Painting spruce wood
Pro tips to protect you wood – the Swedish way
Do you want your spruce wood to last longer and look appealing at the same time? Then Moose Färg is an excellent choice. It gives your wood excellent technical protection and a beautiful matt colour. Dreading the job? Don’t worry, using our paint is easy and even – yes, really! – fun.
On this page you’ll read about:
Do you want to get started right away with painting spruce wood?
Why would you paint spruce wood?
- Wood preservation. Spruce has a low durability class: unprotected, the wood lasts about 5-10 years in the outdoors. For this reason, it is usually treated or thermally modified. Similarly, a layer of paint will protect the wood and extend its lifespan. For example, paint offers protection against moisture, dirt and UV rays. And, it can prevent wood rot and discolouration of your wood.
- A beautiful appearance. Our unique colours ensure that your wood becomes a real eye-catcher. Create your own colour combinations and create a garden house, porch or fence entirely to your taste.
Note: you probably don’t always realise that you have spruce. Scaffolding wood, pallet wood and Swedish rabat are words that are very often used for spruce.
Piet and Brigitte: ‘Painted our new garden house of fresh pine in the colours lead grey/Blytungs Grå and off-white/Grädde. Painted twice and very satisfied with the processing. Paint does not run and the first coat pulled well into the fresh pinewood. The second coat already covered sufficiently.‘ (translated from Dutch)
Here are 3 reasons to use Swedish paint for your spruce wood
Ideal for soft woods such as spruce
Spruce is known to shrink and expand under differences in humidity. The result: the wood develops small cracks. Moose F is very suitable for spruce because it soaks into the wood like a stain. This not only ensures that the charming wood grain remains visible, but also that the paint does not flake when the wood shrinks and expands.
Easy to use and maintain
To paint with Moose Färg, you don’t have to be a professional. Painting is easy, just use a block brush. Usually, you will have a good covering result after 2 layers (sometimes 3 for light colours). Sanding between coats is not necessary. Another plus: the paint smells pleasant and is easy to clean off your hands and clothes. And maintenance? That is usually only necessary after 4-5 years.
Unique Nordic colours
Whether you choose the classic Swedish red, the popular deep black or the modest Kiruna Grå: with one of the colours from the Swedish colour palette, you can be sure of a garden shed, fence or facade that will attract many compliments. Curious about the colours? Allow us to send you a colour sample card completely free of charge. Read more about the colour options on this page.
Why is Swedish wood paint so unique?
Step-by-step plan for painting spruce:
Our paint is suitable for untreated and treated (impregnated) spruce. And even for spruce that has already been painted. Below, we go through all the steps with you for a beautiful and durable result.
- With fresh spruce
Spruce that has just come from the hardware store will still ‘work’. It shrinks, expands and may ooze resin. Besides, spruce is often treated (impregnated). The impregnating substances, which can give greenish or brown stains, will need time to leave the wood. So it is a good idea to leave your spruce wood for a while, let’s say about 4 to 6 months. Resin can be removed with a sharp knife or a cloth with terpentine or white spirit.
Technically, it is possible to give fresh spruce one layer. Because Moose F is a vapour-open paint, the wood can continue to breathe. This makes it possible – unlike with paints that place a film on the wood – to apply one layer of paint after placement. We recommend applying the second layer 6 months later.
- Optionally: additional protection against mould
Spruce is susceptible to fungal attacks. Especially when it is not impregnated and the wood is placed outside. For this reason, we recommended to treat the wood before and after painting. Preferably with an anti-fungal agent, but you could also use Polarsken lindseed oil soap.
- Repainting painted or stained wood
Flaking paint should always be removed as much as possible. You don’t have to sand down the old paint layer completely. Paint or stain residues are not a problem. But make sure the old paint cannot flake and doesn’t have a glossy finish. You can check this by using a high-pressure washer (pay attention to the setting to avoid damaging the wood) or by sanding with a coarse grit (60 or 80).
- Before painting
4.1 Degrease the wood (e.g. with organic wood soap Polarsken). Absolutely don’t skip this step if the wood is impregnated. The impregnator may release greases and/or salts.
4.2 Do you have planed wood? Sand it coarsely (80-grit paper) so that the paint can adhere better.
- Painting the first layer of spruce
Use Moose F. Dilute the first coat with 5-10% water. If you are not going to use the entire pot, pour some paint into a paint tray and avoid putting the brush into the pot itself. Immediately reseal the pot tightly. This will prevent bacteria from getting into the paint and will ensure that the remaining paint will stay good for a long time, usually for several years.
Preferably paint with a (block) brush. This allows you to get into all the nooks and crannies of the wood. You could also use a paint sprayer.
You will still see the brush strokes on the first layer. Don’t worry, all brush strokes will disappear with the second layer.
