The Shed: Paint it Black
Our little powder blue shed. I have hated this thing ever since we moved into our home almost seven years ago. It serves a great function for us as additional storage, but the color of it & the placement of it just never made any since to me. I am all for a fun pop of color, but this blue was just out of… well… the blue. I had always intended on painting it, but hand brushing this thing would not be fun.
Knowing how much I loved my little paint sprayer, I got in touch with HomeRight & talked with them about their larger model. Like the Finish Max, the Pro 2800 is an Airless Paint Sprayer meaning you do not have to hook it up to an air compressor. I read the instructions, followed directions, added my gallon of Behr Outdoor Paint & went to spray the shed… & then this happened.
Womp Womp… well I thought this was going to be an easier process. After a conversation with their tech support (on a Sunday) we emailed them a few videos of what the machine was doing & we all determined I had a faulty spray gun. They sent me a new gun & I must admit… I was a little hesitant to try it the second time…
I kid you not, this is what the shed looked like ten minutes later (with the new gun!)
What a difference!!!! It went on like a dream & had great coverage with little to no drips. And there was hardly any overspray. (That big blob of black paint to the bottom left of the shed was from when the first gun backfired… not overspray)
I went back & added some white trim to around the door & window, intentionally leaving the additional door moulding black. I thought it was a little too sweet when it was all trimmed out.
A little window box & some landscaping really helped as much as the paint in terms of a transformation. I also pulled up all of the original pavers, and relaid them with a little space in between each one. The original layout had zero character, this solution remedied the issue.
To lay the pavers, I first dug out my foot print & tried to level it as much as possible. I then added a layer of weed cloth & a few bags of sand (I used 5 for this project). The sand is the key to your success!! I skipped the sand the first go around & the pavers kept popping up when anyone stepped on them. After your sand is placed lay your pavers. I finished our look off with 4 bags of garden pebbles. I found a deck brush was the most successful tool to brush the pebbles into place.
This was what the pavers look like when they are dry. It’s amazing how much darker & terra-cotta color they appear when wet (like the overall image.)
I never thought I would say this… but I love our shed now!! I’ll share more about the plates with you tomorrow!
Thank you to HomeRight for providing me with the Pro 2800 Paint Sprayer.
I love the shed! Great idea with the pavers too. Way to re-use!! It never ceases to amaze me how much difference landscaping can make. Looks awesome.
Way to go that looks awesome! Thank you so much for sharing !!
its perfect! it was totally meant to be black π
wow what paint can do! looks like a great place to put a bar for a backyard bbq or party!
Never would have thought to paint it black and add white trim. The before and after pictures are truly inspiring! I'm looking to to re-lay some pavers so I appreciate your tips!
WOW the shed looks fabulous, I love how you gave the surrounding area of the shed so much character. we painted our workshop last year but now I need to add the fabulousness after seeing what you have done! OH and I totally need a paint sprayer too
That is stunning! I must admit, the picture of you with paint spatter made me laugh out loud because that so easily could have been me! Thanks for sharing the hiccups along with the successes.
We have one in the backyard and are about to put our house on the market. It's a horrid maroon that doesnt go with the house at all. I was thinking of using a dark stain but didn't like the idea much. Didn't think about paint or not doing the trim white. And the whole trim part was why I was avoiding the project lol! That shed is so getting the stink eye now! THanks π
Fantastic transformation. Oh, the power of paint!
Love your new outdoor space and the shed in black is just perfect!!! Beautiful!
I love what you have done with the shed. You have made a really cozy outdoor place. And I`m in love with the idea with the dishes. Great job! You have my admiration.
Clapham domestic cleaning
I'm still amazed at this project…you did such an amazing job! The shed is absolutely adorable!!
Wonderful post on DIY…my projects always have hiccups and i usually cave in and leave it. Your choice of black for the shed WOW!! I would never have picked it…too afraid of bold dark colors but the white trim took it to the wow factor!! Amazing how that little trim changed the whole look.
Love this! It looks amazing!
Thanks! Geraniums, Wave Petunias & another cascading plant that I can't remember. They didn't have my favorite Dichondra, so I substituted it.
The pink are the geraniums, right? White wave petunias and it almost looks like creeping fig?? I must do this!!!
Hello! I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award http://bit.ly/1iYnKil
Like I said before: MOST BEAUTIFUL SHED I HAVE EVERRRRRR SEEN π
Looks fantastic – what a transformation!!! Question: Is that a photoshopped picture in the window reflection or is your yard that perfect!?!? π
This post could not have come at a better time! We're making every attempt to pretty-up our backyard and our shed is the worst shade of faded salmon [I just wanted to light a match under that thing]. Now, I'm thinking paint – and perhaps a large stencil on the most visible side. Thanks for inspiring me to envision what I couldn't before!
Looks wonderful!
I would love to have a fiddle leaf fig outside but they are so sensitive inside, I can't imagine outside. I'm in southern california and summer can get hot. However, I recently noticed that a house in front of my daughter's school has a HUGE one, like two stories tall, bushy and healthy, so I guess it is possible. I should try.
This is just the best. There are no words for how FANTASTIC this makeover looks!
Oh man! So glad it was an easy fix. The end result looks so great!
I can't get over different it looks! The black/white combo was the perfect choice!
That's so cute! I'm pretty sure it was a requirement in Smyrna to have little sheds in random spots in the 50's/60's. We had one when lived there along with every other house on the street. π
You freaking amaze me.
Ok….so last night I posted about what colour to paint our shed with a willow green and muted clay as options. NEVER would I have considered black. It. Looks. Amazing.
Can you now come and sort ours?
Melanie x
Pebbledashedpad.wordpress.com
Absolutely love it! I want my garden shed looking good and black and stylish too! Thanks for the inspiration…
I'd like to paint the inside of my 3-car garage. Do you think this sprayer would be good for this?