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The best exterior paints to transform a rundown garden in a weekend
Enhance your home's curb appeal with one of our top-performing outdoor paints
Typically, fences need repainting every two to three years to stay in tip-top condition. The same goes for garden sheds, trellises and other exposed surfaces. But to keep them looking good for as long as possible – and give your garden a summer makeover, you need the best exterior paint.
Whether you’re freshening up your existing finish or want to experiment with some bright, bold colours, the Good Housekeeping Institute experts got the paint brushes out to find the most durable and full-coverage exterior paints for your garden glow-up.
And if you’re considering giving your stone, brick, or concrete surfaces a bit of TLC, we’ve found some multitasking buys that will work on those surfaces too.
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Getting your garden ready for barbecue season? We’ve also tested the best pressure washers for sprucing up your patio and rounded up the best garden planters to add a burst of colour.
How we test exterior paints
To find the best exterior paints for wood, we put each product through three rigorous tests. We apply coats of paint to an unpainted wooden fence following the manufacturer’s instructions, assessing its ease of application, how long it takes to dry, and the finish. The best fence paints won’t drip or bleed through, and will need little paint for a smooth, even coverage.
We then do our rain test. After letting the paint cure for the recommended time, our testers evenly spray the wood with water, looking for drips and beading, and checking whether any water soaks into the paint.
Our testers then wipe the wood dry with kitchen paper, looking to see if any paint rubs off. Our winning paint looked as good as new after this test with water beading off the fence completely.
Our third test assesses durability – our expert scrubs the paint with a piece of sandpaper and a cork sanding block. After 20 strokes using medium-firm pressure, we check to see if any paint has come off and whether there are any changes to the overall appearance. Finally, we assess each paint’s ease of application and instructions before awarding a final score out of 100.
These are the outdoor paints we’ll be stocking up on.
Pros
- Mess-free application
- Water beaded on the fence well
Cons
- Not a huge range of colours (and no bright ones)
- Not as durable as we’d have liked
Score: 94/100
Why we love it: Scoring full marks on our application and water-repellent tests, our expert recommends this wax-enriched formula for jhuzzing up your fences and sheds. The paint offers up to five years' worth of weather protection, and we love the brand’s advice on how to recycle old and leftover paint.
Coverage: Not much was needed for a single coat and our expert was happy with the high-quality finish. Thanks to the thick consistency, no drips or dribbles were spotted, plus it dried within the specified time.
Durability: This was where other garden paints outperformed Cuprinol’s Ducksback. There was a noticeable amount of paint on the sandpaper after scuffing and the fence lost its bright, freshly painted appearance. Avoid scuffing though, and it’s a standout buy.
Key specifications
| Suitable for use on | Fences, wooden gates, sheds, and summerhouses |
|---|---|
| Formula | Water-based wax-enriched formula |
| Recommended number of coats | 2-3 |
| Weather protection claims | 5 years |
| Drying time | 2-6 |
| Coverage per litre | 4.8m2 |
| Cost per litre | £3.48 |
| Colours available | 12 |
Pros
- Tin is easy to open
- Paint didn’t need much mixing before use
Cons
- Instructions weren’t that clear
- Wasn’t completely effective at repelling water, with parts of the surface still very wet
Score: 92/100
Why we love it: Suitable for any wood in the garden, from fences to sheds, or even garden furniture, this exterior wood paint is an excellent choice for a complete garden makeover. There are also 22 colours available in the range, including pinks, yellows and blues.
Coverage: A good consistency made it easy to spread into the corners and edges of the fence panel and no paint dribbled down the front. Paint did bleed through to the other side of the fence though, so be careful when applying.
Durability: Some paint came off when scuffed, which left the fence looking duller than we’d have liked, however, it provides up to four years of weather protection and suffered no damage during our rain test.
Key specifications
| Suitable for use on | Exterior wood |
|---|---|
| Formula | Water-based |
| Recommended number of coats | 2 |
| Weather protection claims | 4 years |
| Drying time | 2-4 hours |
| Coverage per litre | 12m2 |
| Cost per litre | £8.34 |
| Colours available | 22 |
Pros
- Packaging is made with recyclable plastic
- Instructions and advice are very clear
Cons
- Only one size available (1L)
- Expensive per litre
Score: 92/100
Why we love it: This multipurpose Wickes buy is suitable for wood, stone, terracotta, and brick, giving you more versatility and freedom when it comes to freshening up your outdoor space. Our tester said the colour on the tin’s label was very accurate when compared to the dried paint and application was mess-free.
Coverage: Scoring full marks here, the paint didn’t drip or dribble down the fence and it was easy to achieve a full coat without using much product. Once dry, the fence had a lovely even finish too.
Durability: A little bit of damage on our scuffing test meant the paint lost a few marks. We noticed the fence panel had lost its bright, freshly painted look, and when spraying it, the water didn’t run off completely. There were no signs of damage after this though, so it should last through heavy showers.
