How to Paint a Shed
1. Replace rotting wood. This may include trim pieces but in this example the entire front side of the shed was replaced.
2. Use oil based primer on all new/bare wood. If areas have mold or smoke damage use shellac based primer to block those stains.
3. Use exterior grade water based paint or oil based paint due to exposure to the elements.
4. Oil based paint works best for hardware and trim pieces that experience direct contact with snow and/or will be touched regularly.
5. Topcoat door knobs with an additional protective layer to prevent against rapid deterioration of the paint.
The color selected for this project is Vine Leaf Behr Exterior water based paint with a satin sheen. The black pieces of trim and hardware were painted with Behr oil based paint black satin.
Panels like what is shown in this example is much easier to spray than brush by hand as the crevasses are hard to cover consistently with a brush. Exterior panels will likely need two coats if not sprayed. Two coats will likely be needed in either case unless painting an identical or similar color. Here’s the paint sprayer I used: https://amzn.to/3dgmGqS
Spraying hardware is easiest with a rattle can. Rustoleum has an excellent offering of oil based spray paints. Start by sanding the existing hardware (an essential step), apply one coat of primer (I use an automotive primer almost exclusively), then apply atleast two coats of paint, followed by atleast two coats of a clear top coat. I usually choose a satin or gloss sheen for hardware depending on if I want a shiny appearance. To build a smooth glossy surface sand between primer, and color coats using 120 then 220 grit sandpaper, and top coats using 220+ grit sand paper. The higher the grit the sandpaper you work up to the smoother and shinier you can build top coat.
