The Best Exterior Wood Paints For All Types Of Outdoor Timber
Paints that keep doors and sheds and garden furniture looking sharp through every British season.
Our quick verdict
Our pick of the best exterior wood paint is the Ronseal Weatherproof 2-in-1, because a passing shower can't spoil it once the first hour is up, and Ronseal quotes up to ten years of protection on doors, cladding and window frames. If you'd rather choose between gloss and satin in a wide spread of colours, go for the Dulux Weathershield, which has its own matching undercoat.
DIY Works is reader supported. If you buy through our links we may earn a commission, which never changes what we recommend. How we make money.
Our Picks At A Glance
- Check price of Ronseal Weatherproof 2-in-1
Best Overall
Ronseal Weatherproof 2-in-1Doors, cladding and window frames that need long-lasting protection
- Check price of Dulux Weathershield
Best Colour Selection
Dulux WeathershieldWindows, doors and trim that need a matching undercoat and topcoat
- Check price of Cuprinol Garden Shades Paint
Best Matt Finish
Cuprinol Garden Shades PaintSheds, fences, planters and garden furniture in a soft matt colour
- Check price of Johnstone’s Garden Colours
- Check price of Sandtex 10 Year Exterior Gloss
Best Gloss Finish
Sandtex 10 Year Exterior GlossFront doors, windows and trim where you want a mirror shine
- Check price of Rust-Oleum Garden Paint
Best Chalky Finish
Rust-Oleum Garden PaintGarden furniture and features in a chalky look across mixed surfaces
What you're painting settles the finish before you think about colour. Doors, windows and trim want a hard-wearing gloss or satin with a long guarantee, while sheds, fences and garden furniture look more natural in a matt or chalky garden paint.
Those guarantees only count if the timber's been sanded, filled and cleaned first. The cheaper garden paints also needed extra coats in our testing before the colour looked right, so allow for that when you work out how many tins to buy. The six below cover front doors and frames through to planters and benches.
How We Tested These Exterior Wood Paints
From repainting front doors to brightening up planters, we've used a range of exterior wood paints over the years. The jobs have been spread across our own homes, the DIY Works office and the rental properties and Airbnbs we look after, which means plenty of different timber in different states of repair.
Exterior wood paints come in satin, gloss and matt finishes, and some can be sprayed as well as brushed or rolled. We used each one by every method the brand recommends and tried them on both bare and previously painted wood, then judged the finish and how long each took to dry.
One of our recent projects was this weathered garden furniture set. The before and after photos show what a fresh coat of exterior paint can do for tired timber.
Whenever a brand brings out a new exterior paint, we try it on whatever needs doing at the time, whether that's garden furniture, a shed or a planter. These two tins came from recent jobs.
Alongside our own use, we compared each paint on finish, durability, colour choice, drying time, ease of application and value for money. Guarantee periods, coverage and drying times come from the brands themselves, and we've said so in each write-up.
The Best Exterior Wood Paints We Recommend
The first two and the Sandtex suit doors, windows and cladding, while the other three are garden paints for sheds, fences and furniture.
Best Overall
Ronseal Weatherproof 2-in-1
Best for: Doors, cladding and window frames that need long-lasting protection
Check Price On AmazonRonseal Weatherproof 2-in-1 is the paint we'd reach for first on outdoor timber that needs to last. Ronseal says it's weatherproof in just one hour and protects for up to ten years, resisting cracking, peeling, blistering and general weathering in that time.
It works on bare and previously painted wood, and comes in a 750 ml tin. The formula is water based, so brushes clean up easily, and there's a choice of colours. Ronseal quotes 13 square metres per litre.
The one-hour weatherproof time is a real help in a British summer, when a shower can appear out of nowhere. It took two to three coats in our testing to get the best finish, so buy more than the coverage figure suggests. Ronseal's garden paint carries a five-year guarantee according to the brand, so for timber you want to leave alone for longer, this is the Ronseal to buy.
What we like
- Works on bare or previously painted wood
- Weatherproof in one hour according to Ronseal
- Up to ten years of protection quoted by the brand
- Choice of colours
- Water based for easy brush cleaning
- Coverage of 13 square metres per litre
What to know
- Took two to three coats for the best finish in our testing
- Sold in 750 ml tins, so bigger jobs need several
Our verdict
Front doors, cladding and window frames get the most from Ronseal Weatherproof 2-in-1. Being weatherproof in an hour takes the stress out of a changeable British day, and the ten years of protection Ronseal quotes means you won't be back up the ladder any time soon. Allow for two or three coats. If you'd prefer a gloss or satin system with its own undercoat, Dulux Weathershield is the one to look at.
