How to protect outdoor wood

The Great British climate is, at best, changeable. We sometimes get snow in spring and heatwaves in autumn, so it’s important that your outdoor wood is protected all year round.

Project overview

Easy

What you’ll need:

Sanding paper
A paintbrush
Woodstain or exterior paint

Choose a stain

You might think that any old stain will do but the right one can protect your wood for 10 years. If you just want to get the job done, our Quick Drying Woodstain is weather ready in just 30 minutes. It’s available in 11 different colours so you’ve got plenty to choose from.

Or if you want a stain that will last as long as your wood does, our 10 Year Woodstain does exactly what it says on the tin. It won’t flake or peel and your colour will look good as new for an entire decade.

If you can’t find the right colour, our 10 Year Weatherproof Wood Paint comes in 17 different shades and offers the same level of protection as our woodstain.

Take your pick!

Prepare the area

Remove any metalwork and cover up all the areas you don’t want to get stain on. Grab a sanding block and smooth down the surface. This will help the paint to stick and will make sure you don’t have to do it again in a year’s time.

Test the stain

Start by giving your stain a good stir to make sure the colour is consistent. Test a small hidden patch of wood to make sure your happy with the colour. If you don’t do a patch test you may end up with a colour that’s not quite right for your garden.

Start painting

Paint in the direction of the wood grain to get the best finish.

Three coats will give you the best colour and protection.

Admire a job well done

All that’s left for you to do now is admire your handiwork with a cup of tea and give yourself a pat on the back for doing the DIY.