Can I Paint My Chain Link Fence Black?

Black Chain Link Fence

Painting a chain link fence black is something that someone might want to do after buying replacement parts for a broken part of their existing black fence. Painting an entire galvanized chain link fence black is not the best idea. It's possible, but few people do it for a couple of reasons.


The first one is that during the galvanization process, there is a step (usually at the end) called passivation. This is a process of creating a protective oily coating applied after the galvanization process. This coating on the chain link fittings helps with corrosion and weather resistance. When applying paint to this coating, the paint color will not bind to the galvanized chain link material as strongly as it would be if powder-coated instead, as well as lacking additional molecular components that increase the weather resistance and overall fence lifespan. This method will typically lead to excessive paint usage and uneven coating levels while just attempting to get a consistent coating on a standard galvanized chain link fence. It is common for the paint to start flaking off very soon afterward. Now, there is cleaner that can be used to get rid of the oily surface of the chain link fence, but it will be a lot of work to clean the entire fence and all of its components. After using the cleaner, it is recommended to use a primer to help create a better bond between the black paint and the galvanized metal.


If you already have a black chain link fence and you need to get a replacement part that does not come in powder-coated black or is not available at the time, painting that small section is okay. Just know that the paint will not last as long on that section as on the powder-coated areas. You may need to keep applying the black touch-up paint every so often since the paint will most likely flake off the galvanized surface of the fence.


It's best to get the black chain link fittings when you decide you want a black chain link fence. We do also have touch-up paint for the smaller sections that need to be painted. If you have any questions or would like to place an order, please reach out to one of our helpful sales representatives.



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