Cuprinol v Ronseal fence colour

I've used two different makes of black treatment for some garden fence panels.

• Cuprinol Ducksback
• Ronseal One Coat Fence Life

I'm primarily using them to change the colour of the panels. The added weather protection is just a bonus.

I have no reason to doubt the protective nature of both products. I have used similar products from both brands in the past and they have lasted well.

Both are water based products. I much prefer that over oil based products.

Ronseal Fence Life

This has a thin, near water like, consistency.
It is fairly easy to apply with a brush and gets in to the crevices.
The colour is described as a black oak colour. I can understand why. On the pressure treated fence panels it is not completely black, more a, watery, very dark brown.

A nice colour but not entirely black.

Cuprinol Ducksback

This has a thick gloopy consistency.
If it is not watered down, it needs a bit of effort with a brush to work in to the rough sawn timber.
The colour is black. No question about it. The result is almost like paint.

I prefer the colour of the Cuprinol and it covers a wider range of materials including, to some degree, galvanised steel.

Watering Down

I'm sure the manufacturers of both products would be horrified that I water down their products.
On sawn timber I find that the thinner consistency is much easier to apply when using a brush.

Mixed to the following approximate proportions the colour change was barely noticeable on sawn timber:
Ronseal: 60% Fence Life to 40% water.
Cuprinol: 40% Ducksback to 60% water.
Remember that I am only interested in the colour. Watering down is likely to have an adverse effect on their protective abilities.

The Ronseal pot is a larger diameter, so it is much easier to fit the brush in to, it is also easier to open and close.
I have kept the Ronseal pot to fill with Cuprinol :-)

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Update: November 2024

We were advised by a number of people to use Bedec Barn Paint for The Shed build.

I tried it on some fences and gates first and that has lasted very well for the last 18 months with no sign of deterioration.

This has been used undiluted as a preservative as well as the colour, so is not a fair test against the other two, but has done a very good job and is now what I use for every outside timber job.

I apply it with a brush. It's fairly easy even though it has a quite thick consistency.

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