How much does it cost to paint or stain both sides of a fence in Metro Vancouver?

Professionally staining or painting both sides of a fence in Metro Vancouver typically costs $4-$10 per linear foot, or roughly $400-$1,000 for a 100-linear-foot fence. DIY staining costs significantly less — about $1.50-$3 per linear foot for materials — but requires proper preparation, dry weather, and a full weekend of work for a typical residential fence.

The cost difference between one-sided and two-sided staining is substantial. Most professional quotes for fence staining assume one side only. Staining both sides effectively doubles the labour and adds 40-60% more stain, pushing a $2-$5 per linear foot one-sided job to $4-$10 per linear foot for both sides. The reason it's not exactly double is that the contractor is already set up, the prep work (cleaning, masking) partially overlaps, and access on the second side is usually straightforward if the fence is accessible from both properties. However, if the second side faces a neighbour's property and access is restricted, labour costs increase because the contractor may need to work from your side using extension tools or negotiate access through the neighbour's yard.

Stain versus paint is an important choice in Metro Vancouver's climate. Semi-transparent stain is the most popular option for cedar fences because it penetrates the wood, highlights the natural grain, and allows moisture to escape through the wood — critical in a climate that receives over 1,200mm of rain annually. Semi-transparent stain costs $40-$70 per gallon and covers about 150-250 square feet per gallon depending on wood porosity. Solid-colour stain provides more UV and weather protection but hides the wood grain and behaves more like paint — it sits on the surface rather than penetrating. Exterior paint ($50-$80 per gallon for quality fence paint) provides the most colour options and surface protection but creates a film that can peel, blister, and trap moisture behind it. In Metro Vancouver's wet climate, peeling paint on a fence is a common and frustrating maintenance problem. Once you commit to paint, you're locked into scraping and repainting every 3-5 years.

Preparation is where most of the labour cost sits. A professional fence staining job in Metro Vancouver includes pressure washing or hand-cleaning the fence to remove dirt, moss, algae, and mildew (extremely common on fences here), allowing 48 hours of dry weather for the wood to dry after cleaning, light sanding of rough spots, masking landscaping and adjacent surfaces, and then applying the stain. If the fence has old stain or paint that's peeling, stripping adds significant cost — $3-$8 per linear foot on top of the staining cost. For previously untreated fences, prep is simpler and cheaper.

Timing matters enormously in Metro Vancouver. Stain and paint need dry wood and dry weather to adhere properly. The ideal staining window is May through September, when Metro Vancouver typically sees the longest stretches of dry weather. Staining during the October-to-March wet season is not recommended — even if you catch a dry day, the wood is likely saturated with moisture from weeks of rain, and stain applied to wet wood won't penetrate or bond correctly. Most professional fence stainers in Metro Vancouver book up quickly during the summer months, so schedule early — April or May for a June/July application.

For DIY staining, the main costs are stain ($40-$70 per gallon, budget 2-3 gallons per 100 linear feet for both sides of a 6-foot fence), a pump sprayer or roller and brush set ($30-$60), and cleaning supplies ($20-$40 for a pressure washer rental or cleaning solution). The most efficient DIY method is to spray the stain with a pump sprayer and immediately back-brush with a wide brush to work it into the wood grain. This gives professional-quality results at a fraction of the cost. Plan on a full day for cleaning and prep, and another full day for application — more if you're doing both sides.

Re-staining frequency in Metro Vancouver is every 2-3 years for semi-transparent stain on cedar or pressure-treated wood. South-facing and west-facing fence sections fade and weather faster due to UV exposure and prevailing rain, and may need attention sooner. North-facing sections tend to grow moss and algae faster but retain stain colour longer. Both sides of the fence should be stained simultaneously — staining only one side creates uneven moisture absorption that can cause cupping and warping of boards over time.

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