If your outdoor table and chairs are looking a bit tired, the best paint for garden furniture can help to give them a new lease of life. It's one of the quickest and easiest ways of giving your garden furniture a new look at a fraction of the cost of something new.
Whether you've got a rattan garden furniture set or one made from wood, both can be given a lick of paint to look fresh again. You could also go as far as reupholstering the cushions and it'll basically be like a brand new set. We've got some tips on how best to upcycle your garden furniture with paint in our FAQs section, but all it takes is some prep work and patience.
What type of paint you use to cover your outdoor furniture entirely depends on the material it's made from. Wooden furniture will need a specific wood paint or stain to add colour whereas rattan will want to be covered with water-based paint, like chalk, latex or acrylic.
Best paint for garden furniture at a glance:
• Best chalk-finish furniture paint: Rust-Oleum Matt Finish Garden Furniture Paint
• Best for multiple uses: THE ONE Paint & Primer
• Best for colour choice: Dulux Weathershield Quick Dry Satin Paint
• Best paint for wooden furniture: Cuprinol Garden Shades
• Best for lasting results: Ronseal Garden Paint
Whether you've got a garden bench that needs some TLC or you have an outdoor sofa that you want to bring bang-up to trend, we're here to help you get on your way with your outdoor furniture transformation. To do this, we've searched the web for the best paint for garden furniture, with many highly rated, having glowing reviews from real customers. Take a look at our top picks below.
Best paint for garden furniture
Best chalk-finish furniture paint
Give your furniture a beautiful chalky, matte finish with the Rust-Oleum Chalky Finish Garden Furniture Paint. It's easy to apply and can be used on furniture made out of wood, metal and plastic. Durable and mould-resistant, this highly pigmented, water-based formulation will last up to six years come rain or shine.
Customer review: "This looks fabulous lovely sage green soft colour. I painted my summer house, painted metal garden table and chairs. If using on metal use a metal primer paint as undercoat. Finishes to a slight plastic looking surface with stands weather and rain. Clean off brushes immediately drys fast."
Pros
- Washable
- Mould, algae and water-resistant
Cons
- Could do with being available in a larger tin size if you've got many items to paint in your set
Best for multiple uses
THE ONE Paint & Primer is a two-in-one product to save you time and money. There are 12 colours available in a choice of finishes that offer great coverage, lasting durability and reduced prep work beforehand. It's a water-based paint with a low odour and can be used for both outdoor and indoor projects.
Customer review: "Excellent product 1 tin restored 4 plastic garden chairs and made them look like new. I have bought another tin to do the rest of the garden furniture."
Pros
- Can be used on multiple services, such as wood, plastic, metal and more
- Designed for both outdoor and indoor use
Cons
- It is a thick paint but some reviews still felt like they needed multiple coats
Best for colour choice
As the name suggests, the Dulux Weathershield Quick Dry Satin Paint offers protection from the elements and dries in a hurry, too. From gorgeous greens to chic greys and everything in between, the Dulux Weathershield range offers 22 colours so you can pick the shade that best suits the style you're going for.
Customer review: "It is exactly the colour that is advertised on the tin! We painted our outdoor garden furniture early in the summer with it; and it's very weatherproof and retaining its colour! I would highly recommend this product!"
Pros
- Long-lasting protection
- Quick drying
Cons
- Some reviewers have commented that the paint was thinner than they were expecting
Best high-opacity paint
Looking for paint for your wooden furniture and metal surfaces? Consider this Johnstone's Quick Dry Satin. It provides a contemporary, mid-sheen finish that is ideal for a quick and efficient paint job that'll be dry to the touch within one to two hours. It's crack-resistant and non-yellowing to guarantee you a long-lasting high-colour finish.
Customer review: "Goes on easily with a brush and dries quickly with a beautiful finish. This tin is only small so make sure you buy enough for your coverage."
Pros
- Crack resistant formulation
- Mid-sheen finish
Cons
- Some reviewers felt the colours were slightly lighter than they expected from the pictures online
Best premium paint
www.designerpaint.com
Quick drying? Tick. Durable? Tick. Weather resistant? Tick. There's a lot to like about the Graham & Brown Exterior Eggshell. This mid-sheen paint is virtually odourless and has excellent colour retention. The one-litre size offers 15m2 coverage so you'll be able to cover a lot of your wooden and metal features on your furniture with just one tin.
