What wood stain / preserver to use on garden fence panels?

[nobodyknows]

I have about 10 fence panels up the side of my house that I'm ashamed to admit I have never treated in the 8.5 years I have lived here. Having now cleaned the ivy etc from them, whats the best stuff to use? The last fence I did was with creosote! Also, is there much prep required or just brush the panels down before painting/spraying them? Unfortunately I can only access one side of them without removing them all (ballache) as the neighbours have a large conifer hedge on their side.

[Aviz]

Bring back creosote ! I've just got some fence stain to do the shed, and it's like coloured water. Going to take about 10 coats !

If spraying, make sure every car within about a mile is moved. A guy in the street behind did his fence, and half the cars in the street ended up speckled !

[Wings]

Use the new type creosote, but adding used engine oil to the creosote.

[tokyo_mb]

The good old (allegedly carcinogenic) creosote is still available - but only to "professionals".

e.g. http://www.birdbrand.co.uk/acatalog/Traditional_Cr...

[base]

You can still get creosote, although apparently its only sold for commerial use, go to a local fencing supplier/timber yard they probably stock it, usually can only by in 25 litres container and costs around about 50 quid.

[Tony427]

You cannot get creosote any more as it used to make the birdies cough or something.

Anyway you can get its replacement, its called "Creocote" and it should cost about £7 for 5 litres from your local builders merchant.

It smells just like creosote, it covers old fence panels just like creosote, in fact I can't tell the difference from the "agent orange" of the preservative world, but apparently it is better for the environment.

I too used to spend many summer weekends painting what amounted to opaque but slightly tinted highly expensive water onto my fence panels only to watch the moss and lichen grow back before my very eyes.

An octagenarian neighbour then introduced me to Creocote and yearly fence painting has become a memory.

hth,

cheers,

Tony

[shimmey69]

creotec is the new replacement and as others have said it looks, applies, smells, tastes and behaves exactly the same as the old stuff we love

and personally i love the smell.

[dickymint]

As stated above ^^^ Creosote is STILL available.

[markbigears]

You can even buy it in wilkos!
Last one I used was ronseal with added wax, lasted 5 years on my old fence.