THE BEST PAINT PRODUCTS FOR EXTERIOR WOOD WINDOWS
Exterior wood windows give an elegant touch to the facade of a home but to maintain their beauty over time, you’ll have to protect them with a resistant coat of paint. And while there are dozens of products out there, only the best ones will live up to your expectations.
Sun, rain, wind and environmental elements take their toll and can easily crack or discolour the paint.
To help you find an exterior wood paint that withstands the unpredictable British weather, our expert team has tested and rated the most popular products in the UK. Check out our top picks below.
OUR BEST PICK WOODEN WINDOWS PAINTS
Dulux Weather Shield
High gloss finish and a flexible paint film – two qualities of our favourite paint.
Low Cost Option
Everbuild Quick Dry
Translucent wood stain for interior and exterior surfaces – a low-cost solution.
Best Of The Rest
Sadolin Non-Drip Woodstain
Superb non-drip wood stain for planed softwood. Perfect for windows, doors, conservatories and more.
Ronseal Quick Drying Woodstain
Coloured wood stain for exterior wood. Resists peeling, cracking and blistering.
Ronseal Weatherproof Primer & Undercoat
High-quality primer and undercoat enriched with an advanced stain-locking mechanism.
High-sheen exterior wood paint designed to protect surfaces from extreme weather.
Dulux Weather Shield is our favourite paint for various reasons. The first is its formulation. Designed to withstand extreme weathering, this product guarantees up to 6 years of protection as long as it is applied on properly prepared surfaces.
The paint dries to a flexible film that doesn’t crack or peel under the sun or rain. At the same time, the paint film also resists mould and discolouration.
Another thing we like is the one coat formulation that provides beautiful results despite the rather watery consistency. Formulated for exterior wood and metal, the paint is suitable to use on wood windows and doors, fences, sheds and a variety of other surfaces.
Bright colours and a high-sheen finish make the paintwork look better for longer, compared with conventional gloss paints.
The only downside of this paint is the toxic oil-based formula. We don’t recommend using this product on interior surfaces unless your environment is properly ventilated.
Pros
• Superb covering power ensures flawless results with just one coat in most cases. A litre of paint covers up to 12m² and the product is supplied in 750ml tins.
• Easy to apply with a brush or roller; we recommend working on small sections at a time to prevent dripping.
• This paint comes in 11 colours. The palette includes a selection of neutrals as well as a choice of dramatic contemporary shades.
• Once dry, the paint film is easy to clean with a damp cloth or soapy water. Other than this, the paint needs little to no maintenance.
Cons
• The oil-based formula takes up to 16 hours to dry and is hard to clean off of brushes.
• It may take more than one coat to achieve an acceptable finish when painting with darker colours. However, two coats are usually sufficient.
• The paint requires priming and undercoating.
5 years of continuous protection and 8 natural shades to enhance the beauty of your wood windows.
Natural wood is a contemporary alternative to painted surfaces, but you’ll still have to protect your windows from the elements. And here’s where the Quick Drying wood stain by Everbuild comes in handy.
This translucent wood stain is available in 8 natural shades and is formulated to offer long-term protection to the exterior and interior woodwork. Ideal to use on smooth planed wood, the wood stain comes at an affordable price and is compatible with a host of substrates.
Providing up to 5 years of protection on exterior surfaces, Quick Drying Woodstain boasts water-repellent properties and has an impressive resistance to peeling and cracking.
Another advantage is the water-based formulation that not only reduces the drying time but also makes the paint safe to use in all environments. Under ideal conditions, the stain touch dries and becomes showerproof in less than an hour.
A second coat can be applied after approximately four hours; we recommend applying a minimum of two coats to ensure proper protection.
Pros
• Long-lasting resistance to ultraviolet light degradation increases the durability of the protective film over time.
• Quick Drying comes in 8 neutral shades including a clear maintenance coat that protects exterior wood without colouring or darkening it.
• Low-solvent formula makes the product safe to use in poorly ventilated spaces. The product is children and pet-safe once dried.
• Supplied in 250ml, 750ml and 2.5L tins, this wood stain covers up to 20m²/litre. We recommend a minimum of two coats for full protection.
