Tom Sawyer (the eponymous hero of the Mark Twain novels) said that painting a fence can be a very satisfying activity. And he was right; a nicely painted fence adds a natural charm to the surroundings and emphasizes the charm of the house itself. However, fences around the log cabins are painted not only with the purpose of making them pleasant to the eye, but also to protect the wood from natural rot and mold. Natural wood left unpainted can crack and split after some time, so it is essential to repaint a fence every 5-6 years. The paint, obviously, should be environmentally friendly and not cause any harm to people's or animals’ health.
Initial arrangements
Before going ahead with painting it is recommended that you remove dust from the fence, to treat it with antiseptic and level it with sandpaper if it is not smooth enough. If the fence of a log cabin is an old one, it might be necessary to wash it with special detergent and to remove all the moss first.
Painting
One of the best paints for the fence is an oil-based paint, non-toxic one, causing no harm to the environment or people's health. Paints with natural pigments come as highly recommended ones – they also come in natural color shades. When choosing the color try to think of how it will match the environment – it can either merge with the surroundings or add an additional contrasting feature to it.
When to paint
The most recommended time to paint a cabin would be on a sunny dry day but not on a hot one or a cold one (-10°C). Also, avoid painting if it might rain immediately after painting. It is also important to follow the manufacturer's instructions: clear treatments are recommended more for the interior rather than exterior; don't paint a wet surface ‒ let the painted surface dry out properly etc.
Safe and pleasant
If the paint is environmentally friendly, which would be the case if you use flax seed oil-based paint, painting of the fence can become a fun recreational activity for you and your children.
