The surface decides the product. Timber fences and decks need water-based acrylic (or a penetrating stain if you want the grain to show).Dulux TradeView source Colorbond and metal fences need a primer for pre-painted steel before any topcoat goes on.Dulux AustraliaView source Get the surface wrong and the paint lifts in a season, no matter the brand on the tin.
Timber or Colorbond: the material drives everything else
Most fences in Australia are timber paling or Colorbond steel. They are not the same job. A timber fence needs cleaning, light sanding, and two coats of water-based exterior paint.Dulux AustraliaView source A Colorbond fence needs a primer suited to pre-painted steel before the topcoat. Without it, the paint cannot grip the factory finish.
Timber decks follow the same rule: prep depends on the species and what is already on the surface. Bare hardwood (Merbau, Spotted Gum, Jarrah) is tannin-rich. Tannin bleeds through a bare topcoat and stains the finish, so a primer coat is required on bare surfaces.Dulux AustraliaView source A surface that is peeling or flaking has to be dealt with before repainting starts. A licensed painter will check this at the quote stage.
Paint or stain: opaque covers the grain, penetrating stain feeds it
Once you know the surface, you face a second decision for timber: opaque paint or penetrating stain. Opaque paint forms a film on the wood, gives a solid colour, and hides the grain. A penetrating stain soaks into the wood, feeds the fibres, and lets the grain show.Haymes PaintView source Both work. They just look different, and the choice is mostly one-way.
Once a fence has been painted opaque, you cannot apply a penetrating stain over it without stripping back to bare timber first. That is a big extra job. If you want a natural-grain finish now or later, choose a stain from the start.Haymes PaintView source
For any outdoor timber, water-based paint is the right call, whether opaque or stain. Water-based coatings flex with the timber as it moves with heat and moisture. A rigid coating cracks at those joints.Dulux TradeView source Oil-based paint hardens outdoors over time, and it chalks and fades faster in UV than a water-based system. If a quote specifies oil-based for a timber fence or deck, ask the painter why.
What does fence painting cost?
The typical cost depends on how much fence you have, what it is made of, and how much prep is needed. Use the estimator to get a sense of the range for your job.
What drives the cost: run length, surface type, and the prep condition
Three things set the price. First: run length, meaning how many metres of fence or square metres of deck. More area means more paint and more time.
Second: surface type. A standard timber paling fence includes basic prep (wash, light sanding) and two coats. A picket or ornate iron fence costs more because a painter has to cut in around every single post and rail by hand, which adds labour per metre. Colorbond sits in its own tier: special primer, extra dry time between coats, slower work overall.
Third: prep condition. A fence that is grey, peeling, or weathered needs more work before any topcoat goes on. A good quote breaks out prep separately. If a quote is one line with no detail, ask the painter what the prep covers. That is where the price can vary most.
For actual pricing by suburb, see what fence painting costs on the SureQuote cost guide.
How often does a fence or deck need repainting?
There is no fixed answer. How long a paint job lasts depends on the prep, the product, the timber, and how much sun and rain the surface gets. A fence in full coastal sun fades faster than one in a shaded backyard. A hardwood deck with a primer coat holds longer than one where the primer was skipped.
Watch the surface, not the calendar. When the paint starts to chalk, fade, or crack at the joints, repaint before the film breaks down and moisture gets into the wood. Repainting over a sound film is a two-coat job. Waiting until the film has gone means prep first, which adds time and cost.
What to tell a painter, and what a good quote covers
A licensed painter quoting this job needs four things: the fence material (timber species or Colorbond), the run length or deck area, whether the surface is new or already coated, and the condition of that coat (sound, peeling, or chalking). Those four things set the prep, the product, and the coat count.
A good quote breaks out labour, materials, and surface type as separate line items, not just a total. If a quote is lower than others and does not spell out the prep, ask what it covers. Skipping primer on a tannin-rich deck, or skipping adhesion prep on Colorbond, is a cut that shows up six months later as staining or peeling.Dulux AustraliaView source
For masonry fences and brick walls (where the surface decision is different), see the guide to painting a brick fence or wall. For weatherboard and render on the house itself, see the weatherboard and render guide.
Fence and deck painting: common questions
Opaque paint gives a solid colour and hides the grain. A penetrating stain shows the timber's natural grain and feeds the wood fibres. Both are water-based and both work. The catch: once a fence has been painted opaque, switching to a stain later means stripping to bare timber first, which is a much bigger job. Choose a stain at the start if that is the look you want.
Colorbond is a pre-painted steel product. The topcoat needs to grip the factory finish, not bare metal. A licensed painter will use a primer for pre-painted steel before the topcoat goes on. Skip it and the topcoat can peel within a year. Products like Dulux Weathershield work on Colorbond, but the primer step is not skippable.
There is no set cycle. It depends on the timber, the product, and how much sun and rain the deck gets. Watch the surface, not the calendar. When the paint starts to chalk, fade, or crack at the joints, that is the time to act. Catching it early means a two-coat job. Waiting until timber is bare means prep work first.
For bare hardwoods (Merbau, Spotted Gum, Jarrah, Blackbutt, Ironbark), yes. These timbers are tannin-rich, and tannin bleeds through a bare topcoat and stains the finish. A primer coat blocks it. For a previously painted surface in good shape, priming is not needed. A licensed painter checks this at the quote stage; skipping a needed primer shows up within months.
Decking paint is an opaque exterior coat built for foot traffic, sun, and outdoor moisture. Water-based acrylic gives a solid colour and covers the grain. If you want the grain to show, a penetrating deck stain or timber oil is the other option. Both work well; the prep is much the same for each.
Ready to get your fence or deck painted?
A licensed painter will confirm the surface, advise on prep and product, and give you a quote for your specific job. SureQuote connects you with licensed painters in your area, and you can see a price estimate before anyone arrives.
Sources
General information only. Not a substitute for advice from a licensed painter about your specific fence or deck.
- Dulux TradeView source
- Dulux AustraliaView source
- Haymes PaintView source
- TaubmansView source
- TaubmansView source