Our team at Promain realise that with so much choice available it is hard to decide which exterior wood paint is the best for your situation. Below we will discuss the pro’s and con’s of our 3 most popular outdoor wood paints to help you make the decision.
What is Exterior Wood Paint?
Exterior wood paint is any protective opaque coating that can withstand weathering externally. These paints are formulated to be durable, long lasting and suitable as a weatherproof wood paint. However, exterior wood stains or oils are also options to protect your external wood.
What Is The Best Exterior Wood Paint?
To make it easier for customers we have narrowed down our selection to the three most popular outdoor wood paint solutions:
Now, there is a possibility than all 3 of these products are not suitable for your circumstance. You might have cedar wood which is notoriously difficult to work with, or maybe you are looking for outdoor paint for furniture that is in a coastal environment. Therefore, what’s the best exterior wood paint for you might not be the best exterior wood paint for someone else.
Have a look at this table to introduce which exterior wood paint is best out of these three solutions.
| Bedec Barn Paint |
Bradite One Can |
Zinsser Allcoat Exterior |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 2.5, 5, 20 and 100 Litres | 1, 2.5 and 5 Litres | 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 Litres |
| Finish | Satin, Semi Gloss and Matt | Satin & Matt | Satin, Matt and Gloss |
| Stock Colours | White, Black, Range of House Colours plus Semi Opaque Colours | White, Black | White, Black |
| Tintable | Only to opaque colours. | Full Range of BS and RAL shades | Full Range of BS, RAL, NCS and others |
| Dry Film Thickness | 21µm | 35µm | 40µm |
| For Interior & Exterior Use | ✓ | ✓ | Exterior only |
| Stain Blocking? | No | Stain Locking. Will lock nicotine, water stains, rust, bitumen and more. | No |
| Anti Corrosive? | Requires primer | ✓ | Requires primer |
| Coverage | 13 – 15m2 per litre | 11m2 per litre | 10 – 12m2 per litre |
| Touch Dry at 20°C |
2 – 4 hours | 30 minutes | 1 – 4 hours |
| Overcoatable at 20°C |
4 hours | 1 hour | 1 hour |
| Fully Cured at 20°C |
1 month | 7 days | 7 days |
| Application Method | Brush, Roller, Conventional HVLP, Airless Spray | Brush, Roller, Spray | Brush, Roller, Spray |
Can you use these exterior wood paint products on other substrates?
It’s a tricky one because on face value you can say yes, Zinsser Allcoat would paint on any of the below substrates directly like the other two products in the list. However, our technical team would not be happy prescribing direct to these substrates for longevity without the primer to aid adhesion first. Therefore, the best Zinsser primer in most of these situations listed is Bulls Eye 123.
You might be asking yourself:
- Can I use exterior wood paint on masonry?
- Can you use exterior wood paint on metal?
We would really recommend using a product that is designed for use on those substrates. Why cut corners when a few years down the line the coating might fail? Have a look at our Masonry Paint category here, and our Metal Paints category here. If you need advice call our technical team.
Have a look at this table as a quick guide for the products range of uses:
| Substrate Compatibility | Bedec Barn Paint |
Bradite One Can |
Zinsser Allcoat Exterior |
| Hardwood | Requires primer | ✓ | Requires primer |
| Softwood |
✓ Spot prime knots |
✓ Spot prime knots |
✓ Spot prime knots |
| Tanilised Timber | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wooden Fencing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Existing Coatings | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| uPVC / Plastics | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Powder Coating | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plastisol Cladding | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wooden & Metal Gates | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Galvanised Steel |
✓ Weathered only |
✓
New & Weathered |
✓ New (with a primer) & Weathered |
| Rusted Metal | Requires Primer | ✓ | Requires Primer |
| Stainless Steel | No | ✓ | Requires Primer |
| Copper | ✓ | ✓ | Requires Primer |
| Ceramic Tiles | ✓ | ✓ | Requires Primer |
| Glass | Internal glass only | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cement | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weathered Bitumen | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stucco | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brick | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stone | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cured Concrete | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
FAQ’s with Exterior Wood Paints
However, if you are asking can you use exterior wood paint on decking, the answer is yes. But, and it is a big but – remember you will more than likely walk on decking. Decking will therefore need a coating that can withstand foot traffic. Have a look at these Decking Paint products for better solutions.
We would really recommend external wood paint like these for application as garden furniture paints, wooden cladding paint, or fence paints. Firstly, always ensure to prepare the substrate correctly first. Remember, you may need a exterior wood primer first.
If you are asking can you use exterior wood paint indoors, you can but make sure you look at the VOC levels. Furthermore, can your family handle a horrendous smell as the paint dries?! It might also be unsuitable because of the use of the internal wood. For example, wooden worktops would be unsuitable for applying exterior wood paint inside on to. As above, just give us a call on 01462 421333 to discuss before making a mistake!
Further Guidance
We would suggest you have a look at our other articles before commencing the job. These ones will help you prepare your outdoor wood ready for paint that will last for a good number of years:
- How To Use Power Washers On Exterior Wood
- Preparing To Paint: How to Prepare your Decking?
- How to Treat and Finish Weathered Wood
- How to Strip Treated Decking and Wood Surfaces
- FAQ: Deck Paint vs Deck Exterior Wood Stain
- How To Choose Fence Paint Colours
In conclusion, hopefully this article has helped you to find what’s the best exterior wood paint for your situation. However, if you get stuck, remember our technical team is only a call or email away. Call us on 01462 421333 or email us via our contact page.
