The best wood preservers, compared.
Top pick: Barrettine protective treatment, light brown 5 L – Highest score in this comparison, 9.2 out of 10, from 1,033 amazon.co.uk reviews. Best value: Everbuild wood preserver, clear 5 L – Lowest listed price per litre: about £25.09 for 5 litres, about £5.02 a litre. Updated October 2026.
A wood preserver on amazon.co.uk is a liquid sold to slow rot, mould, blue stain, and sometimes wood-boring insects. If you are treating a shed, fence or gate, or bare joinery before a finish, the useful split is the claim on the tin: fungicide only, fungicide plus, or a coloured oil sealer with a film biocide. Several pages contradict themselves on water-based versus solvent, and on whether an insecticide is included. Trust the tin in your hand over a broken catalogue field. How to match the job, the exposure and the topcoat is in the [wood preserver buying guide](/hub/paints-and-varnishes/wood-preserver/sub/wood-preserver-buying-guide). It is not a wood hardener, and it does not replace soft or structurally decayed timber. Buyers are treating sheds, fences and gates, and sometimes joists, floorboards or window frames. Tell the tins apart by the claim, not by the star line.
A wood preserver on amazon.co.uk is a liquid sold to slow rot, mould, blue stain, and sometimes wood-boring insects.
42 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
Swipe for more
1-2 of 12
Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Does the job include wood-boring insects?
Barrettine’s light brown treatment combines an oil sealer, translucent colour, water-repellent resins and a film biocide for exterior garden timber. The listed 25–30 m² coverage per 5 litres gives a more usable buying estimate than many clear tins in this comparison. It has 4.6 stars from 1,033 amazon.co.uk reviews and costs £32.90, which is competitive for a coloured 5 litre treatment. This is not an invisible basecoat: the light brown tint is intended to remain visible while the grain shows through. Its biocide claim concerns surface mould and algae, not wood-boring insects. It suits sheds, fences and pergolas above ground, but should be skipped when you need a clear undercoat for another finish.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Above-ground sheds, fences, trellis and pergolas where a light brown oil finish is wanted
Less suitable: Clear undercoating, insect treatment or timber that will be buried
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a clear wood preserver?
No. The title is a light brown wood protective treatment. The bullets describe an oil sealer with water-repellent resins and a film biocide, and a translucent colour.
What area does the listing claim?
Coverage is 25–30 m² per 5 L. Recommended use is exterior wooden structures.
What does it say about insects?
It claims to be beneficial-insect and plant friendly once dry, and it names a film biocide for surface mould and algae. It does not name a wood-boring insecticide.
Sika 5 Star is a clear universal treatment whose listing names Permethrin, fungicide and algaecide for internal and external timber. At £27.99 for 5 litres, it is one of the less expensive full-size tins, while its 4.6-star average is based on 898 amazon.co.uk reviews. The approximate coverage of 3 m² per litre suggests about 15 m² per tin before allowance for the timber and application method. It may be applied to damp timber according to the listing, which can help when perfectly dry conditions are hard to achieve. However, the product fields disagree over whether the base is solvent, oil or water-based, and even alternate between litres and kilograms. It is a strong specification for a multi-action treatment, but the delivered label should settle those conflicts before use.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Bare timber needing a clear treatment with label-confirmed fungal and wood-boring insect claims
Less suitable: Buyers who need an unambiguous water- or solvent-based formulation online
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing include an insecticide?
Yes. The bullets name fungicides, algaecides and Permethrin, and wood-boring insects. A review says it will not harden wet rot.
How much area is listed?
1 litre covers approximately 3 m². The tin is described as both 5 litres and 5 kg.
Is the base water or solvent?
The material field says solvent based and the paint type says oil. The coating description says water-based/solvent-based. The listing does not pick one.
