Exterior Painting – How Do You Paint Your Deck?

We all need a favorite place to go at the end of a long day. For some it may be a hot shower, steaming tub, a few hours working alone in the garage, or simply falling back into the most comfortable chair in the world (according to you). Or, maybe it’s stepping outside onto your deck, enjoying your favorite hot or cold drink as you watch the sun fade. Decks and patios can be a huge asset to a property but, unfortunately, when they begin to show their age they quickly transform from a favorite place to little more than a splinter factory. Maybe you have decided not to stain your deck or patio this year, but rather are asking yourself: can I paint my deck?

You sure can, and this kind of exterior painting holds a lot of cool options for style and technique!

Painting Exterior Wood

While paint does provide great protection and style, it also hides the grain and natural beauty of the wood. This is something to consider before you start slathering those boards! Be sure that you know exactly what kind of style you are going for.

If you decide to paint your deck or patio, here are a few tips to get you going in the right direction:

1. Clean the surface – Think beyond a simple sweeping. Rent, borrow, or buy a power washer, and blast away the dirt, grime, and clinging contaminants that will literally get between the surface and your fresh paint.
2. Strip the wood if necessary – Invest the time needed to remove layers of old, previous finishes.
3. Sand – Sanding may be time consuming, but it will create a fresh, quality surface for your paint to adhere to.
4. Watch out for nails! – Take a few minutes to pound in old nails, and fill any unnecessary holes with a quality wood filler.
5. Prime and paint! – A high-quality, water-based latex paint is a great option as it is flexible and will withstand the expanding and contracting that exterior wood experiences.
6. Paint all surfaces – While it may be tempting to paint only the most visible portions of the wood to save time, for the sake of complete protection it is important to do as thorough a job as possible.

Ask a Professional Painting Service for Help!

Another great way to make sure that your project is done well, and that all your stylistic options are presented to you, is to contact a local painting company. They should be more than willing to answer any questions you might have, and leave you with a result you will be excited about!