Painting your fence any colour can help to brighten up the space and give it a new look, and it isn’t too hard to do yourself.

However, according to an expert, there are some “common mistakes” people make when painting their fences, costing them “a significant amount of money”.

1. Not using a sponge

Anjelica Delfino from valsparpaint.co.uk said: “Using the humble sponge to paint a fence is a great trick, especially if you’re not the best painter.

“It’s incredibly affordable, around 5p, and you probably already have one lying around.

“This is of course a great money-saving hack, but it’s also good to avoid streaky painting which is very common with fences, especially wooden fences.”

To use a sponge to paint your fence, put the paint in a tray, then dunk in the sponge for even coverage, and simply wipe or dab the fence.

It may need a couple of coats as it does with brushes, but they are said to work more effectively.

2. Painting in hot weather

The expert explained: “Of course working in the garden is always associated with a nice summer day.

“But there is such a thing as it being too hot, especially for painting a fence. If it’s too hot the paint will dry out fast and uneven.

“Between five and 10 degrees is the optimal temperature for this DIY job. if you’re not careful, you might have to start from scratch and remove all of the uneven paint.”

According to the pro, paint stripper can be up to £40 for just 2.5L so it’s best to avoid this in any way possible.

3. Not cleaning the fence

It’s commonly known that surfaces need to be cleaned and sanded before painting to get the best result.

However, fences are different and do not need to be cleaned with soap and water as this makes them too wet and they’ll take ages to dry.

Instead, the expert recommended using a stiff brush to get rid of as much dirt as possible and then sanding it.

The pro continued: “If the paint is not absorbed properly, you’ll need to start again and could completely waste a good coat of paint.

“Not following these steps can lead to more frequent repaints, costing you hundreds of pounds every year.

“A well-kept, properly painted fence can be left in excellent condition for three to four years without needing to be redone.

“A poorly painted fence might only last a year or two and can be very costly to redo.”