10 Best Exterior Wood Paints [Buyer Guide]
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Creating a spectacular-looking outside space does not have to be a challenging and expensive task to achieve once you know the right products and tools for the job. Sometimes, if you have as much as £10, you can add your choice of colours to your outside space to create that beautiful outdoor surrounding you so much desire. Thanks to exterior wood paints, painting exterior surfaces has become an easy DIY project that anyone can do with minimum effort.
Exterior wood paint colours offer a budget-friendly solution to adding a splash of colour to your fences, transform garden furniture, give your old conservatory ladders a fresh new look, enhance the natural colour of your garden wood, and protect exterior woodwork from cracks, blisters, and peels. There’s no limit to what you can do to add colour to your outside space using exterior wood paint colours (it all boils down to your creativity).
Today, there are tons of exterior wood paints available out there, and therefore choosing one that’ll suit your needs and budget could sometimes be frustrating, especially for a first-timer. However, to save your time, we’ve compiled a list of top exterior wood paints available on the market right now. In this post, we’ll review the ten best exterior wood paints in 2021, considering their features, specifications, pros, cons, and overall benefits. We also included a buyer guide, summary, and FAQs to help make your shopping experience exciting and seamless.
Johnstone's 303932 Weather Guard Exterior Gloss Paint
Johnstone’s 303932 Weather Guard Exterior Gloss Paint is a watercolour paint type suitable for exterior wood, metal, and plastic. It’s formulated to outperform conventional gloss systems out there. This exterior paint gloss will leave your wood with a durable, high-gloss finish that’s resistant to water. This unique formula also offers excellent resistance to blistering, cracking, and peeling. It comes in a range of colours to suit all tastes. It’s advisable to use this product alongside Johnstone’s Weatherguard 6 Year Exterior Undercoat for added durability (up to six years after first application).
Key Features:
High-gloss finish exterior gloss paint
Resistance to water, blistering, cracking and peeling
Specially formulated to outperform most conventional wood paints
Ideal for exterior wood, metal, and plastic
Specification:
Brand
Johnstone's
Size
0.75 Liters
Coverage
10.5m2
Colour
Brilliant White
Package information
Tin
Pros
It is extra thick
It is quite durable
Cons
Long drying time
RUST-OLEUM AMZ0059 250ml Universal Paint
RUST-OLEUM AMZ0059 is a universal paint ideal for direct application to any interior or exterior surface. It comprises paint and primer in one and features durable formula suitable for stain blocking. This product can be used in conjunction with Universal Stain Block Primer using a suitable brush or roller prior to application on non-ferrous or galvanized metals for best results. It covers approximately 9m2 per liter depending on surface porosity and method or rate of application. It comes in two sizes: 250ml and 750ml and available in different colours, including Matt White, Racing Green, Real Almond, and Slate Grey.
Key Features:
Suitable for direct application on wood, metal, plastic, ceramic, and even rust
Durable formula for stain blocking
Universal paint ideal for any indoor or outdoor surface
Features paint and primer in one
Specification:
Brand
Rust-Oleum
Size
250 ml
Coverage
9m2 per liter
Colour
Matt White
Package information
Tin
Pros
It is easy to apply
It covers many areas
Cons
It has a strong odour
Dulux Quick Dry Gloss Paint For Wood And Metal
Dulux Quick Dry Gloss is an excellent choice of paint for wood and metal with a quick drying time. It covers approximately 16m2/L per coat. It requires no undercoat and is specially formulated for use on interior and exterior wood and metal. Thanks to its low-odour formulation, this dulux exterior wood paint is suitable for outdoor use and convenient and pleasant to use indoor. It’ll leave your wood and metal surface with a durable, gloss finish.
Key Features:
Durable gloss finish on door or window surface
Quick drying time
Low-odour formulation
Self-undercoating, wipeable, and non-yellowing formula
Specification:
Brand
Dulux
Finish Type
Gloss
Size
0.75 Liters
Coverage
12 meter square
Colour
Chic Shadow
Package information
Tin
Pros
It is easy to apply
It dries faster
Cons
It contains a sensitizing substance
Johnstone's 309281 Garden Colours, Dusty Fern, 1 Litre
Johnstone’s 309281 Garden Colours is a coloured paint for exterior wood. It’s formulated to provide durable resistance to fading. This coloured paint is a solid choice for those looking for a convenient solution to transform their outdoor space into something colourful while also providing a beautiful layer of long-lasting protection (up to four years) on most garden furniture’s types, including sheds, fences, arbours, summer houses, trellis, tables, and chairs. This product helps remain the natural grain of the wood.