Barrettine clear is an oil- and solvent-based preserver that the listing says can remain without a topcoat, making it different from clear products sold chiefly as basecoats. It names wood-destroying fungi, discolouring fungi and wood-boring insects, while also claiming water repellence. The 4.6-star average from 883 amazon.co.uk reviews gives it a substantial evidence base. Its stated coverage is up to 225 sq ft per 5 litres for two to three coats, though buyers will need to convert that for metric planning. At £44.49, it is the dearest 5 litre tin in this comparison. The oil formulation and water-repellent finish also make it a cautious choice beneath water-based paint unless the label explicitly confirms compatibility.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Bare above-ground timber where you want a clear oil preserver that can act as the final treatment
Less suitable: Budget jobs or projects requiring a straightforward water-based paint system
Specifications
Common questions
Do you have to paint over this clear preserver?
The bullets say no subsequent topcoat is required unless you want one for appearance. They also call it water repellent.
Does the listing mention insects?
Yes. It names wood-destroying fungi, discolouring fungi and wood-boring insects. The listing does not print an HSE number.
What coverage is printed?
Up to 225 sq ft per 5 L for 2–3 coats. The finish is semi-transparent matt or satin.
Ronseal Total is a clear, water-based pre-treatment intended to sit beneath a later finish rather than replace one. The listing says it is suitable for overpainting and gives up to 511.8 sq ft of coverage per 5 litres, equivalent to roughly 47.5 m² if that figure is accurate. It has a 4.6-star average from 662 amazon.co.uk reviews and costs £39. The bullets describe interior and exterior use, but another field restricts the recommendation to interior work, so the intended scope is not consistently recorded. These bullets also do not name an insecticide or provide a drying time. It is worth considering for a paint system after checking the current tin, but not when you want a self-finished oil treatment.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Bare timber that will receive a compatible paint, stain or varnish after the label-specified wait
Less suitable: A standalone exterior finish or a treatment selected specifically for wood-boring insects
Specifications
Common questions
Is this listing interior or exterior?
The bullets say it is a pre-treatment for interior and exterior wood. The recommended-uses field says interior. Both are on the same page.
Can you paint over it?
The bullets and the special-feature line say it is suitable for overpainting. The finish field says matt. No dry time is given on this listing.
Does this listing claim insect control?
These bullets do not. They say clear, pre-treatment, and rough or smooth timber. Questions about rot and toys are not answered in the bullets.
This Barrettine treatment gives exterior garden timber a translucent dark brown oil finish rather than acting as a clear undercoat. Its listed rate of 5–6 m² per litre makes a 5 litre tin a plausible 25–30 m² purchase before allowing for rough timber and waste. The page shows 4.6 stars from 647 amazon.co.uk reviews and a price of £31.99. Water-repellent resins and a film biocide target weathering, surface mould and algae while leaving the grain visible. The listing does not claim to kill woodworm or other wood-boring insects. It is a sensible colour-and-protection option for above-ground garden structures, but the dark tint rules it out where the final colour must stay light or clear.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Above-ground sheds, fences, gates and pergolas that need a dark brown translucent finish
Less suitable: Clear basecoats, pale finishes or insect-treatment jobs
Specifications
Common questions
How is this different from a clear preserver?
It is a dark brown oil-based protective treatment. The bullets describe a sealer with water-repellent resins, a film biocide and a translucent colour. Grain stays visible.
What coverage is listed?
180 ml per m², or 1 litre to 5–6 m². The fill is 5 L at £31.99.
Does it claim to kill woodworm?
No. The insect line is that it is beneficial-insect friendly once dry, and the biocide is for surface mould and algae.
Cuprinol clear 5 L is sold as a basecoat before paint, stain or varnish, with up to 5 m² per litre stated for two coats. Its 1–5 day drying window is unusually explicit and shows why a single universal waiting time is unreliable for this category. The listing carries 4.6 stars from 616 amazon.co.uk reviews and costs £43.85, near the top of this comparison. It is intended for interior and exterior bare timber, but the bullets do not name an insecticide. The formula fields also conflict, describing it as water-based and low-VOC in one place and solvent-based in another. Buy it for the clear basecoat role only after checking the tin’s formulation and compatibility with your planned finish.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Planned finishing systems where you can allow the full stated drying window before coating
Less suitable: Fast weekend jobs, insect-specific treatment or buyers unwilling to verify the conflicting formula fields
Specifications
Common questions
How long does this listing say it takes to dry?
1–5 days, depending on the surface and the weather. It is sold as a basecoat before paint, stain or varnish.
What coverage is printed?
