No matter how beautiful an existing wooden shed is, one cannot deny the fact of painting it again when it loses its charm and lustre. If the wooden shed is newly brought and is yet to be painted, painting becomes essential to protect the structure from pests.

In both cases, it is essential to paint meticulously to get a consistent and pest-protective coat. To ensure the same, here are a few useful and easy tips to follow for painting a wooden shed.

Choose the paint when the weather is favourable

Weather is the first factor to check for when it comes to painting any external wooden edifice. Whether log cabins, hanging parasols, or summerhouses, painting a wooden shed requires dry, not too cold, and not too windy weather. 

Ensure that the walls are fully dry, as humidity and high moisture levels might result in water-filled paint bubbles. Painting when the temperature is below 10°C, or it is too windy tends to affect the drying process. Similarly, painting in hot surroundings might result in blistered paint. 

Focus first on the exterior surface

For painting wooden sheds successfully, it is essential to ensure that its surface is clean. In other words, it does not have dirt, cobwebs, mud, and loose paint. Otherwise, their presence will result in flaking and blistering. 

So, do inspect the surface and remove all debris using only water and bleach, followed by rinsing the bleach. This tip applies to a shed in the garden or lawn. Just never run a brush on an unclean surface to enjoy a neat painting outcome. 

Use a pressure washer to get a clean surface

This is the tool to use if bare wood has been used for making a wooden shed. Such a shed does not require scraping or sanding but just a pressure washer to clean the surface for smooth painting.

As a prerequisite, consider repairing or replacing a loose or broken panel, if any, in the shed. Further, consider working in a regular pattern at the time of spraying so that there is no chance of missing any spots during repeated spot cleaning. Clean all the surfaces and then allow the shed to dry for one day.

Smoothen the surface

This task should go parallel to the surface cleaning one. Before painting, ensure that each corner of the exterior surface is smooth. 

For this, it is essential to look for loose or rusted nails, cracks, or holds and fix them instantly. Filling them would be better, as the filled portions then stick nicely to the paint. Sealing can be done using a paintable caulk, as it is recommended for long-lasting evenness. 

Once done, let the surface get smoothened by keeping it idle for over a day before painting.

Use a paint primer

Prior to painting the completely dry shed, consider applying an oil-based primer to seal holes and keep insects at bay. Before doing so, do remove anything that requires no painting. In the case of using a paint gun, consider retaining a level spray pattern while spraying. 

Mix and test

This tip applies only if there are multiple tins containing the same paint. Mostly, their shades are likely to differ from one tin to another. This is because the quantity of pigment added to each tin is less likely to be the same. 

So, mix the paint from all the tins in a big container. Doing so ensures that the colour of the wooden shed looks consistent. Now, paint a small area to see if the painted surface looks good and if the product is good enough to do its job. 

Know what to paint in which order

To accomplish a well-painted shed, it is recommended to start painting the edges and windows first and then target the verticals from top to bottom, brushing along the wooden grain. Do focus on any exposed areas of end grain, as this is where rot tends to grow. 

No overloading the paintbrush

Never overload the paintbrush with too much paint for painting quickly to get an even look. Rather, consider giving another round of coating of deeper colour and non-drip painting are the main goals. Consider doing so after two to four hours, provided the weather is normal.

Use a paint gun for painting

On a primed shed, it is ideal to paint using a paint gun instead of a paintbrush. Doing so prevents uneven strokes and dripping. While spraying, consider holding the sprayer at a distance of 10 to 12 inches from the shed’s surface and spraying at an even pace.

Conclusion

With these tips, you will surely get a smooth, consistent, and protective paint coat on the wooden shed’s surface.