How to Paint Exterior Woodwork and Metal

1. Working Conditions

We do not recommend that you paint outdoors when it is cold and wet. Each coat must be allowed to dry thoroughly and this will not happen if it is pouring with rain or frosts are forecast. Best to paint outdoors on a warm, sunny day.

2. Clean the Surface

The surface must be dry, clean, solid and coatable. Thoroughly sand existing coatings and clean off all dust. Non-recoatable or unstable coatings should be completely removed by sanding or stripping. Suitable wood fillers should be applied before application of any paint products.

3. Priming for Woodwork

All bare wood should be primed with our natural Water Based Primer.  Pre-treat any bleeding knots on bare wood with a dab of Water Based Primer before coating the whole area. Allow to dry thoroughly and lightly sand before applying at least two coats of the Water Based Eggshell, sand lightly between coats for best results (this is also a test to whether the surface is dry enough for the next coat).

Previously painted wood should be sanded thoroughly to provide a good key and then painted with at least two coats of Water Based Eggshell.

4. Priming Metal

For iron parts that are not factory primed, clean and sand to remove all corrosion. Prime with a Rust Protection Primer. Allow to dry thoroughly. For ferrous metals pre-primed by the manfacturer and not exhibiting any corrosion, clean and sand thoroughly and apply a first coat diluted with 5% water and then 2 top coats.  Not suitable for galvanised steel or non-ferrous metals.

5. Painting

Thoroughly stir paint in the tin and check you have the correct colour before application. All surfaces must be clean and dry and ambient temperatures should be above 10°C and below 30°C.  Work evenly laying off in the direction of the grain, using a brush or fine-pored/short pile roller. Paint may be thinned if necessary with up to 5% water. Sand lightly to make sure the surface is dry before applying next coat and remove all dust between coats.

Also suitable for spraying. Please read our technical sheets for precise instructions.

6. Drying Time

Touch dry after approximately 2 hours, recoatable after 6 hours. Handle with care until completely dry and protect from dust. Too thick application, high humidity and low temperatures significantly delay the drying process.