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

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…

Coffee tables and chairs painted in Sikkens Cetol Premium Oil Natural (078) or Sikkens Cetol BLX-Pro Natural (078) also 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 Sikkens Cetol BL Deck & Wood Cleaner, then sand down any rough areas and apply;

Three coats of Sikkens Cetol HLSe for an oil-enriched satin finish.

Or Sikkens Cetol BLX-Pro with a low sheen to complete the job quickly. This product is recoatable in 2 hrs enabling you to complete the full 3-coat system in a day.

Or you can choose Sikkens Cetol Premium Oil for a penetrating finish with a natural mat look.

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 – Sikkens Cetol HLSe Silver Grey (813) – offset with a coffee table and a stool in a natural colour – Sikkens Cetol BLX-Pro Natural (078) – which brings a contemporary feel to the area that still feels in keeping with nature. 

To refresh and protect your outdoor dining table that has turned grey, you’ll want to clean the timber using Sikkens Cetol BL Deck & Wood Cleaner and a scrubber brush or a scour pad. 

Then give it a light sand to ensure a smooth, even finish and apply three coats of Sikkens Cetol HLSe or Sikkens Cetol BLX-Pro Timber Stains, or Sikkens Cetol Premium Oil.

Your fencing/screening can be the perfect backdrop for summer entertaining. To get such vertical timber panels ready for the summer, 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 the boards/battens. 

Give the timber a clean with Sikkens Cetol BL Deck & Wood Cleaner and sand down any rough areas or splinters sticking out of the panels. 

Finally, apply three coats of Sikkens Cetol HLSe or Sikkens Cetol BLX-Pro wood stain. 

I coated my screening (vertical battens) in  Sikkens Cetol BLX-Pro Teak (085).

For a darker look, Sikkens Cetol HLSe and Cetol BLX-Pro are both available in Walnut (010) and Ebony (020). 

Your checklist

☑️  Buy Sikkens Cetol HLSe or Sikkens Cetol BLX-Pro wood stain to protect the wood

☑️  Revamp your outdoor kitchen

☑️  Transform your garden furniture

☑️  Create a space for family dining

☑️  Brighten up your garden fence

Want more help with refreshing the wood in your garden? Check out our Pick A Product article on the best wood stain for enhancing the natural look of your wood. Also, get color inspiration for your fence and shed with our Find Your Color guide.  Remember! You can always heead to your local store for a colour card or 100 ml sample pot. To test a colour on your timber, we recommend you apply it in an obscure area in two or three coats and view at different times of the day.