shadowbox fences

[CompletelyClean 14]

Had to measure one today (200 linear feet x 6' high). How much are you guys charging for these type of fences? Also, is it usually a harder sell since the homeowner must have BOTH sides sealed on this type of fence?

[CompletelyClean 14]

By the way...the fene is a 1 year old cedar with no previous treatment. I would be looking at cleaning, brightening, and sealing. Forgive me for not mentioning this in the first post...I'm dog-a$$ed tired!

[Aplus 525]

The homeowner does not necessarily have to have both sides stained. They may not care what the other side looks like. Of course, it's best to explain that the most important purpose of staining a fence is to increase it's longevity, and if one side isn't done, then what's the good?

Let me tell you this....a typical 6x8 fence panel is 48 s/f, and being a rough sawn wood, you can expect a coverage rate of 100-125 s/f at the max. So you'll get about 2.5 panels, one side, per gallon of stain. You will also use proportionate amounts of cleaner and brightener.

Fences are relatively fast and easy to stain, a pump cart works exceptionally well. An airless can sometimes make too much overspray from too much atomizing.

Armed with that info, you need to figure out what you need to charge to make a proper profit.

I've heard others mention $5-6 per foot per side, but realistically, the homeowner could almost have a new fence installed for that much money. Seriously, the real labor in fence installation is digging the post holes and cementing the posts in. Hanging the panels is a piece of cake.

I have not found one homeowner willing to pay that much to stain a fence. My bottom line is I can't get the rate I'm used to, but I will take them on when asked, because I get a lot of exposure, and usually net other jobs in addition to the fence job.

[CompletelyClean 14]

Tony, I have stained just one side of a stockade fence before and didn't have any problems with the sealer "wrapping" around the boards. Would that be the case ith shadowbox? It sure seems like when I spray at an angle to get the board behind the two in front of you, the sealer will be landing on the opposite side of the fence or wrapping around the boards as it soaks in. Have you (or anyone else) ever sealed just one side of a shadowbox? I would be happy to just do one side if that's what they wanted, but I don't feel it would be possible to do this and keep the stain off the other side. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Aplus 525]

Bryan,

Yes, the stain can somewhat wrap-around when spraying a shadow box. So the question is, who's fence is it? If the person hiring you, is the person who paid for the fence, theoretically they have no obligation to the neighbor on the other side.

I've had it go both ways, some customers want both sides done, and others will only pay for the side they see, to heck with the other side, the people over there can pay for it if they want it to look nice.

In either case, I go over to that neighbors house, and let them know I will be refinishing the fence, because naturally some water is going to come thru. At that point they could decide if they want to spring for the cost of having their side of the fence done at the same time.

Being a shadow box style, it's prudent to explain your concerns if the customer is intent to only pay to have one side done, although it may not do any good.

[CompletelyClean 14]

Thanks, Tony. I really didn't care whether I got this job or not. I don't feel there is much money to be made from this type of project, s i bid it at $1 PER s.f. I mentionedthe cost factors, etc. Of course, they declined. I will be washing their pool patio, though because of my photos in my portfolio (if you don't have a portfolio, get one!). I also told them they would be better off doing it themselves, and I gave them the proper instructions for doing so. They appreciated my honesty and still gave me some work, so everyone is happy. Thanks again.