Littlefair's

What to know about shopping at Littlefair's

Littlefair's is a family-run, multi-award-winning UK manufacturer of water-based wood-finishing products, founded in 2001 by joiner Les Littlefair and based in Blackburn, Lancashire. The brand has sold over a million bottles of its own-made stains and topcoats, and everything is formulated to be eco-friendly, low-odour, quick-drying and non-toxic — a genuine alternative to the harsh solvent-based finishes that still dominate the DIY aisle. If you are refinishing furniture, a kitchen worktop, a staircase or garden decking, this is a specialist worth knowing.

The range is organised around four stages: prepare (pre-stain wood conditioner and brushes), stain (standard wood stains and dyes in more than 20 colours, plus a dedicated floor stain), protect (Danish oil and wax polish), and topcoat (Extra Strong and Floor Fast varnishes and the hard-wearing Titan Topcoat). Because the colours and the protective coats are sold separately, you can mix a tint and a sheen to suit the project rather than settling for an off-the-shelf combination.

The best savings tend to land around seasonal home-improvement windows — spring and summer for outdoor furniture and decking, and the new-year refresh period — so it pays to watch for promotions before a big project. Mainland UK delivery is free over £30, and there is a Click & Collect option from the Darwen base.

To buy well, match the product to the surface: a hard-wearing floor varnish for stairs and flooring, a UV-tolerant exterior finish for garden furniture, and a wax or Danish oil for indoor furniture you want to feel natural. Always condition bare softwood first and test your colour on an offcut, since water-based stains can take differently across timber types.

— MoneySaverCodes Team