Tip: Did you paint and will you continue the next day? Do not clean the brush completely, but wrap it in aluminium foil. Store it in a cool place (e.g. the refrigerator!), so you can easily pick up where you left off the next day.
- Painting the second layer
Let the first layer dry thoroughly before applying the second layer. If the first layer comes off or ‘dissolves’ again as soon as you apply the second layer, you have been too quick. Let the paint dry a little longer.
Note: There is no need to sand between coats.
Once the colour is opaque, you are all set. There is no need to apply any more layers. It is not the intention to apply paint until there is a film on top of the wood.
Make sure no rain comes over it for a few days after the second coat. The paint needs time to cure.
Quick Q&A spruce painting:
You can paint about 5 square metres (opaque; meaning 2 layers) with 1 litre of paint. For light colours, you may need a third layer.
For very fresh, dry and/or rough wood, the amount of paint you need is often a bit higher (up to 30%) because the wood absorbs more. With already painted and smoother wood, the usage is somewhat lower, because it can absorb less.
On a nice spring or summer day, with a daytime temperature of 20°C and low humidity (40%), you can repaint after about 6 hours. After painting, there shouldn’t be rain for at least 3 days. After one week, the paint is fully cured.
Are you painting in colder, wetter weather or indoors? Allow for a longer drying time. Read more about drying time here.
A temperature between 15 and 25 °C is ideal. You could also paint at higher temperatures, but thin extra with water (20%) to prevent the paint from drying too thick and becoming shiny. At temperatures below 12°C the drying time becomes extremely long, in which case it is better not to paint.
What products do I need to paint spruce?
The Scandinavian colour palette
The colours of Moose Färg originate from Sweden. You may be familiar with Swedish red; this beautiful colour dominates the Swedish landscape. Besides red, there is a wide range of beautiful, Scandinavian colours – all fully matt.
Some tips for choosing a colour
The matt character of the paint means that a colour will look different in different light. A colour like Ljus Blå (light blue) looks really blue in sunlight, but appears greyish in the shade. Because the colour can look different in different light, we recommend not relying entirely on the colours you see on your computer screen.
- Check out the photos of customers who have used our product on our inspiration page.
- It also helps to see the colours in real life. To do this, you can request a free colour chart.
- Still in doubt? Try our colors on your own wood by ordering one (or more) of our paint samples.
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Falu Röd
Swedish red
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Vasa Svart
Deep black
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Blytungsgrå
Lead grey
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Bohus Blå
Swedish blue
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Ljus Blå
Light blue
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Kiruna Grå
Perl grey
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Skiffer Grå
Slate grey
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Dalarna Grön
Swedish green
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Amål Grön
Soft green
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Skåne Gul
Swedish yellow
Colour inspiration for painting spruce wood
Whether you are going to paint your newly installed spruce garden shed or upgrade your lounge bench, there is always a suitable product for you. Our inspiration page lets you browse through photos of customers who have applied our colours.
Other products for the protection of spruce
Would you like to stain your spruce wooden floor? Or protect your spruce decking from algae growth? Or perhaps give your garden shed or fence a colourless protective coating? We also have beautiful products for various other spruce applications.
Storuman Skydd – colourless stain for spruce
If you like the characteristic wood colour, choose Storuman Skydd. It protects your wood without colouring it. Keep in mind that a transparent stain works like a sunblock: after time, the UV block wears off. This depends on the amount of sun on it, usually about after a year the wood will start to turn grey.
Dimma – semi-transparent stain for pinewood
With Dimma, you can give your spruce wood a colour, but the wood also remains partially visible. The white wash and grey wash are popular, but you could also use a wash in one of our colours. Dimma is often used to mask the yellowish colour of spruce. For example, for a spruce ceiling, interior walls or a spruce floor.
Pansar – water-repellant protection for your deck boards
If you are looking for a water-repellent treatment, Pansar is a great product for you. The nano technology ensures that the wood is protected from moisture penetration. The treatment also prevents algae from growing. Ideal for a decking, for example, because it won’t become slippery after a rain shower.
Bästa Olja – for deep protection of your spruce posts
If you want to give your spruce wood durable, deep protection, choose our pure linseed oil. You can apply the oil (heated) to the wood. Allow it to soak deep into the wood to protect it from moisture, mould and wood rot. The oil does not protect against sun discolouration in the longer term. Bästa Olja is mainly used for posts that will be placed in wet ground, such as for a pergola.
Topp – for varnishing your spruce interior floor
Protect your spruce floor with our matt lacquer Topp. The lacquer can be applied directly to the floor as transparent protection, or after painting with Moose F. The lacquer is water-based and solvent-free. Because the lacquer consists of one component, it is easy to apply.
Would you like additional, personal advice?
We are happy to help. Send an e-mail or call +31(0) 6 55 333 165. Watch our Instruction Video for more information. Apply here for a free color-card.
