Paint- gallons/mile

[Claybraker]

Somebody knows the answer to this. I've got no idea where the property line is on a portion of Mom's property, so we'll be spending a considerable sum to have a surveyor stake the line for us. Once that's done, I'd like to paint bands on the trees to make the line easier to spot. It's roughly 3 miles of property line. Anybody know how much paint that is gonna take?

[chain]

You must consider the quality , spreading and holding ability of the paint. Is the paint a recommended boundary paint?

Will you scrape the bark from around the boundary trees, or paint the bark? Some bark of trees is very absorbent.

Estimated boundary trees @100'?

Surveyor should advise  legal markings of boundary trees in your State.

[Rockn H]

  It also depends on the size of the trees.  For me, it takes about a 1 gallon per mile.  That's painting every 100' and mostly smaller trees.  I recommend scraping the bark and I like to use a kaiser blade for scraping.  You may also be able to use side hacks to show where the property line is 5' to 10' foot from the tree.  Like chain said, ask your surveyor what markings to use in your state.   I use a good exterior latex paint and most paint departments should have the posted color for your state if they don't have the premixed paint.  If it was me, I'd start out with three gallons and go back for more once I saw how far it was going to go. 

[Clark]

Using a Panama spray gun, painting a tree about every 50' to Forest Service specs I need 2 gallons/mile.  It's slightly less than that but if you plan on that you'll have plenty.

Clark

[coxy]

another thought ask the guy to blaze the trees that way 50 years from now you can still find it or do it your self  paint the blaze marks

[petefrom bearswamp]

there are several tree marking paint companies that offer boundary line paint that should last several years.
I used to sell tree marking paint as a sideline to my consulting business and my lead free blue was used on my property lines both here and  in the adirondacks,
some that was  applied in 1991 thru 1993 is still very visible.
unfortunately my supplier went out of business.
google tree marking paint for suppliers
pete

[Wudman]

We generally use about 1.5 gallons per mile painting a semi-circular band.  Scrape the bark as mentioned (just knock off the rough edges - don't damage the cambium).  We repaint on a seven year cycle.  If you use decent paint, it will still look ok after that period of time.  We buy from Southern Coatings.  Freight can eat you alive when you start shipping paint, so we buy multiple pallets at the time to reduce costs. 

Wudman

[Offthebeatenpath]

Here in Maine the state used Nelson tree paint for a long time, but the word on the street is that it fades much faster than it did a few years ago.  They have started using automotive paint.  Attached are the specifications for boundary line maintenance for the state of Maine, Bureau of Parks and Public Lands.  Sorry if the quality is sub par- the document has been scanned at least once...

[Offthebeatenpath]

Here's that same attachment, but in a smaller file size.  Sorry that's its still kinda big...

[Claybraker]

All good advice. I'll be adding a drawknife to my shopping list.

I figure to start with 4 gallons of the Nelson brush grade boundary paint, then go from there. Once the line is established by a registered surveryor, there's about 300' with one neighbor that's been sorta hard headed. I'm an absentee landowner, but I've got a nephew that could use some extra cash for either college or girls. I'm sorta thinking give him 10 gallons of cheap latex in pink and chartreuse, and tell him to paint the side of every tree facing my neighbor. I've tried negotiating with the neighbor, but so far it hasn't been satisfactory.

There are two other neighbors I'll need to negotiate with, and my nephew could seriously use some extra money. We'll see how this develops.