G-J-B

I'm looking to liven up my barn door and shutters, which at the moment are just a regular protective brown varnish. I'm thinking of a satin oxblood red or something similar to the attachment. I live out in the sticks, in the smallest of hamlets so I don't think there's any code that would forbid my choice in colour!
I was just wondering if anybody has experience in doing this themselves? Are any of the brico paints up to the job, or is it better to buy from a more specialist company? Does it usually require priming beforehand? Thanks for any hints, tips or recommendations!

Listen Very Carefully

Personally I would check. It is surprising how info gets back to the Mairie

G-J-B

They're a neighbour, so I reckon they'd find out quickly!

EuroTrash

I would read what it says on the paint tins in the Brico, and maybe ask their paint person for advice (if they have a paint person).
I got some perfectly acceptable exterior wood paint from my Mr Bricolage but it wasn't cheap. Could have got cheaper, they had a big range, but the chap recommended this for what I wanted to do, and it said on the tin it didn't need an undercoat, so I went along with it.
It's actually the mayor who owns and runs the shop so the paint man can tell you exactly what shades are safe and which are a bit bof-bof depending whereabouts in the town your house is!

dmu

Any outside alterations visible to the public should be declared to the Mairie. Find out whether the colour is acceptable to the Commune before you buy the paint!

Listen Very Carefully

AS for the brand I have always found Sikkens to be reliable but not cheap If you have got the brown stain type finish I believe there is a specific undercoat but I cannot think what it is called

G-J-B

Thanks for the replies. Brico advice can be a little hit and miss, but usually there's somebody knowledgeable there, may give it a try.
As it's already stained with a protective matt varnish, I'm hoping I can just prime it before applying a suitable top coat - it's old wood, not the sort of thing you can really strip down easily.
Thanks for the Sikkens recommendations - I was looking at that previously on Leroy Merlin's website, but haven't tried it before.

Tweedpipe

I do my shutters and outside doors every 3rd or 4th year. I mechanically sand down to a clean wood surface, and then apply 3 light coats of Lasure protective wood stain.
I've used Renaulac and also Blanchon brands, both of which claim 'protection extreme', anti uv etc.
HERE's an interesting site which tests & compares 12 different brands. I suggest you also download the pdf file given in the review. Think I'll try the brand they recommend next time my shutters are due for refurbishment.
One year, after the first light coat I applied a second heavier coat after the first was dry, thinking that would half the time involved. It did, but I noticed after the end of the first hot summer that the coating was peeling off sooner than I'd experienced when applying 3 light coats.
Also worth noting the tips given about prior preparation of the shutters:
"La préparation du support est indispensable. Pour une meilleure pénétration du produit, le ponçage s’effectue de préférence dans le sens du fil du bois. Il faut aussi égrener (poncer légèrement) entre chaque couche, et dépoussiérer."

Pilou

Sikkens and Tollens are excellent paints! For wood outside I prefer to buy excellent quality.

G-J-B

Thank you Tweedpipe and Pilou. I certainly wouldn't skimp on the quality of the paint, as I know that can be a big difference. I was wondering if it is a necessary step to bring the shutters back down to the wood? In my case that would be a long and slightly awkward matter, and as for the barn doors, unless a professional could sandblast it, it wouldn't be possible. I'm hoping there's a primer out there that can cover the lasure to allow a good top coat without the risk of delamination. A very light sand between coats does seem like sound advice.

With all that said some of the most beautiful rustic doors I've seen have been as a result of neglect and countless decades of paint layers peeling off.