Best Colour Selection
Dulux Weathershield
Best for: Windows, doors and trim that need a matching undercoat and topcoat
Check Price On AmazonDulux Weathershield is a complete exterior system, available as a gloss, a satin or an undercoat. That makes it easy to build up a proper finish on windows, doors and fascias with paints that are made to work together.
Like the Ronseal, it carries up to ten years of weather protection according to Dulux. The finish is rainproof and mould resistant, and the quick-drying water-based formula is touch dry in two hours. It comes in a wide choice of colours in 750 ml and 2.5 litre tins, and Dulux says it suits metal as well as wood.
In our testing it was quite runny straight out of the tin. That's manageable with a good brush and thin coats, but keep an eye on drips around door panels and window beads.
What we like
- Gloss, satin and undercoat in the same range
- Up to ten years of protection according to Dulux
- Rainproof and mould resistant finish
- Touch dry in two hours
- Wide choice of colours
- Sold in 750 ml and 2.5 litre tins
What to know
- Quite runny out of the tin in our testing
Our verdict
Dulux Weathershield is the one for doing doors and windows properly, from undercoat on bare timber through to a gloss or satin topcoat in the colour you're after. Watch for runs on detailed joinery. For a paint that's weatherproof in an hour, Ronseal Weatherproof 2-in-1 is the alternative, and Sandtex suits anyone who wants a high-gloss look.
Best Matt Finish
Cuprinol Garden Shades Paint
Best for: Sheds, fences, planters and garden furniture in a soft matt colour
Check Price On AmazonCuprinol Garden Shades colours and protects timber in a matt finish that lets the grain show through, and it can be brushed or sprayed with a fence sprayer.
Cuprinol says two coats give up to six years of weather protection. It dries in about an hour, it's water based and it comes in a big range of colours, including mixed shades like the tin in our photos. It also goes on terracotta, brick and stone, so you can match pots and walls to the shed.
Coverage is the weak spot. It didn't go as far as we'd hoped, whether brushed or sprayed, so buy more than you think for a long run of fence. For more on fence jobs, see our guide to the best fence paints for UK gardens.
What we like
- Matt finish that lets the grain show through
- Can be brushed or sprayed
- Dries in about an hour
- Also suits terracotta, brick and stone
- Water based in a 2.5 litre tin
- Big range of ready-made and mixed colours
What to know
- Coverage fell short in our testing, brushed or sprayed
- Up to six years of protection, less than the Ronseal or Dulux
Our verdict
If you already own a fence sprayer, Cuprinol Garden Shades turns a long fence or a big shed into a much shorter job. The matt finish lets the grain show through, and the colour range runs to mixed shades for matching pots and walls. Coverage fell short of what we expected, though, so buy an extra tin rather than running out halfway along.
Best Value
Johnstone’s Garden Colours
Best for: Bright garden furniture and planters on a budget
Check Price On AmazonJohnstone's Woodcare Garden Colours is an affordable garden paint from a brand that's been making paint since 1890. It's sold in 1 and 2.5 litre tins and there are 20 colours, from soft neutrals to bold shades like the Paradise Petals pink in our testing photo.
It's smooth and easy to brush on, suits most wooden garden furniture and lets the natural grain show through. Johnstone's quotes a drying time of two hours, four years of protection and a fade-resistant finish.
The catch showed up in our testing. Unless you apply several coats, the colour comes out quite pale, so a bright shade can look washed out after one coat. Budget for extra coats from the start.
What we like
- Suitable for most wooden garden furniture
- Smooth and easy to brush on
- Lets the natural grain show through
- Dries in two hours
- Choice of 20 colours
- Fade resistant according to Johnstone's
What to know
- Colour looked pale in our testing until several coats were on
- Four years of protection is the shortest in this list
Our verdict
Johnstone's Garden Colours is the budget pick for brightening up planters, benches and small garden pieces, as long as you're happy to apply a few coats. For sheds and fences, Cuprinol Garden Shades quotes six years against Johnstone's four, and Rust-Oleum Garden Paint suits anyone who likes a chalky look.