Key specifications
| Suitable for use on | Wood, stone, terracotta, and brick |
|---|---|
| Formula | Water-based |
| Recommended number of coats | 2 |
| Weather protection claims | 5 years |
| Drying time | 2-4 hours |
| Coverage per litre | 12m2 |
| Cost per litre | £12 |
| Colours available | 8 |
Pros
- Paint matched the swatch on the label once dry
- Good consistency and no dripping on application
Cons
- Limited number of colours (only in natural shades)
- Only available in one size (5L)
Score: 92/100
Why we love it: If you’re looking for a natural finish, opt for this fence stain. While paint sits on top of the wood grain, a stain soaks in, leaving the natural grain still visible. This wax-enriched formula claims to protect the wood from the sun’s UV rays and comes with the promise of up to five years of colour retention. It scored highly in our rain test with water beading off right away.
Coverage: Our expert found the stain easy to apply with a brush and liked that you didn’t need much to achieve a good first coat. After drying, there were a few patchy areas, but multiple coats should do the trick.
Durability: This was one of the most durable products we tested, with no paint chipping off after scuffing. There was still a slight dullness to the stain after the test, but it’s safe to say we were impressed.
Key specifications
| Suitable for use on | All exterior rough sawn timber |
|---|---|
| Formula | Water-based and wax enriched |
| Recommended number of coats | 2-3 |
| Weather protection claims | 5 years |
| Drying time | 4 hours |
| Coverage per litre | 12m2 |
| Cost per litre | £1.60 |
| Colours available | 5 - silver pebble, chestnut brown, light brown, golden oak, charcoal |
Pros
- Stain didn’t bleed through the fence
- Accurate colour when compared to the label
Cons
- There’s only a 5L tin available so lots of stain would be wasted if needed for a small garden
- Took a long time to dry fully
Score: 88/100
Why we love it: This is another fantastic fence stain, which provides a protective barrier against rain, UV rays and frost. Our tester said it was showerproof in 30 minutes (one of the quickest we tested) and when the showers did come, the stain was water-repellent with water beading off the surface.
Coverage: Hardly any mixing was needed before we could get to work painting our fence, and the stain spread nicely onto the wood and into corners with a brush. It took a while before it was dry enough for a second coat and the finish was patchy at first, but it looked more even after 24 hours.
Durability: While it excelled in our rain test, this stain was one of the lowest scorers when it came to durability, with the stain transferring onto the sandpaper when scuffing.
Key specifications
| Suitable for use on | Sheds, fences, and other exterior wooden structures |
|---|---|
| Formula | Water based and wax-enriched |
| Recommended number of coats | 2-4 |
| Weather protection claims | 5 years |
| Drying time | 4-6 hours |
| Coverage per litre | 6m2 |
| Cost per litre | £3.56 |
| Colours available | 5 |
Pros
- Lots of size options available, including small sample pots
- Dried well with no patchy spots
Cons
- Second coat must be painted within eight hours of the first; otherwise, sanding is required before painting
- Became slightly dull after sanding
Score: 88/100
Why we love it: With 60 colours available, from magenta and turquoise to muted greys, and suitable for use on wood, terracotta, brick and stone, this fence paint offers plenty of versatility.
Coverage: The pigmentation was excellent even after one coat, but a second layer provided a top-quality finish. We had to be careful when applying the layers, though, as it has a thinner consistency than other paints we tested, which meant it dripped slightly – no paint bled through to the other side though.
Durability: With up to six years of weather protection for wood fences and other garden structures, it’s no surprise that this paint was undamaged after our rain test. It wasn’t completely resistant to scuffing though, with paint coming off on the sandpaper.
Key specifications
| Suitable for use on | Wood, terracotta, brick and stone |
|---|---|
| Formula | Water-based |
| Recommended number of coats | 2-3 |
| Weather protection claims | 4 years on stone and brick, and 6 years on wood |
| Drying time | 2-8 hours |
| Coverage per litre | 2-12m2 depending on application method and surface |
| Cost per litre | £8 |
| Colours available | 60 |
Rust-Oleum Garden Paint
Pros
- Recylable packaging
- Only one coat was needed to achieve a good finish
Cons
- Dripped through to the other side of the fence panel
- More expensive than others
Score: 87/100
Why we love it: With the largest range of colours of all the paints we tested, this is the paint to turn to if you want to experiment with different shades in your garden. The water-based paint can also be used on metal and plastic, making it perfect for giving old garden furniture a new lease of life.
Coverage: On test, the colour looked fantastic even after a single coat and it was easy to apply with a brush thanks to the thick consistency. While there were no drips down the front of the fence, we did spot a few dribbles that bled through onto the other side, so it’s worth taking your time and painting carefully to avoid this.
Durability: The paint repelled water effectively and comes with up to six years of weather and mould protection. Plus, it handled our scuff test well, with only a small amount of paint coming off, while the general appearance was unaffected.