Cons
• The stain may dry patchy unless you stir the product intermittently during use. Users reported this issue as annoying.
• Translucent colours are only indicative. The actual colour of the wood influences the result and determines the final shade.
• Quick Drying wood stain has a runny consistency and it drips a lot. It is very easy to apply though.
Non-Drip wood stain for all exterior wood, excluding decking.
Sadolin proposes an exceptional wood stain for planed softwood – designed to offer years of protection on all exterior wood surfaces, except for decking. Formulated to bring out the natural beauty of wood, the product comes in 7 natural and contemporary colours.
Thanks to an impressive make-up, Sadolin Non-Drip is easy and mess-free to apply. The best results are achieved with a synthetic brush but the favourite trait of its users is that the wood stain is specially formulated to be applied straight from the can with no stirring or shaking.
This could seem trivial, but not having to constantly stir the paint during application cuts your project time and ensures a frustration-free experience.
A thing we didn’t like – but which is common to all wood stains – is that the represented colours are only indicative and not an exact match. The final colour depends on the original colour and condition of the wood, as well as the number of coats applied.
Pros
• Water-based paint touch dries in approximately two hours and can be re-coated after 6 hours. A minimum of two coats is recommended.
• Highly durable satin finish gives an elegant look and is easy to clean with a damp cloth.
• Formulated for planed softwood, Sadolin Non-Drip covers up to 18m²/litre. The paint is supplied in 2.5L tins.
Cons
• Brush strokes are a frequent occurrence due to the thick consistency of the paint. Working in small sections at a time slightly improves your results.
Quick drying wood stain becomes rainproof in only half an hour.
Another great product for exterior wood windows is Quick Drying Woodstain by Ronseal. Formulated to withstand unpredictable weather, the product touch dries and becomes waterproof in only 30 minutes.
The coloured wood stain comes in 10 attractive shades and provides a tough and durable finish. Among the main qualities of this product we should mention the ready-to-apply formulation that doesn’t require priming or undercoating.
We also like that the paint is water repellent and UV resistant. Peeling, cracking and discolouration won’t bother you as long as the product is applied as instructed.
Although formulated for exterior surfaces, we also obtained good results in high-condensation areas including the bathroom. This adds versatility and you will have the capability to use this product for a wide range of applications.
Pros
• Weather-resistant wood stain comes in several colours and two finishes. Choose the most appropriate between satin and gloss.
• Easy to apply thanks to a thicker consistency. The product can be re-coated in only 4 hours.
• Water-based formula is non-toxic and safe to use in enclosed spaces.
Cons
• Low covering power. For full protection, it is recommended to apply at least three coats and a litre of paint covers up to 7m².
Weatherproof primer and undercoat for exterior wood surfaces.
Because most exterior wood paints have to be applied on a primed or undercoated surface, we decided to include this product in our list. This primer and undercoat in one by Ronseal is formulated to dry to a flexible film that doesn’t crack or peel.
But the flexible resin included in the composition of this product has many more advantages. In fact, it not only prevents cracking, it also boosts the overall durability of the topcoat.
Compatible with a range of wood paints, the product is guaranteed for 10 years if used with the Weatherproof wood paint manufactured by the same brand.
We also like the colour choice. This product comes in white and grey colours designed to be used with lighter and with darker paint shades. Although some people ignore this fact, choosing the right basecoat colour helps you achieve flawless results faster.
Pros
• Super flexible primer and undercoat in one utilises a flexible resin to boost the performance of the exterior topcoat and hides dark marks and bold colours.
• A litre of product covers up to 10m²; the undercoat has a superb adherence on most surfaces including bare wood.
• Advanced stain locking technology creates a protective barrier that stops wood tannins from discolouring your paintwork.
• This product is easy to apply with a brush, dries in only two hours, and requires two coats.
• Non-toxic formula is suitable to use in all environments and the product doubles as a primer for interior wood surfaces too.
Cons
• The Weatherproof primer and undercoat is only available in 750ml tins. We would have appreciated a more versatile choice.
• Water-based formula is incompatible with oil-based topcoats but also with some water-based products manufactured by different brands; check the product compatibility on a small test area before applying to the whole surface.