After a series of articles looking at the more serious side of garden room planning, such as Can I claim a garden office as a business expenses and How to fund your garden building and 7 garden offices and summer houses planning permission rules to keep in mind I decided it’s high time we have a step back into the happy world of designing and imagination.

A grid of 12 wood paint swatches labeled with their colors: Tallulah, Blue Major, 130-6, Tomahawk, Bright Blue, Water Sprite, Grey Umber, Easy Quarter, Lattice, Red Pepper, Solaria, and 01-11. Each swatch showcases a different hue arranged in a 4x3 format. - a room in the garden

While I was testing some colourful wood paint for a small, bespoke, garden room, I thought what a wonderful thing to share with our readers!

I decided to widen my colour testing and came up with a small experiment to see how the colourful wood paints that appear on the charts compared to those you see when they’re applied. So, then I went (actually I sent Lukas) to our local paint shop to buy 24 different colourful wood paint samples and a paintbrush and then I asked him to cut 24 small pieces of the cladding we usually use for our garden rooms.

For my little experiment, I used Sadolin Superdec Satin, simply because it has a wide variety of colours, and it is the one we usually use in our garden buildings. To make it more accurate, I first applied a light grey base-coat and then two coats of the chosen colour.

Please be aware that the colours on a photo will always differ from the ones you see in real life. My intention is simply to establish the colour chart reliability.

To explore some of our most colourful projects, you can get inspired and visit our blog on choosing the colour of your garden building.

X8530Y Blancmange*

Pretty good match! The colour on the cladding is slightly lighter than the one shown on the chart.

A paint swatch with the color name "Blushorange" is placed on a flat, painted surface. The painted surface and the paint swatch are in matching light peach-pink hues, harmonizing beautifully as if they were a carefully chosen wood paint finish. - a room in the garden

RAL 6018*

Perfect match!

A small square paint sample labeled "RAL 6018" is placed on a larger surface painted in the same bright green wood paint. The surface has subtle horizontal brush strokes, creating a slight texture. - a room in the garden

Apricot*

Pretty good match! The colour on the cladding is slightly darker than the one shown on the chart.

An orange paint swatch labeled "Apricot" rests on an orange-painted wooden surface, perfectly showcasing how the wood paint color matches the background. The texture and grain of the wood remain visible beneath the paint. - a room in the garden

14 E 51

Perfect match!

A small paint color swatch labeled "ME51" is placed on a large green plank, closely matching the wood paint color. The plank extends diagonally across the image with a smooth, glossy finish. - a room in the garden

12 E 53*

Pretty good match! The colour on the cladding is slightly brighter than the one shown on the chart.

A lime green wooden board with a small paint swatch card placed on it, matching the board's color closely. The swatch card displays a wood paint color labeled "412-5 Y," demonstrating the shade used on the board. - a room in the garden

22 D 45

Pretty good match! The colour on the cladding is slightly brighter than the one shown on the chart.

A sample color chip labeled "2D45" is placed on a larger painted surface. Both the chip and the surface, coated in wood paint, are shades of purple. The surface has visible brush strokes and a glossy finish. - a room in the garden

RAL 3009*

Pretty good match! The colour on the cladding is slightly brighter than the one shown on the chart.

Sample of brown wood paint on a wooden surface, with a small label in the center reading "RAL 3009." The paint has a smooth finish, and there are light reflections showcasing its sheen. - a room in the garden

Sandbank*

Pretty good match! The colour on the cladding is slightly lighter than the one shown on the chart.

A sample card labeled "Sunshine" is placed on a wooden plank painted in a similar shade of yellow. The wood paint gives the plank a smooth, glossy finish. - a room in the garden

S7243T Cocktail Time

Pretty good match! The colour on the cladding is slightly lighter than the one shown on the chart.

A sample paint card labeled "6347N Genteel Time" is placed on top of a large surface painted in a matching shade of purple. The light reflects off the glossy finish, highlighting the smooth texture of the wood paint on the painted surface. - a room in the garden

H8284K Crazy Daze*

Pretty good match! The colour on the cladding is slightly lighter and brighter than the one shown on the chart.

A paint sample card labeled "H834X Gray Daze" is placed on top of a large painted wooden surface. Both the sample card and the wooden surface are in varying shades of teal-green wood paint. The background is partially white, providing contrast to the teal-green color. - a room in the garden

12 C 33

Pretty good match! Although it does not show in the photos, the colour on the cladding is slightly lighter.

