When you drive by a house, have you ever seen a fence post or tree with a purple stripe on it? If so, that probably made you scratch your head and wonder what it could mean. That purple stripe isn’t just there to make a fence post look a little more interesting; it has a very important message that isn’t very friendly.
It would be better to go back to where you came from. What do purple fence posts mean? We’ll talk about the states where you might see them, especially next to a house.
What Do Purple Fence Posts Mean?
A new rule has been made in several states to keep people off of private land. They no longer have to hang metal or plastic “No Trespassing” signs. Now, they can just paint a purple line on a tree or post. It makes sense to make the message easier to see since signs get worn down over time and become hard to read. Putting a nail or screw into a tree could also hurt the tree in ways that are bad for it.
You don’t have to use words to tell people to stay away from a property; painting a fence post purple does it for you. A sign can be stolen or lost over time, but the purple paint stays strong and keeps the message clear for a much longer time.
Why do people use purple?
Not only does purple stand out in nature, but people are also drawn to it because it is so different from other colors. But, as we’ll see below, there are a few other colors that can be used in the same way.
How to Paint a Fence Post Purple
Purple is a very bright color, so it needs to be painted on a fence post in a way that stands out. When painting the stripe, it should be three to five feet above the ground. If it’s too low, you might not see the band. It’s also important that the band is big enough to see. One inch wide and eight inches long is usually enough. Also, you will need a painting post every hundred feet or so to show where the line is.
When painting a fence post, you can use any kind of paint. But when painting a tree, you should not use oil-based paint because it could hurt the tree. Very likely, you will also find spray paint that is made just for marking trees and fence posts.
Which states have laws against purple paint?
Arkansas was the first state to pass the “purple paint law” in 1989. Since then, almost half of the states have done the same. The following states are likely to have these purple spots.
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Lousiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Missouri
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- West Virginia
What other color paint could say the same thing?
Many states have rules that say they have to use purple paint, but that doesn’t mean they have to. It’s possible to send the same message with a color other than purple. It’s okay to use orange paint instead of purple in Idaho and Montana, but blue paint is used in Maryland. Before you mark your own fence posts, you should find out what the rules are in your state.
In another state, if you see any kind of painted fence posts, it probably means “do not enter.” Before you go to a new state, you should learn its rules so that you know what to avoid getting penalties for.