Key specifications
| Suitable for use on | Garden furniture, fences, walls, brick, stone, metal, plastic |
|---|---|
| Formula | Water-based |
| Recommended number of coats | 2 |
| Weather protection claims | 6 years |
| Drying time | 2 hours |
| Coverage per litre | 14m2 |
| Cost per litre | £21.32 |
| Colours available | 135 |
Johnstone's Woodcare One Coat Shed & Fence Paint
Pros
- Good durability
- Excellent value
Cons
- Limited colour choice
- Tub didn’t reseal very well which may be an issue if storing
Score: 85/100
Why we love it: This is a great value pick that shouldn’t be overlooked. The wax-enriched paint formula ensured application was smooth and mess-free and it’s available in either five-litre or nine-litre tubs, which is ideal for those larger garden makeovers.
Coverage: While it claims to only need one coat, we did find that two were needed for a more even finish. It impressed on our fences though, with no drips or dribbles, or any bleeding through to the other side.
Durability: This was the top-performer in our scuff test, with no paint coming off on the sandpaper – and while the colour dulled slightly, it wasn’t overly noticeable. There was no damage to the paint after our rain test either.
Key specifications
| Suitable for use on | Sheds and fences |
|---|---|
| Formula | Water-based and wax-enriched |
| Recommended number of coats | 2 |
| Weather protection claims | 3 years |
| Drying time | 2-4 hours |
| Coverage per litre | 6m2 |
| Cost per litre | £1.83 |
| Colours available | 5 |
How to paint a fence or garden shed: painting tips from our expert
A perfect painting job starts with choosing the best garden paint for the task at hand. However, there are some other factors to keep in mind when it comes to putting brush to fence.
1. Check the weather forecast: We recommend choosing a dry day, with a temperature between 10 and 30 degrees. Most paints will have a specific minimum temperature for application so it’s best to check the instructions to be sure.
2. Choose the right formula: For best water resistance, choose a wax enriched formula. This will ensure that water beads on the surface and it should be completely water-resistant.
3. Use the best quality brush you can afford: While it can be tempting to opt for a cheaper brush, it’s a false economy and can lead to a less impressive end result.
4. Consider colour: If you want to make your garden look larger, opt for a lighter shade as these will help brighten your green space. For dramatic contrast, black fences will make greens pop, and the surrounding plants look vibrant!
5. Think about versatility: Check the label before starting. Some paints are only suitable for fences, sheds and rough sawn wood, but many can be used on multiple garden surfaces, including brick, stone, and terracotta. Keep your project in mind when selecting the type of paint.
6. Plan for two coats: Almost all the paints we tested looked better after two coats, even when labelled as ‘one coat’. Plan for a minimum of two coats, then it’s a bonus if you’re happy after only one.
7. Work in sections: Some paints must be recoated the same day, or in the following few days. It’s a good idea to work in smaller sections and recoat the same day rather than tackle the whole area coat by coat.
8. Don’t buy more than you need: Paint can be difficult to dispose of properly, so although larger tubs and tins might be better value, it’s only worthwhile if you’ll use most of it.
9. Be a good neighbour: Be conscious of paint drips while painting – sometimes paint can be seen from the other side of the fence too. Wax enriched paints are less likely to do this, as the wax stops the paint dripping.
10. Cover up: Fence paint can be messy, so we recommend using a dust sheet at the base of the fence panel to catch any splashes. If you do make any mess, patios and brick can be cleaned quickly using warm soapy water.
The verdict on the best exterior paints
If you’re just planning to paint your fences or garden shed, opt for Curpinol’s Ducksback Wood Paint, which delivered a high-quality finish in a range of natural colours.
For those looking for something bolder and brighter, our runner-up, Johnstone's Garden Colours Exterior Wood Paint comes in pink, purple, and yellow shades, and the paint can be used across any exterior wood.
If you’re painting brick, stone and terracotta, choose Wickes’ Garden Paint. Alternatively, if you prefer a natural fence stain over a wood paint, our top pick is the Wickes' Ultimate Shed and Fence Stain.
Why you should trust the Good Housekeeping Institute
We've been reviewing products for over 100 years at the Good Housekeeping Institute, so we know how to measure them against their claims. Our rigorous testing relies on strict protocols, where our experts use products exactly as you would at home.
Our expert, Emily Stocker, has years of testing experience and tried each of these paints in her own garden space, analysing ease of use and performance across a range of surfaces.
All the feedback was then passed to our senior homes and lifestyle writer, Megan Geall, who has written hundreds of product reviews and knows exactly what to look for when it comes to finding the best buys for your garden.
Megan is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s senior homes and lifestyle writer. She loves diving into the latest product releases to find the very best buys on the market and has written hundreds of product reviews on everything from the best vacuum cleaners and coffee machines to the best ice cream makers and robot window cleaners.
When she’s not writing about the newest gadgets and gizmos for your home and garden, you’ll find her running every distance from 5km to 100km or relaxing at home with her cat – there really is no in between.
Megan has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously written for Stylist, Glamour, Women's Health, TimeOut, SquareMeal, and YOU magazine. You can find Megan on Instagram @meganlouisegeall.
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