A close-up photo of a smooth, rectangular, pale yellow surface with a small white L-shaped paper piece marked "NC 35" placed on it. The texture of the surface appears slightly glossy with visible subtle linear patterns reminiscent of fine wood paint. - a room in the garden

Red Pepper*

Perfect match!

A red paint sample named "Red Pepper" is shown against a larger red painted surface. The small, square sample has a solid red color that closely matches the background but varies slightly in shade. Ideal for wood paint projects, the background boasts a smooth, glossy finish. - a room in the garden

Grey Umber*

Pretty good match! The difference between the chart colour and the painted cladding is less evident from the photo. The colour on the cladding is slightly lighter than the one shown on the chart.

A paint sample card labeled "Grey Umber" is placed on a wooden surface painted in a light greyish-brown color. The surface has a slight texture with visible wood grain, perfectly showcasing the wood paint's subtle shade. The small card contrasts slightly with the painted surface. - a room in the garden

RAL 7038*

Not a very good match. The colour on the cladding is lighter and with less yellow in it than the one from the chart.

A sample square of wood paint labeled "RAL 7038" is placed on a larger surface painted in the same color for comparison. The larger surface has a slightly textured finish, and both the sample and the surface are a light shade of gray. - a room in the garden

U7123W Tokio Bay*

The colour on the cladding is slightly lighter and brighter than the one

A color swatch labeled "Tokyo Bay" sits on a surface painted in a matching vibrant magenta shade. The small, square swatch lays against a larger area, showcasing the consistency and intensity of the wood paint color. - a room in the garden

M3383R Tallulah*

Considering that blue is the most difficult colour to reproduce, this is a pretty good match! The difference between the chart colour and the painted cladding is less evident than from the photo. The colour on the cladding is slightly darker than the one shown on the chart.

A small paint sample card labeled "M038R Tallulah" is placed against a larger surface painted in a similar shade of blue, likely testing the wood paint. The larger surface comprises various tones of blue, while the top-left corner remains white. - a room in the garden

K1572M Water Fight*

Not a very good match. The colour on the cladding is lighter and with less green in it than the one from the chart.

A paint swatch labeled "Water Fight" (K157ZM) is placed on a larger painted surface. The teal wood paint of the swatch and the surface creates a cohesive look. The swatch is centered in the image. - a room in the garden

Berberis Blue*

Not a very good match. The colour on the cladding is lighter and less greyish than the one on the chart.

A paint sample card labeled "Beckett's Blue" is placed on a large wooden surface painted in a similar blue color. The surface texture and lighting showcase the hue and finish of the wood paint. - a room in the garden

Stratus*

Pretty good match! The colour on the cladding is slightly lighter than the one shown on the chart.

A small paint chip card labeled "Stratus" is placed on a large wooden surface painted in a similar light blue color, suggesting a comparison or matching of wood paint colors. - a room in the garden

18 C 35

Pretty good match! The colour on the cladding is slightly lighter than the one shown on the chart.

A small paint sample card with the designation "18C 53" is placed on top of a large wooden surface painted in a matching shade of light blue. The photo highlights the color comparison between the sample card and the wood paint on the surface. - a room in the garden

P0115Q Mutiara*

The colour on the cladding is much brighter and with less grey in it than one on the chart.

A small Pantone swatch labeled "PANTONE Mariana" is placed on a larger surface painted in the same vibrant blue wood paint, showcasing color matching. The swatch has a gradient from light to dark blue, demonstrating the color's shades. - a room in the garden

Bright Blue*

The colour on the cladding is much brighter and with less grey in it than the one on the chart.

A sample paint swatch labeled "Bright Blue" is placed on top of a surface painted in vibrant blue wood paint. The image highlights the similarity between the swatch and the paint on the surface. - a room in the garden

Blue Peter*

Considering that blue is the most difficult colour to reproduce, this is a pretty good match! The difference between the chart colour and the painted cladding is less evident than from the photo. The colour on the cladding is slightly lighter and with less grey than the one shown on the chart.

A paint swatch labeled "Blue Peter" lies on top of a large, matching blue-painted surface. The wood paint’s blue shades on the swatch and the surface are nearly identical, perfectly demonstrating the swatch’s color. The swatch is small in comparison to the expansive blue area. - a room in the garden

All in all, I am quite happy with the result of my experiment. I can confidently say that the Sadolin Dulux Superdec colour chart is pretty accurate, with the exclusion of a couple of colours. Be aware though, this article was simply meant as a guideline. Always try a sample of your chosen wood paint before starting painting your garden room.

To make things easier for our clients, after you’ve selected one or several colours, we’ll always bring you a sample applied to the cladding so you can be sure of what you will get.

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