Discover our exterior finishes with Ben Mottershead
Our family of hard-working exterior finishes enable the complete transformation of outdoor spaces. Available in the complete colour palette, these paints bring durable protection and year-round design interest to an exterior.
Read our interview with Little Greene Operations Director, Ben Mottershead, as he guides you through our range of exterior finishes.
Discover which paint finish he recommends for completing a variety of exterior projects. Discover answers to FAQs, including using a primer, and the best time of year for exterior painting…
What exterior finishes does Little Greene offer?
“We offer a full range of exterior paint finishes that combine the highest technical performance with a beautiful finish and depth of colour. Our exterior paint family includes matt, gloss and eggshell paints in eco-friendly, water-based formulations that dry quickly, so you can complete exterior transformations in just one weekend.
Explore our Intelligent Exterior Eggshell, Intelligent Gloss and Intelligent Masonry Paint, as well as traditional Limewash.
We also offer oil-based paints made using sustainable vegetable oils, which are often the preferred choice of professional decorators. Tom’s Oil Eggshell and Traditional Oil Gloss are very traditional exterior finishes, providing strong adhesion and a robust protective coating
Our exterior paints are available in all our colours, giving you complete freedom to transform your exteriors using shades from our palette. You can use Little Greene paint colours on the inside and outside of your home to create a scheme that flows beautifully.”
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What exterior surfaces can you paint with these finishes?
“Our comprehensive range of finishes are suitable for painting a whole variety of exterior surfaces, including metalwork and woodwork, as well as brickwork, stone and render.
You can use these finishes to update garden furniture, metal railings and wooden fences, as well as front doors and exterior walls. They are ideal for big and small projects, be it upcycling a pair of garden chairs, or creating an inspiring outdoor kitchen area.
Our technically advanced Intelligent All Surface Primer also enables you to paint uPVC doors, windows and furniture.”
Explore the range of exterior finishes
How do I know which exterior finish to use for my project?
“You should choose your paint finish depending on the surface you are painting and the look you would like to achieve.
For a fantastic all-round finish for painting exterior wood and metal, try Intelligent Exterior Eggshell. This washable, weather-resistant paint makes it extremely simple to add beautiful colour to your outdoor space, as well as providing a high level of protection.
Intelligent Exterior Eggshell has a water-based formula that’s virtually odourless and touch dry in just 2-4 hours, with recoats possible after 16 hours. With a low sheen of 15%, it’s ideal for updating your window frames, front door, garden furniture, shed or metal railings.
Explore Intelligent Exterior Eggshell
For outdoor walls, we recommend Intelligent Masonry Paint. This provides tough and long-lasting protection against the elements. You can use it on brickwork, new render, cement blockwork and any existing painted surfaces, to provide a smooth matt sheen of 5%.
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These are our two most popular exterior paints, but the other finishes in our range are useful for a variety of projects. Intelligent Gloss is a water-based gloss with a stunning high sheen of 87-90% - a brilliant choice for your front door. Or use Traditional Oil Gloss, a classic durable finish for front doors and exterior metalwork.
For painting garden furniture, Tom’s Oil Eggshell is a great alternative to Intelligent Exterior Eggshell. Its classic oil-based formula achieves excellent flow and strong penetration into the surface for a very hard-wearing finish. Before beginning your project, it’s important to note that these oil-based paints take around 4 hours before the surface is touch dry.
Our final exterior paint is Limewash, a breathable finish for protecting porous stone and lime-rendered surfaces. It is suitable for old and damp-problematic walls, and the colour is built up over at least 4 coats, applied in 24-hour intervals.
If you are unsure which exterior paint finish you should use for your project, our Customer Service team are on-hand to guide you. Just use our Live Chat function in the left-hand corner of the screen.”
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Do I need a primer for painting my exteriors with Little Greene?
“Our Intelligent Exterior Eggshell paint is self-priming on both bare and painted wood, so you can complete many projects without a separate primer. But for metal surfaces – and when using our other exterior finishes – we recommend applying a coat of Intelligent All Surface Primer before the topcoat.
This robust primer can be applied onto virtually any interior and exterior substrate, including wood, metals, tiles and uPVC. Priming the surface will provide the ideal surface for painting and increase the durability of the topcoat. Intelligent All Surface Primer has a speedy two-hour drying time to ensure your projects can be completed quickly.
If you are using Intelligent Masonry Paint, you usually don’t need a separate primer. Simply thin down the first coat with 10-15% water to provide a primer coat, then apply two full coats.”
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How long will these paints protect my home exterior?
“We formulate our exterior finishes using the same technical expertise used to develop paints for bridges, boats, castles and even lighthouses. So you can be sure they will easily withstand all weather conditions to protect the outside of your home long term.
These fully washable formulas are designed to inhibit mould and algal growth, helping your garden look beautiful for longer. With superior adhesive properties, they achieve a robust and durable coating that resists cracking, flaking and peeling over time.
Our Intelligent Masonry Paint is designed to last up to 15 years on exterior walls before repainting is required.”
Can I paint my exteriors at all times of year?
“We recommend painting your exteriors when the surface temperature is between 10 and 25 degrees. It’s also important to make sure there is no risk of rain or frost, and that the surface has been dry for a few days prior to painting.
In the UK, this often means the best time of year to start painting your exteriors is during the spring. As the weather starts to get a little warmer, you can begin planning exterior projects to refresh and protect your outside space for the year ahead.”
Browse the complete range of exterior finishes, or explore inspiration for exterior painting projects.
