Cuprinol

What Cuprinol does

Cuprinol is a UK-based woodcare and garden paint brand that develops, manufactures and sells exterior wood treatment and decoration products for DIY consumers. The product portfolio spans Cuprinol Garden Shades (a paint range with 91+ colours offering up to 6 years of weather protection for wood, terracotta, brick and stone), Cuprinol Ducksback (a wax-enriched, non-drip fence and shed treatment with 5-year weatherproofing), plus a broader catalogue of wood preservers, decking oils, stains, fillers, restorers, cleaners and application accessories. The underlying technology centres on proprietary chemistry, including wax-enriched formulations, water-based low-VOC systems and tinting bases designed to extend product longevity in outdoor UK conditions.

Cuprinol is owned by Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, trading as ICI Paints AkzoNobel, a subsidiary of Dutch-listed paints and coatings group AkzoNobel (2024 group turnover EUR 10.7 billion, ~34,600 employees globally). The legal entity is registered in England and Wales (company number 218019), with a registered office and customer care centre at the AkzoNobel Building in Slough. The Cuprinol brand sits alongside sister consumer brands Dulux, Hammerite, Polycell and Dulux Heritage within the UK portfolio.

Revenue is generated through consumer one-time product purchases distributed via the company's own e-commerce site (cuprinol.co.uk, with FedEx handling delivery across Great Britain mainland only) and a network of retail store partners supported by a store locator tool. Pricing is unit-based, with examples such as £20.50–£21.50 for Garden Shades Tinting Base (1L–2.5L), a £3.50 standard delivery charge, and free delivery on orders of three or more products. The customer base is a horizontal segment of UK DIY homeowners and gardeners, and the brand uses content marketing, Instagram engagement, the annual Shed of the Year competition, UGC campaigns and sustainability partnerships (Community RePaint, Bee1) to drive demand.

Name

Cuprinol

Legal name

Imperial Chemical Industries Limited

Website

https://cuprinol.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1792

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Cuprinol is a UK-based woodcare and garden paint brand owned by AkzoNobel, selling exterior wood treatments, paints, stains, preservers and accessories to DIY homeowners and gardeners through its own e-commerce site and retail partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Exterior Wood Care & Garden Paint

NAICS

Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Wood Coatings & Finishes (IMAEAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wood Treatment & Specialty Preservatives (IMAEABAO), Wood Coatings & Finishes (IMAEAHAF)

Keywords

• Exterior wood paint
• Garden woodcare products
• Fence and decking stains
• Wood preservatives
• Outdoor wood treatments

Headquarters

HQ city

Slough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Consumer paint and woodcare product sales: Cuprinol generates revenue through direct-to-consumer sales of woodcare paints, stains, preservers, and accessories via e-commerce website and retail store partnerships. Revenue is primarily one-time product purchases with no subscription component.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cuprinol manufactures and sells exterior wood paint, stains, preservatives, and related garden woodcare products for DIY consumers in the UK. Its portfolio includes the Garden Shades range (90+ colours, 6-year protection for garden wood, terracotta, brick, and stone) and Ducksback (wax-enriched, non-drip, 5-year weatherproofing for sheds and fences), complemented by preservers, oils, fillers, cleaners, and application accessories.

Product overview

Cuprinol is a UK-based wood care and garden paint brand owned by AkzoNobel, offering a comprehensive portfolio of exterior wood treatment and decoration products. The core product lines include Cuprinol Garden Shades (versatile paint for garden wood with 6-year protection, available in 90+ colours), Cuprinol Ducksback/5 Year Ducksback (wax-enriched weatherproofing for sheds and fences with 5-year protection), and various specialized treatments including wood preservers, oils, stains, cleaners, fillers, and application accessories. The products serve consumer DIY projects for decks, fences, sheds, garden furniture, and buildings, with a focus on colour transformation and long-lasting weather protection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cuprinol Garden Shades: Paint product line with over 90 beautiful colours for garden wood, terracotta, brick and stone with up to 6 years protection
• Cuprinol Ducksback
• Cuprinol 5 Year Ducksback
• Cuprinol Less Mess Fence Care
• Cuprinol Anti Slip Decking Stain
• Cuprinol Garden Furniture Stain
• Cuprinol Woodworm Killer
• Cuprinol 5 Star Complete Wood Treatment
• Cuprinol Garden Furniture Restorer
• Cuprinol Ultimate Repair Wood Hardener
• Cuprinol Ultimate Furniture Oil
• Cuprinol Total Deck
• Cuprinol UV Guard Decking Oil
• Cuprinol Quick Drying Cladding & Fence Opaque
• Cuprinol One Coat Sprayable Fence Treatment
• Cuprinol Exterior Wood Preserver
• Cuprinol Garden Furniture Cleaner
• Cuprinol Ultimate Garden Wood Preserver
• Cuprinol Naturally Enhancing Teak Oil
• Cuprinol Decking Cleaner
• Cuprinol Wood Preserver Clear
• Cuprinol All Purpose Wood Filler
• Cuprinol Ultra Tough Wood Filler
• Cuprinol Fence Sprayer
• Cuprinol Spray & Brush 2 in 1 Pump Sprayer
• Cuprinol Naturally Enhancing Teak Oil Spray
• Cuprinol Ultimate Furniture Oil Spray

