The best shed paint for freshening up your garden shed

The humble garden shed gets exposed to a lot in the UK. From heavy downpours to scorching sunshine, the weather can take its toll on them after a while. This is why it is important to use using the best shed paint to keep your structure looking in great condition.

Whether you use your garden shed as a workshop where you can tinker with tools, a man cave or she-shed where you can practise your hobby to your heart's content, or as a storage solution for all your gardening equipment and household items – a lick of paint will give your shed a fresh lease of life.

Best shed paint

FAQs

How to prepare a shed for painting

If you're unsure about where to start with getting your shed ready for painting, the experts at B&Q have lots of advice.

Make repairs

Before you start painting your shed, you will want to take some time to have a good look around it. Be sure to check for any damage. Your shed is exposed to all the extremes that the UK weather brings, so there are bound to be some areas that need a bit of attention. Replace any decayed sections of wood with healthy timber. If there are any smaller areas of damage that need repairing but don't warrant replacing a full panel, you can use exterior wood filler to put in any cracks. This will just need to be sanded flush before it gets covered in paint.

Prepare the wood

Next, you'll want to get rid of any dirt, cobwebs and flaking paint. The best way to do this is by brushing it with a stiff bristle brush. If your shed is covered in algae, just dip your brush in diluted outdoor cleaner and give it a good scrub to get it off. Once your shed is looking clean, you will need to make sure the wood is completely dry before getting your paintbrush out.

Prepare the area

Preparing the surrounding area is a great job to do while you're waiting for the timber to dry out. Firstly, you will want to cover any nearby surfaces and plants with dust sheets. No matter how careful you are with paint, mishaps can happen, so by covering your surroundings, they will be protected from any accidental spillages and drips. We would recommend wearing old clothes for this reason too.

You will also want to make sure you leave yourself enough room to get around every angle of your shed. You will want to trim back any hedges and cut back any foliage that hangs over your outdoor structure so it doesn't cause any obstructions. If you don't want to cut any of your plants, we would suggest tying them back with plant ties and canes.

Cover handles and windows

It can be a pain to remove shed paint from areas that you don't want to be painted. So, use masking tape or newspaper to cover any metal work and window panes. You may want to consider unscrewing handles or fittings so you can paint underneath. This will give a tidier and neater finish.

How to paint a garden shed

Once you've finished doing all the preparation, you can now get your paintbrush and roller at the ready and start painting. Each shed paint can be applied differently, so check the tin of your chosen colour before you get started for advice on the best results.

Apply the paint in the same direction as the grain and be careful not to spread it too far. You can avoid runs or drips by not overloading your chosen applicator and making sure you work it in well. Watch the video above for more instructions.

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Rosie Floyd is a Homes & Garden product writer. She works across a number of brands for Bauer Media including Yours, Take A Break Pets, Modern Gardens and a Modern Kitchen.