So you have just bought and built a new shed! Whether it’s just as a place to store garden tools or a little workshop – customising it with some colour can really make it feel personal. So now it’s time to give it a finish and make it look good.
There are two main reasons for painting wooden sheds: to decorate it and protect the wood.
But how should you choose the best stain for outdoor shed? And once you have found it, what is the answer to how to restain a shed? Here are some helpful tips that you can follow when painting and staining garden shed to ensure that you achieve the best possible results.
Materials
- Paint
- Paint roller and brushes
- Hose
- Sandpaper
- Gloves
- Scrub and dry brushes
- Bleach
- Caulk
- One large and one small bucket
- Oil based primer and wood treatment – we have a range of treatment products available.
Cover Any Cracks or Gaps
The first step is to make sure the garden shed doesn’t need any more structural work. If you are painting or restaining a shed, make sure to clean it up. Remove any debris, spider webs, mud, and molds from the walls and roof of the shed. Ensure that all cracks in the wood are properly cleansed.After this step is done, apply caulk to the areas in need, making sure that all gaps are covered.
When done, apply caulk to the areas in need, making sure that all gaps are covered.
This approach contributes to making shed waterproof or won’t let any snow or rain in. If you are using a silicon-based caulk or similar materials, you need to wait for about a day after applying the sealant. While the caulk dries, use sandpaper to chip away at loose or patchy paint that may have been left behind from previous paint jobs. This step can be skipped if you are working on new sheds.
You can also help keep the heat out of your shed by following our guide on how to insulate a shed.
Treat the Wood
It is important to allow the caulk to dry off completely before you go any further. Once it is dry, you can start using a spirit-based wood treatment on all the wooden surfaces. Make sure the material is spread evenly and generously. A proper application of wood treatment can significantly prolong the lifespan of wooden garden sheds, allowing you to enjoy these buildings for many years.
Apply Wood Primer
The next step is applying the oil-based primer on all surfaces. In addition to providing an extra layer of protection against the elements, the primer also makes it easier for the paint to be spread uniformly and to grab hold of the surfaces without any problem. Needless to say, you also need to have some very good and resilient paint ready for use. Specialists usually recommend the same type of paint used on porches, since it is very durable and can withstand a lot of punishment from the weather. Make sure to do this before installing anything like a guttering system as it’ll be harder to get underneath it and properly treat the wood with that in the way.
Paint the Shed
The first coat of paint should be applied onto the wood only after the primer has dried. Use a long-nap roller to spread the best shed stain colours with the grain of the wood. Slowly move around your, shed, log cabin, or greenhouse until every wall is covered. Allow the first layer of the best shed stain paint to dry off completely. Usually, this takes a few hours to a day to complete. The shed is then ready for the second, and final, coat of paint. Apply it just as you did the first, making sure that the paint is evenly distributed and consistent throughout all surfaces.
Once you get all the preparatory stages done, the actual painting process comes quite simple. If you want to use multiple colours on the same wall, apply the wood treatment and primer, wait for them to dry off, and then attach thick sheets of paper or nylon to the walls using duct tape. Paint on the colour you want in the exposed area, wait for it to dry, remove the covers, and then proceed with the other colours.
Make sure to cover the areas that have already been painted with the same sheets in order to prevent any overlaps or colour runs. By using this approach, you can even create models. This is very simple to do. All you need is a very large sheet of paper or several smaller ones tied to each other. You then have to make a large stencil. This will allow you to paint a flower or another design on the side of your shed without worrying about dripping and errors.
If, however, you do not want to paint or stain a shed, you can always hire a professional.