Up to 5 m² per litre with 2 coats. Another line says up to 25 m² per 5 litres, which is the same rate.
Is the formula water-based on this page?
The coating description says water-based, low VOC. The base-material field says solvent-based. The material field lists oil, solvent and water. The listing does not resolve it.
Everbuild Triple Action treats internal and external timber with a clear, solvent-free liquid that the listing says can go onto damp wood. It is one of the few products here whose listing names Permethrin as well as fungicide and algaecide, so it is the relevant choice when the label confirms wood-boring insects are part of the job. The 4.5-star average from 1,881 amazon.co.uk reviews is the largest evidence base in this comparison, which makes it our top pick by review volume rather than a laboratory result. At £29.48 for 5 litres, it also sits towards the lower end of the full-size tins. The listing gives no numerical coverage figure and contradicts itself over the item count, so check the pack and label when it arrives. It is a preservative treatment, not a repair for soft or structurally decayed timber.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Bare internal or external timber where the label-confirmed job includes fungal decay and wood-boring insects
Less suitable: Structural repairs, buried timber or buyers who need a precisely stated coverage rate
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing name an insecticide?
Yes. The bullets name Permethrin and wood-boring insects or larvae, plus fungicides and algaecides. The listing does not print an HSE number.
Can the listing be used on damp timber?
The bullets say it can be applied to damp timbers, and that it is fast drying, non-flammable and solvent-free. Coverage is not given as a number.
Is the pack one tin?
Included components say a 5 L treatment and the pack count is 1. Number of items is 4, so the listing disagrees with itself.
This Everbuild clear preserver is the lowest-priced 5 litre tin per litre in the comparison, at £25.09 or about £5.02 per litre. The listing describes a water-based, solvent-free treatment for joinery, floors, joists and roof timbers, with quick drying and a clear finish. For external wood, it gives a useful instruction that paint or varnish should follow after 48 hours. Its 4.5-star average from 1,811 amazon.co.uk reviews provides a much larger evidence base than most alternatives here. However, the bullets do not name an insecticide or give a coverage rate, so it should not be chosen on an assumption that every preserver kills woodworm. It is our best-value pick by listed price per litre, not a claim that it suits every timber problem.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Cost-conscious treatment of bare joinery, floors, joists or roof timber before an external paint or varnish system
Less suitable: Jobs requiring a label-confirmed insecticide or a known coverage rate
Specifications
Common questions
Does this tin claim to kill woodworm?
The bullets name algaecides and fungicides against wet rot, dry rot, decay and fungi. They do not name an insecticide. A page question asks about woodworm and is not answered there.
When can you overcoat it outside?
The external-use bullet says wait 48 hours, then overpaint or varnish. The indoor bullet says the preserver can be the finish.
What size is this ASIN?
This listing is clear, 5 litres, at £25.09. The bullets also mention other sizes and wood shades, which are not this ASIN.
Sika Sikagard is a clear 5 litre treatment whose listing names floorboards, joists, roof timbers and window frames. It carries a 4.5-star average from 1,079 amazon.co.uk reviews and costs £31.19, placing it around the middle of this set. The page describes fungicides and algaecides, but one bullet unexpectedly calls it a woodworm killer without naming the insecticide in the coating information. It also gives coverage as “3–4 sq. per litre” without completing the unit. More importantly, the same listing says both solvent-free and solvent based, so it does not provide a dependable account of the formulation. Choose it only after the delivered tin confirms the active claims, base and intended use.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Buyers prepared to verify the delivered label for bare floorboards, joists, roof timber or window frames
Less suitable: Anyone who needs an unambiguous formula, insect claim or coverage calculation before ordering
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the wood preserver or the woodworm killer?
The title, model SKGDWPCL5 and item type say wood preserver. One bullet says Sikagard Woodworm Killer 5L. The coating line names fungicides and algaecides only.
What coverage does the listing give?
The coverage line says 3–4 sq. per litre. It does not say whether that is metres or feet.
Does the listing answer the pet question?
A question asks if it is safe around pets. The bullets do not answer it. The listing does not print an HSE number.