Best Gloss Finish
Sandtex 10 Year Exterior Gloss
Best for: Front doors, windows and trim where you want a mirror shine
Check Price On AmazonSandtex 10 Year Exterior Gloss is made for a deep, mirror-like shine on outdoor woodwork. Sandtex guarantees it for ten years, and the flexible formula is designed to move with the timber so it resists cracking as the wood swells and shrinks through the seasons.
It's easy to apply with a brush, and it goes further than any other paint here, with Sandtex quoting up to 15 square metres per litre. That takes some of the sting out of a price that's among the highest in this list.
Drying time is the thing to plan around. In our testing it took longer than six hours to dry, which we put down to painting in low temperatures. Pick a mild, dry day and give each coat plenty of time. Our roundup of the best gloss paints for woodwork covers interior options too.
What we like
- Ten-year weather protection guarantee
- Flexible formula that resists cracking
- Easy to apply with a brush
- Covers up to 15 square metres per litre
- Deep, high-gloss shine
What to know
- Took longer than six hours to dry in our cold-weather testing
- Relatively expensive next to the alternatives
Our verdict
The trade-off with Sandtex 10 Year Exterior Gloss is time. Ours took over six hours to dry in the cold, so it needs a mild, settled day. Get that right and you're rewarded with a deep, traditional shine on a front door or window frames, a flexible film that resists cracking and a ten-year guarantee from Sandtex. If you can't wait for a settled spell, Ronseal Weatherproof 2-in-1 is weatherproof in an hour.
Best Chalky Finish
Rust-Oleum Garden Paint
Best for: Garden furniture and features in a chalky look across mixed surfaces
Check Price On AmazonRust-Oleum made its name in the UK with chalk paints for furniture, and its Garden Paint brings that chalky finish outdoors with a weather-resistant formula.
Rust-Oleum says there's no need to sand or prime wood before painting, and the same tin goes on plaster, brick, stone and plastic, which is handy for matching garden features. The finish resists mould and algae, and the brand quotes up to 14 square metres per litre, touch dry in an hour and fully hard in four.
We were impressed that there was no odour at all when we applied it. It needed at least two coats for the best result in our testing, and the six-year guarantee is shorter than the Ronseal, Dulux and Sandtex paints.
What we like
- Mould and algae resistant finish
- No odour when we applied it
- Up to 14 square metres per litre according to Rust-Oleum
- Touch dry in one hour and hard in four
- Goes on wood, plaster, brick, stone and plastic
- Distinctive colour range
What to know
- Six-year guarantee is shorter than the door and window paints here
- Needed at least two coats in our testing
Our verdict
One tin for the bench, the brick planter and the plastic pots is what makes Rust-Oleum Garden Paint stand out, giving the whole patio the same chalky look. It's pleasant to use as well, with no smell at all. Plan on two coats, and bear in mind the six-year guarantee falls short of the Ronseal and Dulux paints for doors.
Choosing The Right Exterior Wood Paint
Exterior wood paint protects timber as well as colouring it, so the right choice depends on what you're painting, how exposed it is and how frequently you're happy to repaint. Here's what to check before buying.
Gloss, Satin Or Matt Finish
Gloss gives a hard, high-shine finish that's easy to wipe clean and hard wearing, which is why it's the traditional choice for front doors, windows and trim. Satin has a lower sheen that hides small imperfections better and looks more modern. Matt garden paints like Cuprinol Garden Shades suit sheds, fences and furniture, where a flat colour looks more natural. Gloss and satin both protect well, so the choice comes down to the look you want.
Guarantee And Weather Protection
Brands quote a protection period to show how long the paint should last, and the paints in this list range from four years for Johnstone's to ten for Ronseal, Dulux and Sandtex. Those figures depend on following the instructions and preparing the wood properly. Skip the prep and even the best paint can flake, peel or blister within a season.
Preparing The Wood
Sand bare wood smooth in the direction of the grain, and lightly key previously painted wood so the new coat can grip. If the old paint is flaking badly, strip it back with a paint stripper for wood and metal or an electric sander. Fill cracks and holes with an exterior-grade product from our pick of the best wood fillers, and clean off any green growth first, using the same method as our guide to cleaning green algae off a fence.
