Best Exterior Wood Paint: 6 Superior Finishes for Doors, Windows, and More (2023)

The best exterior wood stains are specially formulated to not only make your doors, windows, shed, fences and decks look good, but also provide good weather protection.

Exterior wood will be exposed to a myriad of weather conditions, including sun, rain, wind, cold, and maybe even snow. Therefore, a paint that helps protect the natural beauty and resistance of the wood is essential for a good finish.

But in addition to substance, you also want style, so be sure to choose a color that complements the natural nature of your yard or one that matches your home's exterior to give it a good look.

Check out this collection of exterior wood stains that will help keep your doors, windows, decks, sheds, fences and furniture looking their best longer.

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The best exterior wood paints

If you have exterior wooden doors and windows and need a paint that will keep them looking good for years to come, this weather resistant offering from Ronseal might be just what you're looking for.

Ideal for bare or previously painted wood, this long-lasting paint is available in a gloss or satin finish and is specially formulated to flex with the movement of the wood, making it resistant to cracking, peeling and blistering. If prepared correctly, it should have a good 10 years of use before it needs to be repainted.

It gets dry and rainproof within an hour, making it perfect for painting in variable weather conditions. You will need two coats for previously painted wood or three coats for bare wood, no primer required.

Buy Ronseal 10 year weather resistant exterior wood stain(opens in new tab)

Would you like to give your garden shed or fence a neutral or vibrant color that matches or complements the natural surroundings, looks good and protects your wood a lot?

The Cuprinol Garden Shades range comes in over 30 pre-mixed colors, but you can get more than twice as many colors when you use their color mix options.

It is easy to apply with a brush or perfectly suited for spraying. Two coats will give a strong, weather resistant matte finish that should last at least five years and bring out the natural grain texture of the wood.

It should be dry and ready to finish in about an hour, so you can quickly add a third coat for a deeper, richer finish. Note that if applied to rough lumber you will only get about half the coverage of planed lumber.

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Do you want to give your garden furniture a new lease of life and a shiny new look that will keep it looking good for years to come? Touch-dry in one hour and ready to cover in four, this landscape paint is quick and easy to apply.

You can choose from eight soft-touch matte colors and paint directly onto bare or pre-painted wood.

Add two coats for a durable, contemporary chalky matte finish that will offer protection from the rain. It's also mildew and algae resistant, which will help keep your outdoor furniture looking good longer.

It's easy to clean or rub to remove tough stains when needed.

Buy Rust-Oleum Furniture Paint with Chalky Finish(opens in new tab)

Long-lasting, weather-resistant protection is exactly what you want when painting your exterior wood windows and doors. And this durable satin finish from Dulux is definitely a paint to put on your bucket list.

Dulux Weathershield Quick Dry Exterior Satin meets all the criteria and more. It's easy to apply with a brush, or even a small roller, and provides excellent coverage. It's also mildew resistant, which minimizes stains, and crack resistant to help keep your doors and windows looking their best longer.

One small con is that it says quick drying on the tin, but it takes about six hours to dry completely.

Buy Dulux Weather Shield Quick-drying satin paint(opens in new tab)

Specially formulated for raw finishing of sheds and fences, this Cuprinol offering is less a paint and more a stain. It's easy to apply with a brush, not a roller, thanks to its anti-drip, one-hour rain-resistant formula.

Once completely dry, which takes about 2-4 hours, its wax-enriched finish will help repel water, giving your exterior wood a longer life. You'll need at least two coats to fully waterproof your shed or fence (coverage is limited) and bring out the color, of which nine are available.

But be careful: you will need to apply a second coat within two days to prevent the extra coat from being repelled, as well as the rain. If you leave it longer, you will need to prepare the surface before painting.

Compre Cuprinol 5 Anos Ducksback Matte Fence & Shed Treatment(opens in new tab)

Decks, by their very nature, will get a lot of use and will start to look tired and worn over time. A good deck paint will bring your deck back to life as well as provide lasting weather protection. And that's exactly what this specialist ink from Ronseal will do.

Prime your deck (soft or hard wood) as described by the manufacturer and the paint will completely cover the gray wood. It will fill in any small cracks and make sure the chips stick and dry within a few hours.

You can brush or use a deck pad, another coat in about four hours for a tough, easy-to-use finish. Just make sure you leave it for 48 hours to dry completely.

Comprar Ronseal Ultimate Deck Paint(opens in new tab)

How to choose the best exterior wood stain

If you're looking for exterior wood paint, the first consideration is what you want to paint. This will determine what kind of paint you will need. If you are painting the front door and wooden windows, you will need a different type of paint than if you are painting patio furniture, decks, sheds and fences.

If you want to paint your wooden front door and exterior windows, you want a strong, durable finish that resembles your interior trim. Look for paints that have a satin or glossy finish and are resistant to cracking and smudging. This will make cleaning easier and keep it looking nice longer.

If you want to paint patio furniture, you should choose a special paint that will withstand a lot of traffic and can be rubbed off. The same principle applies when looking for decks or paint sheds. Choose a specialty paint that is tough, durable, looks good, and offers great weather protection.

Alternatively, you can use a deck, shed, and fence stain. Stain differs from paint in that it does not stick to the wood like paint does, but penetrates into the wood. It gives color to the wood, but offers good weather protection and helps bring out the natural grain of the wood. Again, choose a specialist product and make sure it offers strong protection and, of course, a color you like.

Whichever paint/stain you choose, make sure you get enough for two coats to give whatever you're painting adequate protection.

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