How do I paint a shed? (I promise I'm not as stupid as I sound.)

[Nurseygreen]

So this is my shed. As you can see, it's pretty tatty. I want to paint it with Cuprinol seagrass (a pale green). Do I need to get the old brown paint off before I paint it, or will it paint over it? And if I need to get it off, how do I do that?

Sorry for the stupid questions!

[Coopers]

Ha, tatty. That makes mine look like a shanty hut. I guess it depends how true you want the colour to be to the pale green you want. Personally maybe just paint a patch on the back and see if you like the colour. Sanding it down seems like an awful lot of effort.

I'm sure someone knows the paint in question more than I do though.

[WendyC]

Brush off any loose paint with a wire brush before you start. I think you'll need several coats.

[veggiechicken]

I had a shed that had been painted with that orangey woodstain. Painted over it with pale blue woodstain and it turned into a mottled, aged bluish colour. Quite nice actually.
As Coopers suggests, test a bit first, the colour might not turn out quite the colour you'd like!

[Thelma Sanders]

Yup, mine went patchy green, even though I chose the dark green thinking it would cover the orange

[Jungle Jane]

If you want a pale green,paint it white first (watered down white paint) wood absorbs a lot of paint,but you'll need a paler base colour before you begin with the green,unless you want dark green

[Potstubsdustbins]

Can I be pedantic, it isn't paint neither the shed or Cuprinol, they are a type of wood preservative that soaks into the wood.

Cuprinol do tester's I would by one of these first and do a try and see bit.

[Jay-ell]

I'd give it a brush down with a wire brush to get rid of the loose paint. you can also rub it down with sugar soap if you want, to clean off the gunk and help the paint take.


Just painted my fence blue, which was an orange brown. Although the paint was a one coat type the first coat looked purple so I had to use two coats. After two coats it looks a nice shade of blue, slightly mottled.

[mothhawk]

Can I be pedantic, it isn't paint neither the shed or Cuprinol, they are a type of wood preservative that soaks into the wood.

Cuprinol do tester's I would by one of these first and do a try and see bit.

I find a tester pot is just enough to give a bird box nearly two coats. I did the insect hotel seagrass. Very pleasant colour.

[Nurseygreen]

Thanks all, I'll give the tester a go and see how it turns out! Otherwise it'll be staying a nice shade of brown haha.

[janzbro]

Ive just bought an old shed off gumtree and it looks brand new after I finished.

The problem with all the fence paints is they are wax based and your new paint will not adhere to it and will peel eventually.
First jetwash it, it comes off easily enough although it is time consuming and your left with lovely fresh wood for the garden shades stuff to seep into. if you want to save a lot of paint give it a light sand over, trust me this will almost double te coverage of a can.
I didnt sand mine and it drank a full 2.5 litre can on a first coat and the shed it only 5 x 4 LOL the paint cost as much as the shed!!!

PS if you havent got the paint yet try wilkos garden colours - in my opinion its superior to the cupe shades and is £22 for 5 litres

[Nurseygreen]

You're a star Janzbro I'll pop in to wilko's! I'll also give it a sand first - when the weather dries up a bit that is!

[Stan79]

The problem with all the fence paints is they are wax based and your new paint will not adhere to it and will peel eventually.

Sound advice all round but not all shed / fence paints are wax based... I use water based and it slaps on top of the previous coat every two years.