Brooklyn lots are narrow, so a fence is close to the house and always in view. Wood privacy fences are washed, dried and stained or painted. Iron fences, gates and stoop railings are wire brushed, primed against rust and painted, which matters most near the harbor and the bay.
Fences in Brooklyn are short runs on narrow lots. Behind row houses, wood privacy fences divide one garden from the next, usually cedar or pressure-treated pine, often with ivy and planters against them. At the front there is iron: the fence around the areaway, the gate and the railings up the stoop, many of them original to the house. Detached homes in Flatbush, Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst add driveway gates and longer side runs. We paint and stain all of these, and each material gets its own prep.
A wood fence is cleaned first to take off dirt, mildew and gray weathered wood, then left to dry. Loose pickets and rails are fastened and any rotten ones pointed out to you. Stain is the usual choice, since it soaks in and does not peel when the wood swells and shrinks with the seasons. Paint is possible on a smooth fence in fair condition. New pressure-treated lumber needs time to dry out before it will take a finish, so a brand new fence may have to wait.
Iron needs different care. Rust and loose paint are taken off with wire brushes and scrapers, bare metal is primed with a rust-inhibiting primer and the piece gets finish coats of a metal enamel. On an old house the existing layers may hold lead, so the removal is done with lead-safe methods and the chips are collected. A shared fence sits on a property line, so talk to your neighbor before work starts. We may need to stand in their yard to finish the far side.
Fence painting & staining in Brooklyn: common questions
Can you paint only my side of a shared garden fence?
Yes. One side can be stained or painted on its own. Some stain may show through gaps between boards, so it is polite to tell the neighbor. If they want their side done too, we can quote both together.
How do you stop rust coming back on a stoop railing?
By removing loose rust down to firm metal, priming the bare spots with a rust-inhibiting primer the same day and sealing joints where water sits. Near the harbor and the bays, salt speeds rust up, so railings there need checking more often.
Is black the only color for an iron fence in a historic district?
Black is the traditional and common choice. In a historic district a color change on front ironwork can need a Landmarks Preservation Commission permit, while repainting in the existing color does not. We can help you check before you choose.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the job and measure.
- Written quote: Prep, paint and price in writing.
- Prep & protect: We cover floors and furniture, repair and prime surfaces.
- Paint & walk-through: Two coats, clean lines, full clean-up and a final walk-through.