OK, so the short answer to that question is: no. We recognise that would be a very short and possibly not hugely helpful post though, so don’t worry – we’re about to cover all the reasons why in a bit more detail! Now, as you’d expect we’ve got a lot of in-house expertise with composite fencing here at North Valley Composites, and with more than 30 years of experience behind us, rest assured that we’ve seen our fair share of mishaps. Trust us when we say there are lots of very good reasons why you shouldn’t paint your fence – here are some of the biggest!
It can invalidate your warranty
You already know the basics of how a warranty works, but for the sake of clarity it’s worth us quickly recapping it here: it’s basically a guarantee to repair or replace a product (in this case your composite fence) if it’s damaged within a certain period of time. It’s there to protect your rights, and give you peace of mind that you’re getting a quality product.
But – and this is the crucial bit – it only guarantees your fence against certain types of damage. We won’t go into detail about all of them here, but rest assured it does not apply if the fence has suffered any kind of structural or aesthetic damage from being painted. So if you do decide to paint your fence and it all goes wrong, then you’d have no fallback option. The warranty doesn’t cover it – so you’d be stuck with the results!
The shade can turn out unpredictably
Composite fencing provides a famously modern and contemporary look, and a lot of that is down to its carefully formulated colour. We offer composite fencing in a variety of contemporary colours for you to choose from here at North Valley Composites, so that sophisticated, classy look will be one of the first things you’d risk by painting over it. And crucially, there’s that age-old conundrum with painting – you can’t always guarantee what colour it’s going to come out looking like. You know what you want it to look like, and you know what it should end up looking like, but there’s still that element of risk.
That risk is magnified with composite fences – since they’re generally not designed to be painted, you won’t necessarily get any guarantees that the paint will bond as you’d want it to, or dry as you’d want it to, or stick as you’d want it to. You’re essentially rolling the dice.
You’ll almost certainly irreversibly damage the fence itself
Composite fences, as the name suggests, aren’t just wood. We’ll spare you the detailed chemical breakdown, but it’s roughly: 60% wood, 30% plastic (in the form of HDPE or High Density Polyethylene), and 10% chemical additives. These additives are designed to be exposed to air, and not covered under a layer of paint. There are also already tannins in the wood, which work to keep its existing colour consistent. So if you’re covering your fence with paint, the damage might not just be surface deep – you could affect its makeup permanently too, and that means you’ll never be able to reverse the changes if it does come out looking not quite as you’d like it to.
Composite fencing requires a little more investment than timber fencing, so if you’re spending a bit more on it, then it stands to reason you’ll want to keep it looking at its absolute best. If you’re looking for a specific look, the best way is to carefully choose the colour you want from the outset – and that’s exactly where we can help here at North Valley Forge! We’re here to help as much or as little advice as you might need, on everything from colour to size to style.
We’re proud to stock a wide range of composite fence boards, fence panels and accessories, and even composite boards for gates. If you’ve got any questions or need any advice, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01282 677300 to talk to a friendly member of our team, and we’ll be only too happy to see how we can help.
Can composite fencing be painted? Here’s what you need to know
OK, so the short answer to that question is: no. We recognise that would be a very short and possibly not hugely helpful post though, so don’t worry – we’re about to cover all the reasons why in a bit more detail! Now, as you’d expect we’ve got a lot of in-house expertise with composite fencing here at North Valley Composites, and with more than 30 years of experience behind us, rest assured that we’ve seen our fair share of mishaps. Trust us when we say there are lots of very good reasons why you shouldn’t paint your fence – here are some of the biggest!
It can invalidate your warranty
You already know the basics of how a warranty works, but for the sake of clarity it’s worth us quickly recapping it here: it’s basically a guarantee to repair or replace a product (in this case your composite fence) if it’s damaged within a certain period of time. It’s there to protect your rights, and give you peace of mind that you’re getting a quality product.
But – and this is the crucial bit – it only guarantees your fence against certain types of damage. We won’t go into detail about all of them here, but rest assured it does not apply if the fence has suffered any kind of structural or aesthetic damage from being painted. So if you do decide to paint your fence and it all goes wrong, then you’d have no fallback option. The warranty doesn’t cover it – so you’d be stuck with the results!
The shade can turn out unpredictably
Composite fencing provides a famously modern and contemporary look, and a lot of that is down to its carefully formulated colour. We offer composite fencing in a variety of contemporary colours for you to choose from here at North Valley Composites, so that sophisticated, classy look will be one of the first things you’d risk by painting over it. And crucially, there’s that age-old conundrum with painting – you can’t always guarantee what colour it’s going to come out looking like. You know what you want it to look like, and you know what it should end up looking like, but there’s still that element of risk.
That risk is magnified with composite fences – since they’re generally not designed to be painted, you won’t necessarily get any guarantees that the paint will bond as you’d want it to, or dry as you’d want it to, or stick as you’d want it to. You’re essentially rolling the dice.
You’ll almost certainly irreversibly damage the fence itself
Composite fences, as the name suggests, aren’t just wood. We’ll spare you the detailed chemical breakdown, but it’s roughly: 60% wood, 30% plastic (in the form of HDPE or High Density Polyethylene), and 10% chemical additives. These additives are designed to be exposed to air, and not covered under a layer of paint. There are also already tannins in the wood, which work to keep its existing colour consistent. So if you’re covering your fence with paint, the damage might not just be surface deep – you could affect its makeup permanently too, and that means you’ll never be able to reverse the changes if it does come out looking not quite as you’d like it to.
Composite fencing requires a little more investment than timber fencing, so if you’re spending a bit more on it, then it stands to reason you’ll want to keep it looking at its absolute best. If you’re looking for a specific look, the best way is to carefully choose the colour you want from the outset – and that’s exactly where we can help here at North Valley Forge! We’re here to help as much or as little advice as you might need, on everything from colour to size to style.
We’re proud to stock a wide range of composite fence boards, fence panels and accessories, and even composite boards for gates. If you’ve got any questions or need any advice, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01282 677300 to talk to a friendly member of our team, and we’ll be only too happy to see how we can help.