pointed out before we start, because paint will not fix it.
How long does a deck or fence take?
Most decks and fences take two to four days of work spread over about a week, because the timber has to dry for at least two clear days after washing before it is coated and each coat needs its own drying time. Stripping a large grey deck, replacing palings or hand-brushing balustrades adds time. Rain, dew and extreme heat pause the coating stage, so we give you a program with the quote and update it if the weather moves.
Why does the timber on the south side of my house go mouldy?
Shaded, south-facing timber stays damp longer after rain and dew, and in cooler, wetter areas such as the Adelaide Hills and the South East that means mould and mildew, especially on decks, pergolas and fences under trees. We treat it with an anti-mould wash before coating and use a stain or paint with mould inhibitors. A yearly wash keeps it in check, and trimming back overhanging foliage helps more than any product does.

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Service areas

Where we offer fence and deck painting

Adelaide based and servicing all of South Australia, from the CBD and suburbs to the Hills, the coast and the regions. Choose your region to find your suburb page, or search for your suburb directly.

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