Drying Time And The Weather
Rain on wet paint ruins the finish, so check the forecast and pick a dry, mild day. Fast-drying paints like the Ronseal, which is weatherproof in an hour according to the brand, give you more margin. Slow-drying gloss needs a longer dry spell, and cold weather slows everything down, as we found with the Sandtex. Always wait the full recoat time on the tin between coats.
Brush, Roller Or Sprayer
Most exterior wood paints go on by brush or roller, and painting along the grain gives the neatest finish. Garden paints such as Cuprinol can also be sprayed, which saves hours on a long fence or a big shed. Doors and windows are best done by brush for control around glass and mouldings.
Looking After Painted Wood
Painted exterior wood can be washed with warm soapy water to remove dirt. If a section gets knocked or damaged, sand it smooth and touch it up with another coat before water can get behind the paint. Decking needs a dedicated decking paint for foot traffic rather than a standard exterior wood paint.
Exterior Wood Paint Questions We're Asked
Do you need to prime exterior wood before painting?
Bare exterior wood needs a primer or undercoat unless the paint says it doesn't. Rust-Oleum Garden Paint, for example, can go straight onto wood without sanding or priming according to the brand, while systems like Dulux Weathershield have a matching undercoat. Treat knots on new softwood first so resin doesn't bleed through the finish.
Can you paint exterior wood in cold weather?
You can paint exterior wood in cool weather, but low temperatures slow drying a lot and damp air can spoil the finish. Most tins give a minimum temperature, so check it before starting. In our testing, Sandtex Exterior Gloss took more than six hours to dry when we painted in the cold, so pick a mild, dry day where you can.
How long does exterior wood paint last?
Exterior wood paint lasts anywhere from four to ten years according to the brands in this list, with Ronseal, Dulux and Sandtex quoting up to ten. Real life depends on the prep, the number of coats and how exposed the wood is. South-facing doors and fences in full sun and rain wear faster than sheltered timber.
Can you use exterior wood paint on garden furniture?
Yes, exterior wood paint works well on garden furniture, and garden paints such as Cuprinol Garden Shades, Johnstone's Garden Colours and Rust-Oleum Garden Paint are made for it. Clean and lightly sand the furniture first, let it dry fully and apply at least two coats. Give the tops of arms and seats extra attention, as they take the most wear.
Is Sandtex 10 Year Exterior Gloss worth the extra money?
Sandtex 10 Year Exterior Gloss is worth it for a front door or window frames where you want a deep, mirror-like shine. Sandtex guarantees it for ten years and quotes up to 15 square metres per litre. The catch is drying time, as ours took over six hours in the cold, so pick a mild, dry day and give each coat plenty of time.
Should I choose Ronseal Weatherproof 2-in-1 or Dulux Weathershield for a front door?
Ronseal Weatherproof 2-in-1 is the easier choice for a front door, as Ronseal says it's weatherproof in an hour. Dulux Weathershield is better if you want a gloss or satin system with a matching undercoat. Both quote up to ten years of protection. Weathershield was quite runny in our testing, so watch for drips around door panels and window beads.
Why does Johnstone's Garden Colours look pale after one coat?
In our testing the colour came out quite pale unless we applied several coats, so a bright shade can look washed out after one. Budget for extra coats from the start. Johnstone's Garden Colours is our value pick for planters, benches and small garden pieces, but Johnstone's quotes four years of protection, the shortest in this list.
Does Cuprinol Garden Shades go far enough for a long fence?
Coverage fell short of what we expected, whether we brushed or sprayed it, so buy more than you think for a long run of fence. Cuprinol says two coats give up to six years of protection. A fence sprayer still makes quick work of a long run, as long as you've got enough tins in before you start.
Which Exterior Wood Paint We'd Buy
Ronseal Weatherproof 2-in-1 is our top pick for doors, cladding and window frames thanks to its quick weatherproof time and long protection, as long as you allow for extra coats. Dulux Weathershield is the alternative when you want a full gloss or satin system in a wide range of colours.
For sheds, fences and garden furniture, Cuprinol Garden Shades gives a matt colour that lets the grain show through.
Eddie spent five years as a self-employed painter and decorator before going part time to become one of the main writers at DIY Works. From garden fences to mist coats on fresh plaster, painting and decorating is his speciality.