How to Paint a Shed
Painted Shed Transformation
Overview
After looking at our old shed all winter long I decided as soon as things outside began to thaw, I was going to give it an update. We’ve had the shed for years, and it is still structurally sound, it just needed a face-lift.
Shed before
Here is the before. The shed and the yard were looking really dull after a long winter. The most exciting thing about painting a shed is picking the paint color. I knew I wanted blue to contrast the green vines I have growing up the side of it in the summer.
Cut in around edges
I chose a blue-gray shade from Behr and got started. I cut in around the edges with a brush and I used a flat edger to slide under the trellis. I didn’t remove the trellis for painting because I didn’t want to disturb this vine in any way.
Assemble sprayer
Because of the texture and grooves on the shed, I chose to use my Wagner Studio Pro Sprayer on it, however the Wagner FLEXiO 5000 Sprayer would work too. This would give me the best coverage in a short amount of time.
Set sprayer controls
I set the dial on my control finish nozzle to the lowest setting. I always start with a low spray flow and increase it if needed. Then I set the spray nozzle to the vertical position for this project.
Spray in back and forth motion
It’s always best to use a slow back and forth motion when using the paint sprayer. This gives an even coverage.
Hold on - color change needed
After I had one side of the shed covered, I started second guessing my choice of paint color. I decided to stop there and live with it for a day. I remembered I had a sample of a darker blue from Benjamin Moore, so I painted a swatch of that on the front. The darker shade was more the look I was going for so I switched gears and repainted the side and finished up the rest in the darker color instead. Repainting it with the sprayer didn’t take long at all. Had I been painting this all with a brush I doubt I would’ve started over.
Clean sprayer
To clean the sprayer, I emptied the canister of any remaining paint and then ran water through the sprayer until it came out clear. After that I unscrewed the front nozzle and cleaned it with a small bottle brush (it comes with the sprayer). That’s all it really takes to clean it, super easy! I’m happy I decided to go the extra mile and repaint the shed in the darker shade. It really looks beautiful in contrast with the greenery around it. Now if only I convince my husband to help me paint the house to match!
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