Pros
- Completely washable
- Weather resistant
Cons
- No customer reviews
Best paint for wooden furniture
www.diy.com
Give wooden tables and chairs a refresh with the help of Cuprinol Garden Shades. This water-based wood paint will achieve a flawlessly matt finish, and once applied, it will dry quickly in between coats, meaning you can recoat your furniture within eight hours. It has minimal VOCs, so it's safe for you and your garden.
Customer review: "nice paint, easy to apply, good coverage but best of all lovely colour. I will buy from this range again in the very near future."
Pros
- Large tin size so perfect if you've got many items of furniture to cover
- Contains minimal VOCs
Cons
- Must be used after applying a primer to your furniture first
Best own-brand garden paint
www.wickes.co.uk
Another great option, if you're looking for exterior wood paint, is the Wickes Garden Colour Matt Wood Treatment. Not only is it suitable for wood, but you can use it on stone, terracotta and brick so you can use it for other decorative garden features as well as your furniture. We love that it provides a fade-resisting colour and five years of weather protection.
Customer review: "So easy to apply and a wonderful finish on our wood garden furniture. Would definitely buy again. The English Willow colour is calming and perfect for the garden."
Pros
- Touch dry in two to four hours
- Colours and protects
Cons
- Some reviewers found they had to buy more paint to get their desired coverage
Best for lasting results
Not only will the Ronseal Garden Paint provide your garden furniture with a highly pigmented colour, but it'll be long-lasting, too, as it claims to offer 10 years of weather and water protection. Made to paint over wood, metal and stone surfaces this paint will be touch-dry and rainproof within an hour and won't crack and peel over time.
Customer review: "Fantastic paint. My garden furniture has got a new life. Highly recommended."
Pros
- Choice of colours and tin sizes available
- Weatherproof and waterproof
Cons
- Not designed to be used on plastic furniture
Paint for garden furniture FAQs
What are the benefits of painting garden furniture?
Choosing to paint your garden furniture rather than just buying a new set has plenty of benefits.
Firstly, it’s more economical. You won’t just be chucking an old set away for the sake of getting something new. If the reasons you want to get a new garden furniture set include the colour isn’t to your taste any more or it’s starting to get a bit tired looking, paint can save the day. It’ll give your furniture a whole new look and have it looking fresh again.
It’s also a more cost-effective option. You can get some great garden furniture deals, but painting an existing set and maybe getting some new cushions isn’t going to cost as much as replacing it completely.
Painting your furniture set can also provide your tables and chairs with more protection, particularly wooden sets. Choosing a paint that has weather protection and water-resistant properties will ensure your sets are sheltered from damage from the elements. Whether that’s colour damage from sun exposure or rot and decay from getting caught in rain showers.
Tips for upcycling your garden furniture with paint
If you're unsure how to go about painting your garden furniture, we've got some top tips from Graham & Brown for giving your outdoor tables and chairs a refresh.
Prep the area before painting
James Greenwood, paint expert at Graham & Brown, says: “Before you start painting, make sure it has fully dried out from any wet weather. Move the item undercover, somewhere dry and lay down some newspaper or a dust sheet before you start painting to protect your patio.”
Apply a paint primer
“It’s always best to start a paint job with an undercoat or paint primer to ensure an even finish that lasts. Make sure to choose a primer that closely matches the colour of your top coat and apply in broad strokes, working with a ‘wet edge’ - where you keep the edge of the painted area wet - so that the paint blends smoothly.”
Apply a topcoat of exterior paint
“When you’re ready to start painting, it’s best to start with the grooves and the edges using a small brush, ensuring that your paint covers all the small nooks and crannies."
“Next, use a wider brush to cover each of the small panels with paint, running a roller lightly over the paint in order to remove any streaks. Fill in the gaps ensuring each section has an even coverage of paint. Wait for the paint to completely dry and then apply a second coat."
James shares one of his top tips: “When painting each section, make sure you only use a light layer of paint - it’s always better to do two light layers than one heavy layer."
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Rosie Floyd is a Homes and Garden Product Writer for Modern Gardens, specialising in outdoor living. Before joining the team at Bauer, Rosie spent almost three years writing content for a garden buildings company so knows her stuff about garden sheds, rooms and offices and how to make the most of your outdoor space.