Which stain or Paint to use???

[Al Launier]

I have to install a private, or semi-private, picket fence that is made of cedar & must be bright white in color. It appears I could use a stain paint, or a primer followed by a paint. I'm leary of applying paint, even with a primer, on cedar as I think it will peel, blister, flake, etc. in time, where a stain probably wouldn't.

I have looke at the vinyl clad fence option and that is way too expensive, so this leaves me with only wood as I think a "composite" material would also be too expensive, although it would last longer than wood.

I'm hoping that if a stain paint is the most reasonable option, that I could apply additional coats of paint, oil based or perhaps even latex, in the future to keep the bright white color.

Any of you woodworkers have experience with this? Your results and recommendation would really be appreciated.

[Rich Engelhardt]

must be bright white in color. I
If you open up cans of stain and cans of 100% arcylic exterior paint, the stains will look yellow next to the paint.

If a brilliant white is the prime requirement, then prime and paint it with a good 100% acrylic exterior paint.

Don't worry - it won't blister flake or peel.
That only happens when the cedar boards are used as siding on a house and there's moisture behind them trying to escape.
With a fence, you don't have that condition.

[Jamie Buxton]

It sounds like you have an HOA setting the rules, which would mean you have neighbors who have faced exactly the same issue. Maybe Rich's yellow stain is actually deemed okay. You might ask around to see what has worked and not worked.