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. In terms of colour, this paint is available in nine different hues. I’ve chosen to focus this review on the ‘Silver’ Copse finish which is a matt, dark grey fence paint – it results in a modern, contemporary look. 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. If you’ve been feeling like your garden needs a bit of jazzing up, painting your wooden fence can really bring it up a level.

It soaks in to the wood as opposed to sitting on the surface, which can make for a longer-lasting finish. This fence paint should be applied on a dry day when temperatures are over 10°C. You’ll need to clean the wood first using a stiff brush to remove any dirt. 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. 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’.

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Some fences may only require one coat, but it’s more common to need two or three. The drying time between coats is around 2 – 4 hours and the overall drying time should no more than 5 hours in total. 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.

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. Who said that fences and sheds had to be standard colours like brown or green? If you are looking for something a bit jazzier for your garden, the ‘Bold Plum’ option in the Johnstone’s Garden Colours makes a striking impact. It’s the best fence paint to make a colourful statement in the garden.

My Top Recommended Fence Paint

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. For the most part, the fence paint colour may look a little different to the swatch colour when first applied, but when dry it’s a better match; however, the ‘Autumn Red’ dries slightly more orange than you might expect. Painting a lighter colour over a darker one will likely always result in some of the base colour showing through. Better results will be achieved with several coats of paint, but there’s always a risk that it won’t turn out quite as vibrant as expected.

This Sadolin Shed and Fence Woodstain is the best fence paint if you’re looking for something that will freshen up the appearances of fences whilst also offering weather protection for several years.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.

Dries much faster, to a hard finish, than water-based paint (although is slower to be ‘touch dry’). 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. 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) . 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. 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’.

The paint dries as either the water or solvent dissolves, and both types of paint have their advantages and disadvantages. Water-Based Paint This fence paint is wax enriched, which helps with repelling water from the surface, and it offers an all-weather barrier to protect exterior wood. The ‘Ebony Wood’ is perfect for anyone wishing to create dark, striking fences. Make a creative statement: choose any colour from the rainbow. You can use any bright colour to make a creative statement in the garden, and these paints can be applied in any number of ways. You could decorate fences with an ombre colour fade, contrast trellises, contrast fence posts, or paint one fence to make a statement area in the garden.