Products and services

• Cuprinol Garden Shades Versatile exterior wood paint available in 91+ colours, specially developed to colour and protect garden wood (sheds, fences, furniture) and usable on terracotta, brick and stone, with up to 6 years weather protection and a matt finish that enhances wood grain. For DIY homeowners and gardeners in the UK.
• Cuprinol Garden Shades Tinting Base

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 6 years weather protection on garden wood
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Community RePaintminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCuprinol supports Community RePaint, an award-winning national scheme that redistributes unwanted reusable paint, wood varnishes and woodstains to community groups, charities, voluntary organisations and those in social need. This partnership provides environmentally and socially beneficial solutions for unused paint products.
• FedExminorOthersFedEx handles delivery of Cuprinol products ordered through the e-commerce website. They provide tracking information once orders are dispatched. Signature is required for confirmation of receipt.
• AkzoNobel (Parent Company)coreOthersCuprinol is a brand owned by Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, trading as ICI Paints AkzoNobel, under the AkzoNobel group. AkzoNobel is a leading global paints and coatings company with brands including Dulux, Sikkens, International and Interpon. Turnover EUR 10.7 billion in 2024.
• Together for Sustainability (TfS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAkzoNobel (parent) is a member of TfS, an industry initiative of 57 leading global chemical companies aiming to improve sustainability practices within global supply chains. TfS utilizes EcoVadis assessments and third-party audits to evaluate suppliers.
• Bee1 PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCuprinol has a partnership with Bee1, as evidenced by the 'Cuprinol x BEE 1 GIVEAWAY' competition and sitemap reference to 'Our partnership with Bee1'. The partnership appears focused on bee conservation and environmental initiatives.
• Responsible Mica InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAkzoNobel (parent) is a member of the Responsible Mica Initiative, working to establish a fair and responsible mica supply chain in India and eliminate unacceptable working conditions and child labour in mica supply chains by 2030.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ronseal: UK's most direct competitor in garden woodcare and fence/shed treatments. Owned by Sherwin-Williams, Ronseal competes head-to-head with Cuprinol across similar product categories including fence treatments, decking stains, and wood preservers, with comparable DIY positioning and retail distribution.
• Liberon: UK-based woodcare and finishing specialist offering oils, waxes, dyes, and wood treatments. Liberon overlaps with Cuprinol's woodcare product range and serves a similar DIY and trade customer base in furniture restoration and wood finishing.
• Sadolin: Woodcare and wood stain specialist brand owned by PPG Industries. Sadolin competes directly with Cuprinol in exterior wood protection, decking, and decorative wood finishes, particularly in the professional and trade segments of the UK market.
• Hammerite: Sister brand under AkzoNobel specializing in metal paint and rust treatments. While focused on metal rather than wood, Hammerite is a comparable consumer DIY paint brand under the same parent, sharing distribution, marketing, and customer service infrastructure with Cuprinol.

Broad incumbents

• Farrow & Ball: Premium UK paint brand offering interior and exterior paints. While positioned in the premium segment, Farrow & Ball competes for consumer mindshare in the decorative paint market and represents the upper bound of consumer paint brand value creation.
• Dulux Trade: Sister brand under AkzoNobel and the UK's leading decorative paint brand. While focused on interior and trade paints, Dulux shares parent-company infrastructure, retail relationships, and customer overlap with Cuprinol, making it a strategic comparable for brand equity and channel scale.
• Jotun Paints: Norwegian global paints and coatings company with a decorative paint division. While primarily industrial-focused, Jotun operates in the decorative segment in select markets and represents a broader paints and coatings incumbent comparable to AkzoNobel's portfolio approach.

Emerging players

• Rustins: UK woodcare and finishing products specialist offering wood oils, polishes, and paint products. Rustins competes with Cuprinol in niche wood finishing categories and serves a similar craft/DIY customer base.
• Blackfriar Paints: UK woodcare and metal paint brand offering wood stains, treatments, and protective coatings. Blackfriar overlaps with Cuprinol's woodcare range and serves a similar DIY consumer segment through independent retailers and trade channels.
• Bedec (Bedec Paints): UK-based water-based paint manufacturer offering exterior wood paints and multi-surface products. Bedec competes with Cuprinol in the low-VOC exterior paint segment, particularly for fences, sheds, and outdoor structures.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/cuprinol_uk
• Xx.com/cuprinoluk
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cuprinol

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cuprinol