The Best Paints For Sheds & How To Apply Them
A question we are asked by customers a lot here at Painters World is what is the best paint for sheds. That is why we have put together this handy guide, so you are armed with all the information you need to getting started with your painting project!
Why Paint Your Shed?
When the warmer weather comes round, there is nothing better to do then give your outdoor spaces a new lease of life, whether it be giving your patio a good clean or painting that tired shed in the corner of the garden. The reality is, painting these exterior surfaces is a yearly job for many homeowners, but it doesn't have to be. By using a good-quality paint and by following expert advice, you won't have to paint your shed again for years to come.
Painting sheds has a range of benefits, that include:
- Offers a cheaper alternative to buying a new shed
- You can express your personality by painting your shed however you want
- It is a fantastic way to brighten up an outdoor space
- Painting a shed provides it with added protection from weathering
The Best Paint For Sheds
Paints for sheds, like any exterior wood, come in a range of forms, including wood stains, varnishes or paints.
- Wood varnish - a varnish remains on the outside of wood, forming a protective and usually clear barrier on the wood
- Wood stain - Stains penetrate the wood, allowing the natural grain of the wood to be seen through the treatment, often available in a range of colours.
- Wood paint - refers to opaque solid colour finishes, which completely cover the grain of the wood
These types of wood treatments all offer varying finishes that offer excellent flexibility no matter what look you want to achieve. Here are our experts picks for best best varnishes, wood stains and paint for sheds, that are all readily available in the UK.
The Best Wood Varnish For Sheds
Wood varnish by penetrating into the timber is the best option if you simply want to protect your shed from the decay that moisture causes without changing it's appearance too much. Sadolin Yacht Varnish is a completely clear formulation that only alters the appearance of exterior wood with it's high gloss finish. It is a high-quality and long lasting varnish for all exterior wood that resists peeling and flaking with its high-build protective barrier.
The Best Wood Stain For Sheds
When it comes to exterior wood stain, we would highly recommend Sadolin Classic Woodstain, that is one of the most popular wood treatments available in the UK today. It can be applied to all exterior wood and has been developed to absorb deep into the wood to provide superb, long-lasting protection from weathering.
As it absorbs into the wood, it allows the grain of the wood to be seen through the stain, which is why wood stain is a popular choice if you want to achieve a much more natural colour element to an outdoor space, maintaining some of the natural beauty of the wood while enhancing it with a colour of your choice. One thing to note is that a wood stain is not ideal for using on top of previously painted surfaces as this previous coating of paint will block the ability for the stain to penetrate and prevent the grain from being visible, which is the point of a wood stain.
Sadolin Classic is available in a huge range of colours, so no matter whether you want to go for a natural woody tone or a bright blue or pink. you have the choice to express yourself.
The Best Wood Paint For Sheds
A big trend today is to go bold with exterior surfaces to add a huge amount of personality to a garden. Where traditionally a natural look was most popular, nowadays people want to stand out and add some colour to exterior surfaces. That is where wood paint comes in, with there being a number of fantastic options.
Both Sadolin Superdec Satin & Zinsser Allcoat Exterior are very popular exterior wood paints that offer an opaque coloured finish. While Sadolin Superdec is a dedicated wood paint for wooden surfaces like sheds, Zinsser Allcoat is a multi-purpose exterior paint that can be applied to almost any exterior surface.
There is no need to use an undercoat or a primer with either of these wood paints as they are both self-priming, plus they offer excellent durability with Superdec having a 10-year performance and Zinsser Allcoat having a 15-year performance.
While Allcoat is a fantastic option, if you are solely looking to paint your shed, Sadolin Superdec is the best option as it erodes naturally by weathering which means that the coating remains flexible and resists cracking, peeling and flaking, which is a common occurrence with exterior paint.
Having said this, Zinsser Allcoat is a fantastic option if you have multiple surfaces to treat and you want to match up the colour of your shed with the rest of your exterior surfaces. What we also love about Zinsser Allcoat is that it comes in matt, satin & gloss finishes, while Superdec comes in satin, meaning that you can achieve any look you want. That is why Allcoat is one of the most popular exterior paints in the UK at the moment, with its unrivalled versatility.
Both of these paints can be mixed in almost any colour thanks to the paint mixing service at Painters World. This means that no matter the colour you want to transform your garden furniture to, it can be done. All you have to do is find the name of a shade you would like the paint mixing in, or search through our colour palettes on each product page and select the one you would like. To get your wood paint mixed in a colour of your choice all you have to do is find the paint you would like and then on the product page either type in the name of the shade, or select one of the shades from our colour charts. You can type the name of any shade you would like, even designer shades, so you can get that perfect shade you have been looking for.
