Non-Paint Painting

Question:

I'm trying to determine the best way to finish my 1,500 linear ft of oak 3-board fencing. We want to make it black but don't feel that paint is the answer. Do you have any good suggestions? B.W.

Answer:

I can't believe you sent an e-mail to Painting Clinic asking how to paint a fence without using paint. On the other hand, if I had 1,500 linear feet of fence, I wouldn't want to paint it either. Do you remember how Tom Sawyer handled the problem?

You could just leave it unpainted and let it weather. That would result in a gray finish, or as they say, light black. But I guess you want it darker than that. My only real suggestion is using a stain. These materials are commercially available where paints are sold. They have the same life expectancy as paints. I painted (if you'll excuse the expression ) my shed using a stain that was color matched to the bricks on my house. Incidentally, stains are formulated using the same materials as paints, but with different pigment-volume concentrations.