Key Features:
Long-lasting protection on almost all garden furniture types
Durable, rich coloured paint for exterior wood
Safe for plants and animals when dry
Fade-resistance
Specification:
Brand
Johnstone's
Size
1 Liter
Colour
Dusty Fern
Item volume
1000 ml
Package information
Tin
Pros
It dries quickly
It is easy to apply
Cons
it may produce an allergic reaction
Ronseal ASINOAUK30K 10 Year Weatherproof Paint
Ronseal ASINOAUK30K 10 Year Weatherproof Paint is a water-based paint that offers resistance to dripping, cracking, peeling, and blistering that lasts for 10 years. It’s weatherproof and would leave your outdoor wood with a spring green satin finish. This product does not require a primer to give the best performance. It covers approximately 8m2 per liter, and it’s an ideal paint for use on bare or previously painted wooden doors, windows, or frames.
Key Features:
No primer required
Weatherproof, water-based paint
10-year colour and protection
Drip-resistance
Specification:
Brand
Ronseal
Size
750ml
Colour
Spring Green
Finish type
Satin
Item volume
0.75 liters
Package information
Tin
Pros
It is quite cheap
It offers long time protection
Cons
It is not suitable for interior use
Dulux Once Satinwood Paint For Wood And Metal
Dulux Once Satinwood Paint is a one coat gloss paint that offers a convenient way to keep your wood and metal surface looking their best. With its pure brilliant white colour, this product will keep your outdoor surface shinning all year round. It’s suitable for use on any door, wood, or metal surfaces and would leave your exterior space with a touch of the satin finish. It’s self-undercoating and safe for both interior and exterior use. It’s recommended to use a water-based formulation of this product for long-lasting whiteness.
Key Features:
No primer required
Weatherproof, water-based paint
10-year colour and protection
Drip-resistance
Specification:
Brand
Dulux
Size
2.5 Liters
Colour
Pure Brilliant White
Finish type
Satin
Coverage
30 meter square
Package information
Tin
Pros
Quick drying time
It requires no primer
Cons
The paint is thin
Quick Drying Paint
Quick Drying Paint is another excellent woodstains from Dulux. This paint is specially formulated to include satin and varnish in one container for use on interior and exterior surfaces. It requires two coats to totally protect your garden furniture with a rich mahogany colour. It dries quickly, taking between 2-4 hours of drying time after application using a suitable brush.
Key Features:
Contains stains and varnishes in one container2. Quick drying time
Quick drying time
Tough and durable finish
Covers approximately 20m2 per liter
Specification:
Brand
Dulux
Size
750ml
Colour
Rich Mahogany
Finish type
Satin
Item volume
0.75 liters
Coverage
20m2/L
Package information
Tin
Pros
Its quick drying time
It is suitable for interior and exterior use
Cons
It has a low viscosity
Cuprinol 5083482 Garden Shades Exterior Woodcare, Seagrass
Cuprinol 5083482 Garden Shades is a watercolour paint type formulated to complement the natural colours of your garden wood, terracotta, brick, and stone. It’s an excellent choice for those looking for the best way to enhance the colour of their garden wood without losing the natural grain of your wood. It provides long-lasting protection (up to six years) for your garden wood, garden furniture, and decking against the harshest of weather. It can be applied using a brush or a sprayer
Key Features:
Six (6) year weather protection on wood
One (1) drying time
Harmless to plants and pets when dry
Suitable for decorating and protecting fences, garden furniture, sheds, and decking
Specification:
Brandl
Cuprinol
Size
1L
Colour
Seagrass
Finish type
Satin
Paint type
Watercolour
Item volume
1 liter
Package information
Tin
Pros
Super quick drying time
Easier method of application
Cons
It is harmful to aquatic life with long-lasting effects
Sandtex Retail 10 Year Exterior Gloss Pillar Box Red
Sandtex Retail Exterior Gloss is a watercolour paint type for exterior use. This product is specially formulated to offer durable resistance to water and cracks. It provides ultimate protection (up to 10-year) for all exterior wood, including metal and PVC-u. It covers approximately 15m2 per liter and would leave your exterior surface with an ultra-mirror shine, long-lasting glossy finish.
