Let’s Get Started: Easy ways to get your garden ready for summer

Let’s Get Started is a quick-fire guide to getting your project off the ground. Here, Simon, who loves taking care of the wood inside and outside of his home, reveals how he transformed the wood in his garden in time for the summer months…

Every year, spring arrives and I’m excited to get outside and enjoy spending more time in my garden. For me, the garden is an extension of my home – it’s where I cook, eat, entertain and relax. I even work outside when the weather is nice!

Food, friends, fresh air – find out how to paint yourself the perfect garden entertaining space this summer. Here are four ways to get started…

Take cooking outdoors

I love gathering friends and family around my garden kitchen. Painting the outdoor kitchen station in a dark grey shade such as J0.04.59T brings a cool, cosy colour to the garden all year round. To continue outdoor cooking in the winter months, protecting the wood is key. All it needs is a little clean-up using an appropriate surface cleaner and a scrubber brush, a bit of sanding and a couple of coats of a good quality wood stain.

Transform your garden furniture

Coffee tables and chairs to help to bring a natural garden colour scheme together. You'll want to use these pieces all year round, so protection is important. To refresh and protect your garden furniture, all you need to do is clean the wood using a cloth and surface cleaner, then sand down any rough areas and apply two coats of your chosen wood stain or oil. If you’re using an oil, you’ll want to wipe any excess oil away with a cloth in between coats. .

Create a space for family dining

Making the most of longer, summer evenings with family dinner parties requires a dining table that looks great and is protected through the seasons. I painted mine in this beautiful slate grey – shade R5.05.29T – offset with a bench and a stool in a natural pine colour – shade F5.32.77T – which brings a contemporary feel to the area that still feels in keeping with nature. To protect and refresh your outdoor dining table, you’ll want to clean the wood using surface cleaner and a scrubber brush. Then give it a sand to ensure a smooth, even finish and apply a couple of coats of your chosen wood stain.

Make your fence a backdrop for entertaining

Your fence can be the perfect backdrop for summer entertaining. You can even create a DIY outdoor cinema – all you need is a projector and a white sheet pegged to the fence. To get your fence ready for an evening of James Bond, simply brush away any dirt or debris with a stiff brush, taking care to pull out any old nails or screw sticking out of the fence panels. Give the wood a clean with an appropriate surface cleaner and sand down any rough areas or splinters sticking out of the panels. Finally, apply two coats of your chosen wood stain. I painted mine in this beautiful light grey color – shade F4.03.75T – which looks fantastic decorated with festoon lights.