Exterior paints and finishes

Freshly painted exteriors

Exterior paints for fencing and sheds

Fencing and sheds
For rough timber on fencing and sheds, you'll need a timber-care product or stain to colour the wood and provide protection against mould and, often, rot as well. For a brighter look, try water-based coloured stains, which give wood an opaque matt finish; choose a natural shade or dip into a historic palette.


Finishes for decking
After being scrubbed with a proprietary cleaner, decking can be smartened up with a stain in a natural wood shade, from pale cedar or maple to richest teak, walnut or mahogany, or go for a sage green, driftwood grey or beach-hut blue.


Painting metal
To keep railings, drainpipes, garage doors and wrought-iron furniture looking their best, apply a coat of exterior gloss or metal paint at regular intervals. First rub down the surface with a wire brush and fill any pitting with an epoxy filler to prevent further rusting, then wash down with a little detergent and dry well before priming and painting.


Wooden furniture
Smarten up timber garden furniture with an exterior eggshell or gloss if you want a dense coat of colour; or try a suitable masonry paint, or an opaque coloured stain, for a matt finish. Traditional wood stains are ideal for protecting and colouring untreated pine, while furniture oils do the same job for hardwoods.


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