Sherwin-Williams is proud to carry an ideal paint for sheds: SuperPaint® Exterior Acrylic Latex. This paint offers impressive resilience to the outdoor elements and adheres well to various surfaces, including wood, metal and vinyl, the three most common materials used to make sheds.
How to Paint a Shed
Your shed is an extension of your home and a distinct element of your property - a storage space, a workshop or a relaxing retreat. If you want to enhance its appearance and protect it from continuous exposure to the elements, painting your shed should be the next project on your DIY list. Adding a fresh coat of paint can boost your shed's appearance while protecting it from the harsh outdoors. Plus, you can select a color that meshes with your style and reflects your home's unique personality!
When you paint your shed, you'll enjoy an array of benefits, and Sherwin-Williams wants you to experience these upsides without headaches or stress. That's where this convenient guide of shed paint ideas comes into play. We're excited to share this article all about painting a wood, metal or vinyl shed, including detailed instructions, helpful answers to frequently asked questions and even some shed color ideas!
Painting Different Shed Materials: Wood vs. Metal vs. Vinyl
Sheds come in various shapes and sizes. However, one of the more important attributes to consider is the material, as there are slight differences in how to paint a wood, metal or vinyl shed. For instance, wood sheds should be sanded to remove old, chipping paint and create a smooth surface. Since wood is porous, it's helpful to use an appropriate primer, like our Exterior Latex Wood Primer, to promote better adhesion and coverage.
One of the primary concerns when painting a metal shed is clearing rusty spots and preventing future rust. We recommend using a wire brush to scrape off debris before topping it with quality metal shed paint like SuperPaint® Exterior Acrylic Latex.
Painting a vinyl shed can be particularly tricky because this material is slick and challenging to paint. However, our SuperPaint® Exterior Acrylic Latex is excellent for clean vinyl surfaces. We also offer VinylSafe® paint colors specially formulated to resist warping or buckling.
STEP 1
Clean & Prep the Shed
Preparing the surface of your shed's exterior to be smooth and debris-free is crucial to achieve your desired results. Start by removing dirt and dust with a brush or rag and removing stubborn grime and buildup with soapy water or a mild detergent. Once you've cleaned and rinsed the outside of your shed, give it time to dry before using sandpaper or a paint scraper to remove peeling and chipping paint to create a smooth surface. Remember to scrape away and treat rusty areas if you're painting a metal shed. Lastly, you can protect the shed's hardware and windows by placing painter's tape around these edges to create a barrier between them and the paint.
Tip: You can protect nearby shrubs and plants surrounding your shed from paint drips and spills by placing plastic sheeting over them.
STEP 2
Prime the Shed
We recommend priming before painting a wood shed, especially if it's new wood or if you're covering a dark color. For this step, use our Exterior Latex Wood Primer to provide a uniform surface to help the topcoat stick. Start by using a brush to cut in around the edges of the shed to create a border, then use a roller to prime the remaining areas.
If your shed is made of metal or vinyl and in sound condition, you can skip priming and apply two coats of SuperPaint® Exterior Acrylic Latex. However, if you decide to prime your metal or vinyl shed, follow the label directions and use a primer meant for those types of materials, like our Extreme Bond Primer.
STEP 3
Apply Shed Paint
The next step is applying shed paint to the wood, metal or vinyl surface using SuperPaint® Exterior Acrylic Latex. Start by using your brush to cut in around the edges before using your roller to paint the rest of the shed. Be sure to follow the label instructions and allow ample dry time before applying the second coat.
Tip: For this project, we used (color names) to give you some shed color ideas. But that makes this project fun - you can pick colors that suit your style and preferences! Thankfully, Sherwin-Williams offers a massive selection of paint colors to browse.
STEP 4
Clean Up & Admire Your Newly Painted Shed
After you've applied two coats of shed paint, remove the painter's tape while it's still wet to ensure a crisp, clean line. Once the topcoat has dried and cured, you can use your shed like normal - except this time, you can admire a revamped exterior!
Keep the Shed Renovations Going
While Sherwin-Williams is happy to provide these garden shed paint ideas to revamp the outside of the building, we can also help you complete other impactful shed renovations. For instance, consider painting the shed floor to enhance the interior. We recommend using H&C Shield-Crete Water-Based Epoxy Garage Floor Coating for a hard, epoxy coating on concrete floors or Porch & Floor Enamel for other flooring types. No matter which shed floor paint you use, count on a durable coating that looks great and delivers added protection from frequent foot traffic.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Project Supplies
PRIMER & PAINT
BRUSHES, ROLLERS & FRAMES
OTHER TOOLS & SUPPLIES
Frequently Asked Questions
Brushes and rollers have a purpose when painting a shed. You'll want to use a brush to cut in around the edges of the shed to create cleaner corners and lines. Then, use a roller to cover the larger, flat areas.
You can paint your shed as dull or glossy as you want, especially since our SuperPaint® Exterior Acrylic Latex comes in five different sheens. However, opting for a higher sheen with more gloss will ensure your shed is better protected from the outdoors, as glossier sheens are more durable and resistant to wear.
More Shed Color Ideas
Here are some popular colors we love for this project.
