Project book · a weekend

Stain a wood fence

Clean it, let it dry, stain it. A few more years before it goes gray again.

How long is the fence?

feet

This fits in a car

About 58 lb of materials. Comfortably inside what a car carries (200 lb), so any shopper can take it. ⚠️ 1 item on the list has no weight on file, so the real load is a little heavier than this.

Before you start

Rags soaked in oil-based stain can catch fire on their own as they dry. Lay them flat outside to dry or drop them in a metal can of water. A pressure washer can cut skin — never point it at anyone, and keep the tip moving.

What to buy — untick anything you have

Paint

Supplies

Tools — already ticked off, since most people have them

Tools

It lands in the shopping form, where you can edit anything and say what you think each thing costs. Nothing is ordered until you send it.

How it goes · about a weekend · beginner

  1. Cover plants, the house siding and anything else near the fence with the plastic sheeting.
  2. Spray the cleaner on, let it sit as the label says, scrub the worst spots, and rinse — gently with the pressure washer, low pressure and a wide tip.
  3. Let the fence dry for at least two full days of dry weather.
  4. Spray the stain on a few boards at a time and back-brush it in right away so it soaks in rather than running.
  5. Work top to bottom in the shade if you can. Stain that dries in full sun goes on blotchy.

Something else

Build a raised garden bedMulch a flower bedPaint a roomPut up garage shelvingFix a patchy lawnBuild a fire pitMount a TV on the wallCookout for a crowd

Feeding people instead? The recipe book works the same way — pick a meal, say how many, every ingredient lands on the list.

Stain a wood fence — everything for it, in one tap · DriverRuns