There’s 6 L of fence paint in one tin which is enough to cover approximately 10 fence panels, and it’s available in different colours like ‘Autumn Red’, ‘Rich Oak’ and ‘Rustic Brown’. It’s also one of the best fence paints to apply at any time of year, because it becomes showerproof within approximately 30 minutes of application. Therefore, even if you can’t rely on there being no drizzle during the whole day, you can still pop some of this paint on during a dry window. As a general rule, darker colour fence paints may be able to get away with one coat, depending on the original colour of the wooden fence. More vibrant colours are more likely to require a second coat (or maybe even a third).

Both water-based paint and solvent-based paint can be used on exterior surfaces – as long as the specific paint products states that it’s suitable for this purpose. The paint tin should state whether it is water based or oil/solvent based. When it comes to fence paint, there are two directions you can go with colour. These are natural hues (like browns and greys) or shades which are more commonly found in the rainbow (reds, oranges, purples). There’s 5 L of fence paint in one tin, so in terms of value-for-money this Sadolin paint sits roughly on par with the Cuprinol fence paint, making it a mid-range option. However, the Sadolin paint may require more coats than the Cuprinol.Although only one coat is required, if you’re covering a bright or very rich colour, you may wish to apply an extra coat of this Ronseal fence paint depending on personal preference. For reference: a 5 – 6 L tin of paint will cover approximately 30 m² (about 10 fence panels) . Although, of course, this depends on how many coats are needed. A 9 L tin can cover around 54 m² ( up to 17 fence panels) . The paint is also easy to apply. It dries fully in four hours and is showerproof in just one hour. It can be either brushed or sprayed on, although it’s worth noting that the paint is pretty thin and therefore drips are likely.

On that note, let’s take a look at the durability. This fence paint offers good weather protection from rain, snow, frost and UV damage, with the colour lasting for around five years. It soaks in to the wood as opposed to sitting on the surface, which can make for a longer-lasting finish. It’s the best fence paint for keeping mess to a minimum, and can be applied with either a brush or a spray gun. Although it achieves good coverage most of the time with just one coat, there are some instances where two coats might be required. For example: Create a strong ‘theme’: choose a colour that matches your flowers or shed. For example, if you have a lot of purple flowers in the garden, painting the fence and/or shed in the same colour can create a cohesive and strong theme for the space. From plum, to lime, to berry, there are a lot of loud colour options available in this Johnstone’s Garden Colours range, as well as some more neutral tones like ‘Vintage Rose’ and ‘Natural Vanilla’.

What Is The UK’s Best Fence Paint?

Choose water-based paint if you want a fast-drying fence paint that is more environmentally friendly . Water-based paints extend well over surfaces and you won’t need to use chemicals to clean the brushes. Plus, lighter colours (like white) won’t yellow over time. Onto the colour – this Slate Grey fence paint offers a contemporary, rich finish. It’s a deep colour and the paint applies well, so it often only needs one coat. Cuprinol will likely need to be heavily diluted if used with a paint sprayer, so there is a possibility that another coat will be required in that case. Two coats might also be needed if painting over a darker colour, or applying the paint on fresh wood. One 5 L tin of One Coat Fence Life covers a large area. According to Ronseal, each litre of paint can cover 6 m² per coat. This means that a 5 L container holds enough product to cover 30 m². Another benefit of this fence paint is that it can be applied on either damp or dry wood, although it still needs to be applied on a dry day. This means that even if there have been a few days of rain, you can still paint your fence or shed once the sky clears.

After painting, wash all brushes and paint sprayers thoroughly with warm water. If using a solvent-based paint, you may need to wash brushes in white spirit to remove the paint. A 1 L tin provides enough fence paint to cover approximately 12 m² (approximately five fence panels), so it’s one of the more expensive options featured on this list, but the coverage is good and it’s easy to apply, often only requiring one coat.

There are several colours in the Ronseal Fence Life range including: Gold, Medium Oak, and Dark Oak. I’m focusing this review on the Dark Oak colour which dries as a dark chocolate and has a matt finish. It’s a rich, warm colour to use in the garden. One coat should be sufficient on most rough-sawn timber if painted over a lighter colour. Some of the best fence paints are versatile enough to be used on several different surfaces. Look for paint that can be used on wrot timber as well as rough-sawn timber if you want to paint furniture as well as fences.