A cedar fence in Austin has two enemies: sun and sprinklers. The sun bleaches the lignin out of the surface, which is why an unstained fence goes silver-gray in its first summer. Sprinkler overspray keeps the bottom two feet wet, which is where you see black mildew and the first rot. Staining does not stop either one, but a penetrating oil-based stain slows both down enough that the fence outlives its posts instead of the other way around.
We only stain. No installs, no repairs beyond swapping a rotten picket so the stain has something to hold. That focus is why we can quote from satellite imagery and a couple of photos, and why most Austin backyards are finished in a single visit.
Neighborhoods we stain in Austin
- Circle C Ranch
- Steiner Ranch
- Avery Ranch
- Allandale
- Brentwood
- Mueller
- Travis Country
- Shady Hollow
- Great Hills
- Barton Hills
- Anderson Mill
- Onion Creek
Austin is really three fence markets. North Austin (Anderson Mill, Avery Ranch, Great Hills) is 1990s–2000s cedar on second or third stain cycles. Central (Allandale, Brentwood, Mueller) mixes old pickets with new privacy fences on infill builds. South and west (Circle C, Travis Country, Shady Hollow, Steiner Ranch) is HOA country, where the approved tone list decides the color before you do.
What Austin sun does to cedar, by exposure
The same fence ages at three different speeds around one Austin yard. The south and west runs take afternoon sun at 100°F+ from June through September and fade first. The north run, shaded by the house, keeps color a year longer. The east run splits the difference. When we quote both sides of a shared fence, we are usually quoting the one side that faces south for the neighbor and the one that faces north for you.
That is also why "how often" has no single answer here. A south-facing Circle C fence stained in a dark walnut tone can want a re-coat at two years; a shaded Allandale picket fence in natural cedar can go four. We tell you which yours is when we quote it.
How we stain a fence
- Clean, not blast. A low-pressure rinse and a wood brightener lift gray fiber and mildew without furring the boards. High-PSI pressure washing scars cedar; we do not do it.
- Dry two days. Stain on wet wood does not penetrate. We schedule the spray a minimum of 48 hours after cleaning and after any rain.
- Mask and protect. Plants, stone, pool decks, the neighbor's side if they are not in.
- Spray, then back-brush. Airless sprayer for coverage, brush behind it so the stain goes into the grain instead of sitting on top. This is the step that separates a two-year finish from a four-month one.
- Walk it with you. Photos in your text thread, a note on when to expect the next coat.
Fence staining and sealing: same job, one product
People search for "fence sealing" and "stain and seal" as if they were two services. On cedar in Austin they are one. The oil-based semi-transparent stains we use carry the water repellent in the same coat, so a stained fence is a sealed fence. What you should not do is put a clear sealer on bare cedar and expect it to hold color: clear coats have no pigment, and pigment is what blocks UV. A clear-sealed fence grays almost as fast as a bare one.
HOA tones in Circle C, Steiner Ranch and Avery Ranch
Most Austin architectural review committees approve natural cedar, honey, and brown tones, and reject bright reds, blacks, and anything that reads as paint. Circle C, Steiner Ranch and Avery Ranch each have their own written standard, and they are not identical, so we do not guess. When you tell us the community, we send the swatch and product name you need for the application, and if a neighbor's approved fence is the color you want, we match it. See the color guide for the six tones we use most and the HOA guide for how the approval process works.
New builds in Mueller and infill lots in Brentwood
Central Austin infill builds tend to come with a brand-new cedar privacy fence and no plan for it. New cedar needs 4–8 weeks to dry out (less in July) before it can take stain, but it should not go a full summer bare. If your fence went up in the last two months, tell us the install date in the quote form and we will book the spray for the right week rather than the soonest one.
What Austin fences usually cost
A typical Austin lot carries 120–180 linear feet of 6-foot privacy fence. Stained on one side in a natural cedar tone, that lands in the lower half of our range. Both sides, or a gray fence that needs brightening first, moves it toward the upper half. Corner lots in Circle C and Steiner Ranch with 250+ feet run past it, and we say so in the quote rather than surprising you on the day.
Every price is based on your actual footage measured from satellite imagery, your photos, and the condition you tell us. It is firm before we come out. Read what moves the price if you want the full breakdown.
Site-wide range: $700–$2,000 for most privacy fences, $3–$7 per sq ft for decks. Every quote is firm before we come out.
We're in Austin on .
Austin questions
How often should a cedar fence be stained in Austin?
Every 2 to 3 years for full-sun runs, up to 4 for shaded ones. Austin's UV index is extreme from April through October, so the south and west sides of your fence set the schedule.
Do you stain both sides of the fence?
If you want us to and your neighbor is fine with it, yes. Most people stain their side and offer to split the other. Both sides is the better moisture outcome for the wood; one side is the better budget outcome, and it is still a real improvement.
Can you stain a fence that has already gone gray?
Yes. Gray is the surface fiber, not the wood underneath. We brighten it back to tan, let it dry, then stain. See fence restoration for what it looks like before and after.
Do I need to be home?
No. We need gate access and a clear fence line. Everything else happens by text, including the photos when we finish.
What parts of Austin do you cover?
All of it inside the city, plus the suburbs listed in the footer. If your address is unusual, put it in the quote form and we will tell you within the hour.
Nearby: Round Rock · Cedar Park · Lakeway & Bee Cave · Pflugerville
Also in Austin: deck staining · gray fence restoration · pergola staining · stain colors · what it costs