The 1 litre Cuprinol is a compact clear, water-based basecoat for small areas rather than a cost-effective way to treat a whole fence. Its listing limits indoor use to timber that is occasionally wet or at risk of condensation, while also allowing exterior use. The 4.5-star average from 575 amazon.co.uk reviews is a reasonable evidence base for the small pack. At £15.99 per litre, however, it is the highest per-litre price in this comparison. No numerical coverage, drying time or insecticide claim appears in the listing bullets. It makes sense for a repair or a small gate where avoiding a large leftover tin matters more than unit cost.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Small bare-wood repairs, a gate or limited condensation-risk timber before a finish
Less suitable: Sheds, fence runs or value-focused 5 litre purchases
Specifications
Common questions
Can this 1 litre tin be used indoors?
The bullet says colourless preserver for interior and exterior use, and it limits interior use to occasionally wet wood or wood at risk of condensation.
Is it a finish or a basecoat?
The bullets say use it as a basecoat before painting, staining or varnishing. It also says it prevents rot and decay.
Does the listing give a coverage rate?
No. The coverage field does not give a number. The price is £15.99 for 1 L, and there is no insecticide in the bullets.
Rustins Advanced is presented in the title as a clear 5 litre wood preserver for exterior timber, including wood that is wet or dry. The listing also describes low odour, quick drying and non-flammable handling, while its 4.5-star average comes from 298 amazon.co.uk reviews. At £37.34, it is not cheap enough to overlook uncertain product data. The model name, item type and included-components fields instead describe a 250 ml galvanised metal primer, a material conflict that is more serious than a minor catalogue typo. Its bullets do not name an insecticide or provide a coverage number. Do not use it until the delivered product and label clearly match the wood-preserver title.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only buyers who can verify before use that the delivered 5 L tin is the advertised exterior wood preserver
Less suitable: Ordering for an immediate job where a mismatched listing would cause delay or risk
Specifications
Common questions
Why does the model name say metal primer?
The title is Rustins Advanced wood preserver, clear 5 L. Model name, item type and included components say galvanized metal primer 250 ml. Treat the listing as conflicted until you see the tin.
Can it go on wet timber?
The bullets say it is quick drying and can be applied to wet or dry timbers, and that it is low odour and non-flammable. Coverage is not a number.
Does it claim to kill woodworm?
The bullets do not name an insecticide. One of the first 50 reviews says it did not kill woodworm. That is a review, not a label claim.
Sadolin Quick Drying is a clear, water-based 2.5 litre preserver with listed coverage of up to 5 m² per litre. The bullets name fungal decay and surface mould, making the claim narrower than products that also identify an insecticide. Its £25 price works out at £10 per litre, while the 4.5-star average rests on only 62 amazon.co.uk reviews. That is the smallest review base in this comparison, so it gives less confidence than the headline rating alone suggests. The page also conflicts over exterior-only versus interior-and-exterior use, and “quick drying” appears without an actual time. It is a manageable mid-size option, but the label should settle where it may be used and how long to wait.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A modest above-ground bare-wood job where 1 litre is too little and 5 litres would leave excess
Less suitable: Insect treatment or buyers relying on a large review base
Specifications
Common questions
Is this listing for indoor wood?
The bullets say use it on exterior wood and on untreated timber. The recommended-uses field says interior and exterior. A page question about indoor wood is not answered in the bullets.
What does it claim to resist?
Fungal decay and surface mould. It does not name an insecticide, and it does not say it is waterproof.
How many reviews are on the listing?
4.5 out of 5 from 62 reviews. Coverage is up to 5 m² per litre, and the price is £25 for 2.5 L.
Each card score is the amazon.co.uk star rating captured on 16 October 2026, multiplied by 20, then shown from 1 to 10 as that star rating multiplied by 2. A 4.6 becomes 9.2. Review count is printed beside the score and does not change it. The top pick is the listing with the most reviews in this set, 1,881. The best value is the lowest listed price per litre, about £5.02. The weights below are the buying checks used when the listings were read. They are not a second score. There was no laboratory test, and none of these listings prints an HSE authorisation number.
Claim on the tin
25%Fungicide only, fungicide plus a named insecticide such as Permethrin, or a film biocide on a coloured oil. A review is not the label.
