Let’s get back to basics and start with the walls. Whether you’re working on a city balcony or a country garden, there are usually some uninspiring plain walls around and a coat of masonry paint can really liven up your space. 

 

Crisp whites, bold colour blocking, or a subtle hint of colour are all options catered for by most of the premium paint brands on the market, who have been hard at work developing the perfect masonry paint finish. 

Try Little Greene’s Intelligent Masonry Paint, (available in all of their amazing colours), or Farrow and Ball’s Exterior Masonry finish, (available in 107 shades). 

Moving on from the walls but sticking with the basics, let’s tackle rough sawn woodwork. After winter weather and spring frosts, sheds and fences are often crying out for some TLC. 

For a basic but brilliant woodstain that will weatherproof and protect fences and sheds from the elements, try Sadolin Shed and Fence. It offers full protection against rain, frost and UV ray. Shed and Fence comes in a range of colours to suit every taste too. 

Or, if you’re on a bigger budget, Tikkurila, Little Greene Paint Company and Benjamin Moore all have excellent finishes for decking, sheds and fences. 

 

Garden furniture gets exposed to UV rays, wind, rain, frost and even snow over the course of a year, but a quick sand down, prime with a product like Eico Ican Grepp-V primer and coat of outdoor furniture paint will add a pop of colour and protect it all at the same time. 

We love the Colour By Nature collection from Farrow and Ball. It’s a collection of vibrant colours, all taking their inspiration from nature. For a simple garden update that packs a punch, painting a few details like window sills, garden tables, chairs, benches and even planter boxes can make all the difference visually. Another excellent choice for outdoor furniture paint is Aura Exterior from Benjamin Moore. 

For a brilliant all rounder product, Bradite OneCan is a definite winner. OneCan is a quick drying, low odour primer and finish coat in one. We love it because it has stain blocking and anti-corrosive properties and it works of interior and exterior joinery, metals, building plastics and cementitious surfaces. This is an all-purpose water-based primer and finish with exterior durability, all in one can. What’s not to love? 

 

For a basic but brilliant wood stain that will weatherproof and protect fences and sheds from the elements, try Sadolin Shed and Fence. It offers full protection against rain, frost and UV ray. Shed and Fence comes in a range of colours to suit every taste too. 

 

Or, if you’re on a bigger budget, Tikkurila, Little Greene Paint Company and Benjamin Moore all have excellent finishes for decking, sheds and fences. 

Photo: Little Greene Paint Company; Shed in Juniper Ash, Chair in Atomic Red