On 09/03/2021 09:15, fred wrote:
While I have plenty of creosote I am wary of using it on a fence that
has about 10 clematis plants growing on it. The clematis is in winter
sleep at present but considering the cost of clematis plants I am
loathe to risk it.

Has any one found a good fence paint that is reasonably durable and
non toxic?

All the durable ones tend to be somewhat toxic and high VOC (some of
them deliberately so to stop the wood from rotting).

Avoid any with a pigment formulation you want a penetrating wood stain
rather than something that sits on the surface and then flakes off.
There is an expensive Dutch one Sikkens(?sp) that is a base coat clear
technology the first coat to colour and the second to do UV protection.
It is expensive but it did a good job on the VH picnic tables (probably
overkill for a fence though).

The other option is a rot proof hardwood like opepe (hell to work with).

I just read on some gardening forum that someone used creosote to
kill ivy. Love to know if this is true. Think I'll try an experiment

Pointless. You can kill ivy by lopping stems off above the ground and
just pulling. I let some survive in my garden for the birds at this time
of year the ripe ivy berries are a very useful food reserve. I also have
the root parasite of ivy Orobanche hederae aka Ivy Broomrape.

It doesn't do much to stop the vigour but it must do something. It
doesn't grow as vigorously up here as it does down south.

https://www.ukwildflowers.com/Web_pa..._broomrape.htm

--
Regards,
Martin Brown