How to Properly Paint you home's Exterior and Garden Furniture

Select a High-Quality Exterior Paint

Make sure that the paint you choose is specific for outdoor. If you live in Ireland, bear in mind that it must be formulated to endure the severe Irish Weather. In general, exterior paints are more resistant to mould and mildew and most of times are quick dry, for example:

• Dulux Weathershield Smooth Masonry Paint will touch dry in 30 minutes dependent upon temperature / humidity, you can recoat it in 2-4 hours (these times will be significantly longer in cold, damp conditions)  

• Dulux Weathershield Exterior Satinwood (for wood and metal) will take one to two hours to touch dry and recoating time is six hours. 

Also, before starting any outdoor project, you should always check the weather forecast. If you are painting outdoors, bear in mind that you will need time for your paint to dry. Again, if you live in Ireland, you know how unstable the weather can be, so make sure that the chances of raining are almost null.

Calculate The Space you are painting

Before you start your project, you should calculate the space you are painting. Check the coverage area of the paint you choose to buy. You don’t want to run out of paint middle of your project.

• Dulux Weathershield Smooth Masonry Paint coverage is 16m2/litre

• Dulux Weathershield Exterior Satinwood is up to 18m2/L

List all the equipment you will need

Do a quick check list before you start painting to avoid any annoying delays.

• Extension Pole 
• Ladder 
• Paint Rollers 
• Paint Brushes for the Corners 
• A Tray
• Newspaper or dust sheet to protect the perimeter.
• Painter Gloves and goggles.

Investing on good ladder is a smart decision, it’s such an essential item to have at home as you will be using it in many different projects.  

Additionally, use paint brushes and rollers designed for exterior paint as they will be crucial if you are painting your house’s exterior walls, or any other rough textured masonry surfaces.

• Make Sure the Walls you are Painting are Clean and there is no residue of old paint. Use a pressure washer if necessary

• Your Paint Should Be Stirred Before painting. You should begin at the top and work your way down.

Painting Your Garden Furniture and Fences

• The first step is finding a good place to get your furniture painted. Make sure that the perimeter is clean and protect. You can use newspapers or dust sheets to cover the area.

• Get your furniture ready by removing any previous paint and sanding it down to create a smooth sheen. For most materials, 100-grit paper will suffice, however if the wood is rough or the marks are difficult to remove, 80-grit may be preferable. The next step will be passing a highest 100 or 120 grit will smooths out the scratch marks. Finally, passing a 150-grit paper prepares the wood for finishing. If you are painting with oil and clear finishes, Wood Magazine recommends stopping at 180 grit sandpaper and moving up to 220 grits if the wood will be stained or dyed.

• Remove any dust from your furniture. With a damp cloth or microfibre one. Always bear in mind that the better you clean your furniture before painting it the more polished the final look will be

• Paint your furniture with one layer of exterior primer for outdoor spaces, making sure your strokes are all directed in one direction. Allow it to dry completely before moving forward with your project.

• Make sure that your brush strokes follow the grain of the wood to create a polished finish. Allow a few hours for your furniture to dry completely after applying your last layer of paint. Apply the second coat evenly and leave it to dry.  

• You should use a top coat exterior spray in order to protect the paint as it will definitely last longer.