How To Paint A Shed
Preparation is the single most important part of any decorating project, as any professional decorator will tell you. Before painting your shed, take your time to properly research the product you are using, allowing you to understand exactly how it needs to be applied. The application process when using a varnish, stain or paint will vary, but there are a number of common steps that should be taken.
Here is our simple step-by-step guide to your shed:
- Using a scraper or stiff brush, remove any loose paint if the shed has been previously painted & rub any large dirt from the surface
- Using a light key sandpaper, sand the surface down to remove any deep dirt. This is also done on exterior surfaces to create a key for the paint to adhere to, although with rough timber such as sheds this is not as important
- Remove any dust caused by the sanding using a damp cloth
- Next it is time to apply your wood treatment of choice. If you are using a wood paint such as Sadolin Superdec or Zinsser Allcoat, you can apply these without priming or undercoating the shed. If you are using a product that is not self-priming, it is crucial that you use an undercoat version of that treatment on the wood before applying a topcoat. A wood stain or varnish can be applied straight to a bare wooden surface without undercoating.
- Apply the paint or stain evenly to the surface using a brush or roller. Sadolin Classic, Sadolin Superdec and Zinsser Allcoat are all two-coat systems, meaning the first coat should be applied evenly and not too thick to ensure a good base for the topcoat to be applied to.
- Allow to dry completely before applying the second coat of treatment. This could take 1 hour with Zinsser Allcoat, or longer with other paints and stains.
Ideas For Painting A Shed
Need some inspiration for your garden shed? Here are some of our favourite examples of painted sheds for you to take some ideas from.
Dark
Dark colours are all the rage at the minute as the give a beautifully modern and non-traditional look to any surface, whether interior or exterior. We love black shades such as blue-black and graphite black as they compliment absolutely any decor, meaning anyone can use them. While grey has become extremely popular in the UK, it can become slightly boring and inexpressive. Whereas black on the other hand is a colour that too many people are still afraid of. If in doubt, paint it black!
Get Creative
Why not get creative with your use of paint and do something out of the ordinary like this ombre effect. You can create this by picking two complimentary colours and with each slat, add more of the dark shade as you go, until you create a smooth gradient of colour that will blow people away.
Green
Nothing says natural like green. You may not want your shed to jump out and make a statement, in which case any shade of green is a perfect match for any garden. Green shades connote tranquillity and nature, meaning you can create a serene outdoor space that perfectly blends your planting scheme with your outdoor furniture.
White
You can never go wrong with white, no matter whether you use it inside or outside. It is clean and timeless, although it is often not used as people think it will fade quickly or look dirty. If you are willing to give it a clean every now and again, using a good quality shed paint will prevent to white from fading, leaving it looking beautiful for years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How much paint is needed to paint a shed?
A. Working out how much paint you will need can be a difficult task. The average shed is roughly 8 ft x 6 ft, which equates to around 20 square metres. If you would like an accurate measurement of your sheds square metres, simply use a tape measure to measure the length and height of the shed and times those together. For example if you shed is 2 metres x 2 metres, this would give each side of your shed a square metre total of 4 metres, times by four sides and this gives you roughly 16 square metres in total. You can take 1 square metre off for any windows that won't be painted.
Now you just have to find the coverage of the paint you are using. Sadolin Superdec for example has a 15 square metres coverage per litre, meaning with two coats required, 2.5 litres would be enough to fully paint a shed of 20 square metres.
Q. How often do you need to paint a shed?
A. If you use a good quality trade paint or stain, you will not need to repaint your shed every year, like many homeowners do. Sadolin Superdec has a lifespan of 10 years, while Zinsser Allcoat has a 15-uear lifespan, meaning that you won't have to paint your shed for decades.
Q. Can you paint a wet shed?
A. Moisture and paint do not go well together. The reality is that if you paint on damp wood, the chances of the paint peeling eventually are significantly increased, so as with any exterior painting you must ensure the surface is fully dry before you start painting.
We hope this has answered any questions you may have had regarding the best shed paints and has given you all the information you need to get started. If you require any more help, just send an email to hello@paintersworld.co.uk and our expert team will be on hand to give you any advice you require. At Painters World we have a wide range of paints available, so no matter the job, we've got the right tools for you.