Key Features:
Ten (10) guaranteed protection for exterior wood, metal, and PVC-u
Waterproof and crack resistance watercolour pain
Durable and tough glossy finish
. Up to 15m2/L coverage
Specification:
Size
0.75 Liters
Coloured
Pillar Box Red
Finish type
Gloss
Paint type
Watercolour
Item volume
0.75 liters
Package information
Tin
Brand
SANDTEX
Pros
Long-lasting finish
It is thick
Cons
It is not suitable for interior use
Leyland 423431 Wood & Metal Quick Dry Satin
Leyland 423431 Wood and Metal Quick Dry Satin is a low-odour formulated paint suitable for interior and exterior wood and metal. This product is self-undercoating and non-yellowing and takes not more than four (4) hours to dry after application. It would leave your wood and metal surfaces with a mid-sheen satin finish that lasts for years.
Key Features:
Requires no undercoating
Low-odour formulation
Durable and tough mid-sheen finish
Up to 12m2/L coverage
Specification:
Brand
Leyland
Size
2.5 Liters
Colour
Brilliant White
Finish
Satin
Item volume
2.5 liters
Coverage
30m2
Package information
Tin
Pros
Quick drying time
Suitable for interior and exterior use
Cons
it may produce an offensive odour
If you’re looking for the best exterior wood paints that money can buy, look no further than this review. We’ve taken our time to review the best outdoor wood paints available on the market right now. You can count on this review to pick the best product for your needs as any of the reviewed products would meet your requirements and budget beyond expectation.
Due to similarities in these products’ specifications and features, it may be confusing for first-time buyers to decide what product to choose. However, we come up with the list of the things to consider before making a purchase (be it your first, second, or hundredth time) in the section below to help make your shopping for the exterior wood paint colours more fun and memorable.
Things to Consider When Buying An Exterior Wood Paint
Colour and appearance
The colour and appearance you want to give to your wood surface would determine the colour of paint to select. Exterior wood paints come in a wide range of colours to suit all tastes. You would definitely find the right colour choice to match your garden wood to your other garden accessories such as outdoor bar tables and chairs (stools), garden storage bench, garden obelisks, or garden swing – if that’s what you want. Here, the point is to choose exterior wood paint that suits your colour and appearance preference.
Does it have a long-lasting finish effect?
Many exterior wood paints are formulated with the expectation to colour and protect your wood for years to come. It would help if you looked out for features such as waterproof, weatherproof, fade-resistance, crack, drip, blister, and peel resistance in exterior wood paint for the best choice in terms of long-lasting performance. Some paints also offer two, three, five, six, or even up to ten-year protection on wood.
Is it Safe?
It’s important to note that your plants’ and pets’ safety in your garden is second to none. Therefore, only use exterior wood paints that are harmless to plants and pets when dry. Doing this would ensure the safety of your garden plants and enhance the natural colours of your garden wood.
Method of application
The most important thing to consider here is the ease of application. Many factors are likely to affect the ease of application, such as paint type and the surface porosity. Water-based paint types are a lot easier to apply than any other paint types out there. Simultaneously, All-surface paints are great for easy and direct application on any interior or exterior surface.
Drying time
The drying time for exterior wood paints varies from brand to brand. The drying time could also depend on the paint’s formula. Some wood paints dry quickly, while some have a low drying speed. The quicker the drying time of the paint you choose to use, the faster the time to get the job done and not worry about the unpredictable weather. The drying time for each exterior wood paint is clearly stated on the manufacturer’s description page for potential buyers.
Coverage area
The surface area of the wood you want to colour is affected by the paint’s size to buy. A large surface area requires a bigger paint size, while a small size of paint would be enough to cater to a small surface area. The area coverage per liter varies from product to product. The best way to know the wood paint coverage area you intend to buy is by double-checking the product manufacturer’s description page.
FAQs
How to paint exterior wood?
It is easy to paint your exterior wood using your preferred exterior wood paint. We’ve included a video link below that would show you a simple way to paint your exterior wood.
What paint to use on exterior wood?
There are tons of exterior wood paints out there that you can choose to use. However, it’s vital to purchase a product that’ll best suit your needs and budget. All our reviewed exterior wood paints are the best you can find on the market at the moment. You will indeed find the product that best suits your requirements, preferences, and budget when you go through the list of our reviewed exterior wood paints.
How to Paint and Protect Your Exterior Wood
Further reading guide on exterior wood paint:
https://www.diy.com/ideas-advice/exterior-paint-buying-guide/CC_npcart_400129.art