How to paint a garden shed
Whether thoughts of spring are inspiring, or the winter weather is reminding you that it should already have been done, painting your shed is a great way to enhance its appearance and prolong the life of the wood it’s constructed from.
As with most DIY projects, proper preparation is key to doing the job correctly. The chances of achieving the protective qualities and visual improvements that you are aiming for will increase if you follow at least some of these tips:
- Prepare your wood properly. Remove loose paint or any other debris and dirt to avoid blistering or flaking of the new paint later on. Also, replace or repair any broken or loose wood before you proceed.
- Use a pressure washer to spray the shed evenly, removing any unnoticed bits of loose dirt and remembering to spray all the surfaces, not just the ones that are visible.
- Allow the shed to dry completely otherwise the paint won’t adhere properly, then paint with a primer to seal holes, discourage pests and provide a surface for the top layer. Remember to cover any hinges, locks or window latches that you don’t want to paint with masking tape.
- Now, using the appropriate outdoor paint (mildew resistant, fade resistant and durable) in your chosen colour, paint the shed with either a paint gun, spray or roller, starting with the trim and following with the panels. If you’re using a gun, try not to spray in an arc but to maintain a level spray pattern throughout the spraying motion by remaining at a distance of 10 to 12 inches. Move steadily and overlap the spray pattern by around 30% to get an even coverage. Follow the same advice for brushes and rollers – apart from being 10 to 12 inches away…
- Once you think you’ve finished, have a good look for any spots you’ve missed and paint them accordingly.
Try not to do it in the worst heat of the day – mornings and early evenings are good – and take your time. Whether you’ve picked green-toned camouflage, neutral cream tones or a bright, conspicuous statement colour, now that it’s got a new coat of paint you can be proud of both your effort and your shed.
