This shed makeover started with paint made for vinyl siding. This type of self-priming exterior paint provides excellent coverage. From there, add art and decor to make the shed unique.
For more ideas also see 50 Creative Garden Sheds From Home Gardens.
Garden Shed Makeover
When we bought our current house, I was so happy to finally have a garden shed. After years of gardening without one, I would finally have a place to stash tools and garden pots.
But wow, I can’t tell you how ugly our shed was in real life.
I don’t know if it comes through in the photo but the siding was a light glow-in-the-dark greenish yellow. I know, right? Yuck.
So, cheers for having a shed but I could hardly stand the look of it.
When I finally painted it, I was kicking myself for not doing it sooner. I had no idea paints made for vinyl siding are so good.
The one we used applied easily, covering almost everything in one coat, and shows no signs of wear several years later.
I’ll show you what we did.
Tips for Painting a Vinyl Garden Shed
1 Protect Plants
I used a piece of thick cardboard to protect the plants when I was washing and then painting the walls.
I held it between the plant and the base of the wall at a 45-degree angle so I would not crush anything.
I also needed pieces of cardboard on the ground underneath the shed wall to prevent dirt from getting on my brush and roller.
2 Wash Shed
Before painting, the shed walls must be clean and mildew free. Don’t skimp on this step. We used liquid dish soap and water and then rinsed thoroughly.
You could also use a pressure washer too, of course. We didn’t own ours yet when I did this job.
3 Colors
- Shed and Trim: Benjamin Moore CW-715 Bone Black
- Shed Door: Glidden Jazz 30BB 10/337
4 Paint
We used Benjamin Moore Aura - Waterborne Exterior Paint for the shed walls and aluminum trim.
This is a self-priming paint suitable for wood, hardboard, vinyl and aluminium siding, shingles, unglazed brick, concrete, stucco, cinder block, and primed metal.
It dries to touch in 1 hour. Can be re-coated after 4 hours.
My shed only needed 1 coat. Woot!
5 Shed Decor
This is the shed right after we painted it.
I used my outdoor plate collection to create a spiral on the wall. This shows how to make low-cost plate hangers.
This shed does not have windows so I made a faux window on the door using a mirror. There are more details here: How to Use Mirrors in the Garden.
Later that fall I had enough garden art pieces to really dress it up.
The decor items include an old metal gate, garden tools, a plate holder with doll carriage wheels, horse from a weather vane, window box, birdhouse, and the word DREAM.
As I’m updating this it is several years later and the paint still looks perfect. Great product! And cheers for not seeing the original colors any longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you paint vinyl shed? What kind of paint do you use?
Yes. I used Benjamin Moore Aura Waterborne Exterior Latex Paint.
How long will my vinyl siding last if I paint it?
If your siding is in good shape when you paint it, and you cleaned it first, the new coat of paint will last for years.
After five years my shed still looks the same as the day I painted it. There is no chipping, peeling, or fading.
Is it cheaper to paint vinyl siding or replace it?
This will depend on where you live, costs of materials, and how accessible the siding is.
We painted our vinyl shed, which is approximately 12×10 feet, and it took one can of paint ($50) and about a day (two people).
Replacing the siding would have been far more expensive.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
