But you can give just about any fence a new lease of life for not much more than the cost of a tin of paint.

Follow these tips for a fabulous fence:

1. Replace or re-nail damaged or loose palings. You may need to seek permission from your neighbours and do this from their side.

2. Clean the surface down and roll on a coat of quality paint. We used Dulux Weathershield Low Sheen; it's self-priming which means you don't need an undercoat.

3. Colorbond fences can be updated, too. Select a paint, such as Weathershield, that can be applied to metal as well as timber. Clean it first; the paint tin will give you details for surface preparation. If you have a large fence, you may want to hire an airless spray-gun for half a day.