Exposure
20%Interior condensation, exterior timber above ground, or ground contact. Brush-on tins here are for sound timber you can coat, not Use Class 4.
Finish plan
20%A clear basecoat under paint, stain or varnish, or a product whose listing says it can stand alone. The stated wait matters.
Base and listing conflicts
20%Water-based, oil or solvent, and whether the same page contradicts itself. The tin in your hand beats a broken field.
Fill, price per litre and reviews
15%Shelf price divided by litres, then review count as the size of the evidence base only. Stars are not a performance test.
A wood preserver in this set is a liquid for sound timber: rot, mould and blue stain, and sometimes wood-boring insects if the listing names an insecticide. Read the claim, the exposure and the finish plan before the star rating. Prices, stars and review counts are amazon.co.uk lines from 16 October 2026. There was no laboratory test. A DIY tin is not BS 8417 or Use Class 4 treatment.
A wood preserver on these amazon.co.uk listings is a liquid sold to slow rot, mould and blue stain, and sometimes wood-boring insects. It is not a wood hardener, and it does not replace soft or structurally decayed timber. Buyers in this set are treating sheds, fences and gates, and sometimes joists, floorboards or window frames. You are choosing either a clear pre-treatment or a coloured oil sealer. Tell the tins apart by the claim, not by the star line.
These liquids are for bare timber. A coat of paint or varnish already on the wood blocks them. Strip back to bare wood, then follow that tin’s dry time before you finish.
Use Class 4 is ground or fresh water, and trade guidance also puts exterior structural deck supports there. Burying brush-coated softwood does not make it factory-treated timber.
Barrettine light brown and dark brown are translucent coloured oil sealers with a film biocide. They are not invisible basecoats. If the final colour must stay clear, pick a clear tin and read the topcoat line.
Start with the organism. Decay and stain only, insects as well, or a coloured water-shedding finish are three different buys. Everbuild Triple Action and Sika 5 Star name Permethrin. Barrettine clear names wood-boring insects and says a topcoat is optional. Rustins bullets do not name an insecticide. The two Barrettine browns are protective treatments, not clear preservers. Then the exposure. Interior condensation, exterior above ground, and ground contact do not share one tin.
Water-based, oil and solvent are different liquids, and several of these pages contradict themselves. Sika Sikagard says solvent-free in the features and solvent based in the material field. Cuprinol 5 litres says water-based, low VOC in one line and solvent-based in another. Sika 5 Star alternates between solvent, oil and water, and between 5 litres and 5 kg.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are coating sound timber above ground and the job includes wood-boring insects as well as rot. Everbuild Triple Action, clear 5 litres at about £29.48, names Permethrin and has 4.5 from 1,881 reviews. It gives no coverage figure, and it will not repair soft timber.
You want a clear 5 litre tin at the lowest price per litre, then paint or varnish outside. Everbuild clear is about £25.09, about £5.02 a litre, with a stated 48-hour wait on external wood. The bullets do not name an insecticide.
You want a light brown translucent finish on a shed, fence or pergola, not a clear undercoat. Barrettine light brown lists 25–30 m² per 5 litres at about £32.90, with 4.6 from 1,033 reviews. Its film biocide is for surface mould and algae, not wood-boring insects.
The top pick is Barrettine protective treatment, light brown 5 L, with the highest score in this comparison (9.2 out of 10, from 1,033 amazon.co.uk reviews). Everbuild clear 5 litres is the best value at about £25.09, about £5.02 a litre, with 4.5 from 1,811 reviews and a 48-hour wait before an external topcoat. Neither line is a laboratory result or an HSE authorisation. A brush-on tin is not BS 8417 or Use Class 4 treatment, and it will not repair soft timber.
Barrettine protective treatment, light brown 5 L
Highest score in this comparison, 9.2 out of 10, from 1,033 amazon.co.uk reviews.
Everbuild wood preserver, clear 5 L
Lowest listed price per litre: about £25.09 for 5 litres, about £5.02 a litre.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources used for the safety and use-class points on this page. Prices, stars and review counts are from the amazon.co.uk listings on 16 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk with the tag pcuk26-21. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listing lines from 16 October 2026. We did not run a lab test.
