Painting Cedar

• Painting a cedar fence can make it last longer than staining, because paint offers more protection from the elements. Acrylic paint, or latex paint, is the top choice for painting cedar. Acrylic paint is fast drying, flexible, durable and poses fewer environmental hazards than oil paint.
  
  

Before You Prime

• Seal wood with a water-repellant wax preservative. Unsealed cedar will absorb water quickly when exposed, where as sealed cedar will not absorb the water. Instead, water droplets will bead on the surface of the wood and then evaporate slowly. Water-repellant preservatives could be sprayed or brushed on. Spray form can be more hazardous to your health and the environment, so take care when using this method.
  
  

Primer

• Acrylic paint will require you to prime the surface of the wood before applying the paint itself. If you prime before you paint, the paint will adhere better to the surface of the wood and it will last longer. Use a quality exterior stain-blocking latex primer and give it time to dry according to the instructions on the can. After the primer is dry, you're ready to paint.
  
  

Painting Previously Painted Fences

• Clean the fence with a hose and a rag with soapy water and allow the fence to dry. Scrape off any peeling or flaking paint and sand any areas where the bare wood is exposed. Try to make the surface of the fence as smooth as possible so that the previous layers of paint won't show through as textures in the new layers of paint. Apply water-repellant preservative over the old paint, then prime and then paint.