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Wood is either bare, and soaks paint in, or sealed, and gives it nothing to grip, so most of the work is knowing which you have. Bare wood takes Jubilee straight on, and Bleo soaks into it like a stain so the grain still shows. Varnished or glossy wood needs a light sand first, waxed wood needs the wax stripped, and oil-based varnish needs a primer. GILD Originals and Chrome sit on the surface, so bare timber must be sealed before either goes on.
On this page
Start with the job, not the tin. Each of these is the right answer for a different piece.
Chests, chairs, doors and garden furniture. Full, even colour with a built-in top coat, indoors and out.
Soaks into raw and prepped wood like a stain, so the colour tints the timber and the grain stays visible.
Frames, mouldings and carved edges, with a luminous finish close to gold leaf. Suitable outdoors.
Heritage metallics for frames, mouldings and period detail indoors. Seal or prime bare timber first.
A mirror finish on sealed or primed wood, mainly for interior pieces. Seal or prime bare timber first.
An optional clear coat for tabletops, handles and other surfaces that are handled every day.
Four steps for a finish that lasts. Each product page has the detail for that paint.
Remove dust, dirt, grease and any wax. Lightly sand glossy or varnished wood with 120–180 grit so the paint has something to grip.
Try the colour on a small, hidden area first, in the light the piece will live in.
Work with the grain and let each coat touch dry before the next: about 30 minutes for Jubilee and Super GILD, around an hour for Bleo.
Jubilee reaches full hardness at 21 days, so use the piece gently until then. On tabletops and handles, add a clear top coat.
Five paints for wood, set out by job. GILD Originals and Super GILD are the one true step up.
| On this surface | Jubilee | Bleo | GoodGILD Originals | BetterSuper GILD | Chrome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Solid, opaque colour | A colour wash | Soft metallic sheen | Bright, highly reflective | Mirror-like silver |
| Covers the grain | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Goes on bare wood | Yes | Yes | Seal it first | Yes | Seal it first |
| Over varnished wood | After light sanding | Only if sanded back | After light sanding | After light sanding | Yes |
| Outdoors | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Mainly interiors |
| Top coat | Not needed | Not usually | Optional | Optional, for heavy handling | Never |
| Touch dry | About 30 minutes | About 1 hour | About 1 hour | About 30 minutes | 4–6 hours |
| Colours | 30 | 25 | 5 | 3 shades | 1 |
Garden furniture, sheds, fences, doors and benches.
Jubilee is made for it: once cured it is waterproof and stands up to rain, changing temperatures and everyday weather, with no primer or top coat needed. Bleo suits porous outdoor wood too, and Super GILD works outdoors for gilded detail. GILD Originals and Chrome are for interiors.
Clean off dirt and grease, make sure the surface is sound and let it dry thoroughly. Never paint a wet surface. Sand only where the wood is glossy.
Jubilee is touch dry in about 30 minutes and reaches full cure at 21 days. Keep heavy wear off it until then.
Projects from the Making blog.
A pair of Adirondack chairs refreshed in Jubilee Old English White, with no sanding. How to paint wooden garden furniture that stands up to British weather.
A step-by-step guide to painting and upcycling furniture with Jubilee, from preparation and paint choice to colour and a finish that lasts.
A traditional wooden cabinet reimagined by Marcie K Designs in Super GILD Gold and Jubilee Verdigris. Bold proof that colour and metallics can work together.
Not usually. Jubilee needs no primer on most surfaces, including bare wood, and Bleo is made to soak into raw wood.
Use a primer over oil-based paint or varnish. Raw timber should be sealed or primed before GILD Originals or Chrome.
Often, yes. Jubilee needs a clean, sound, matt surface rather than a sanded one: our garden furniture project refreshed a pair of chairs with no sanding at all.
Sand only glossy or varnished wood, lightly, with 120–180 grit, so the paint has something to grip.
Yes, with preparation. Strip wax fully with white spirit and steel wool, then clean the surface. Lightly sand varnished or glossy wood with 120–180 grit.
Over an oil-based varnish, use a primer first.
Jubilee. Once cured it forms a tough, waterproof finish for doors, sheds, fences and garden furniture, with no primer or top coat needed. Super GILD also works outdoors. GILD Originals is for interiors only.
Jubilee is touch dry in about 30 minutes and can be recoated after 2 hours. It reaches full cure at 21 days. You can use the piece during that time, gently, avoiding heavy wear and prolonged moisture.
No. Bleo tints the wood like a stain, so the grain stays visible. For solid colour that covers the grain, use Jubilee.
We design and develop our premium paints here in Kent, the Garden of England. With the beautiful North Downs on our doorstep, we're inspired to create colours that work in harmony with the natural beauty that surrounds us.
We make paints that are a joy to use.
