Deck Painting
Deck Painting
1. Pick the Right Deck Paint or Stain
The first step in refinishing your deck is to decide whether you would like it stained or painted. There are benefits to both deck painting and staining, and the current state of your deck will determine the steps necessary to make your dream a reality.
If you’re not sure which method will better suit your needs then the team at Salas & Sons can help you weigh out your options.
Deck Stain:
If you decide to stain your deck choosing the right stain can be complicated as a number of factors can influence the finished product, such as:
- The wood’s natural coloring
- The age of the wood
- Your homes color palette
- Whether or not it’s already stained
As well as choosing a color for your stain you will need to choose the stain’s opacity. You have four options:
Clear:
This will bring out the character of your wood and is therefore best used for new or expensive wood. You can expect this to last about a year or two.
Semi-Transparent
This is where the stain will start affecting the color of the wood. You’ll get a bit more time between treatments, around two to three years. It’s great for longer protection with a bit of color.
Semi-Solid
You can see where we’re going here. Semi-Solid will offer a bit more color than Semi-Transparent with a hint of the natural wood color. This is a good opacity to transition to as your deck ages.
Solid:
Solid stain will completely hide the wood grain. This is a great choice for older decks and decks with a lot of imperfections. It will also have a higher level of UV resistance. You can expect to get the most longevity out of this stain at about 5 years.
Deck Paint:
If you decide to paint your deck, the biggest factor that will influence your choice of paint will be what type of paint was previously used. You have two primary options when painting your deck. Acrylic and Oil-based, and they each do better when layered on top of itself. You can always switch from one to the other but we will need to strip the previous layer of paint.
You will also need to select your surface sheen. Your options are:
Eggshell:
This surface finish is good for hiding imperfections but gets dirty very easily.
Satin:
This one is slightly easier to clean while still doing a good job of hiding surface imperfections.
Semi-gloss:
Semi-gloss is going to be good at hiding dirt and can offer continuity as most exterior trim is painted with this finish.
High–gloss:
This option will be the easiest to clean but also highlight the most imperfections.
1. Pick the Right Deck Paint or Stain
The first step in refinishing your deck is to decide whether you would like it stained or painted. There are benefits to both deck painting and staining, and the current state of your deck will determine the steps necessary to make your dream a reality.
If you’re not sure which method will better suit your needs then the team at Salas & Sons can help you weigh out your options.
Deck Stain:
If you decide to stain your deck choosing the right stain can be complicated as a number of factors can influence the finished product, such as:
- The wood’s natural coloring
- The age of the wood
- Your homes color palette
- Whether or not it’s already stained
As well as choosing a color for your stain you will need to choose the stain’s opacity. You have four options:
Clear:
This will bring out the character of your wood and is therefore best used for new or expensive wood. You can expect this to last about a year or two.
Semi-Transparent
This is where the stain will start affecting the color of the wood. You’ll get a bit more time between treatments, around two to three years. It’s great for longer protection with a bit of color.
Semi-Solid
You can see where we’re going here. Semi-Solid will offer a bit more color than Semi-Transparent with a hint of the natural wood color. This is a good opacity to transition to as your deck ages.
Solid:
Solid stain will completely hide the wood grain. This is a great choice for older decks and decks with a lot of imperfections. It will also have a higher level of UV resistance. You can expect to get the most longevity out of this stain at about 5 years.
Deck Paint:
If you decide to paint your deck, the biggest factor that will influence your choice of paint will be what type of paint was previously used. You have two primary options when painting your deck. Acrylic and Oil-based, and they each do better when layered on top of itself. You can always switch from one to the other but we will need to strip the previous layer of paint.
You will also need to select your surface sheen. Your options are:
Eggshell:
This surface finish is good for hiding imperfections but gets dirty very easily.
Satin:
This one is slightly easier to clean while still doing a good job of hiding surface imperfections.
Semi-gloss:
Semi-gloss is going to be good at hiding dirt and can offer continuity as most exterior trim is painted with this finish.
High–gloss:
This option will be the easiest to clean but also highlight the most imperfections.
2. Prepare the Surface
Now that the hard part is over, Salas and Sons will begin prepping the surface of your deck. To do so we will:
- Remove patio furniture, potted plants, etc. from the deck
- Sweep the deck to remove debris
- Scrape off old paint/apply wood cleaner to surface of the deck
- Repair loose or damaged boards, broken screws, and exposed nails
- Sand the deck to fix any surface imperfections
- Pressure wash the deck
- Treat with a mold deterrent spray and let the deck dry
2. Prepare the Surface
Now that the hard part is over, Salas and Sons will begin prepping the surface of your deck. To do so we will:
- Remove patio furniture, potted plants, etc. from the deck
- Sweep the deck to remove debris
- Scrape off old paint/apply wood cleaner to surface of the deck
- Repair loose or damaged boards, broken screws, and exposed nails
- Sand the deck to fix any surface imperfections
- Pressure wash the deck
- Treat with a mold deterrent spray and let the deck dry
3. Paint or Stain
Once the deck is dry we will protect the area with drop cloth and painter’s tape where necessary. If your deck is being painted then the next step will be to prime it and finally paint or stain your deck. The deck will need to dry for at least 24 hours.
4. Cleanup
Our goal is to leave your home in a better state than how we found it. So once the process is complete we’ll remove all drop cloth and painter’s plastic, return your furniture to its original location, and clean up any leftover materials.
Finally it’s time for you to enjoy your home’s new look. Our Site Supervisor will walk with you through the space giving you a chance to provide any initial feedback. Your point of contact for this project will follow up with you sometime after the job is complete to ensure you are satisfied with our work and to give you a chance to review our process.
3. Paint or Stain
Once the deck is dry we will protect the area with drop cloth and painter’s tape where necessary. If your deck is being painted then the next step will be to prime it and finally paint or stain your deck. The deck will need to dry for at least 24 hours.
4. Cleanup
Our goal is to leave your home in a better state than how we found it. So once the process is complete we’ll remove all drop cloth and painter’s plastic, return your furniture to its original location, and clean up any leftover materials.
Finally it’s time for you to enjoy your home’s new look. Our Site Supervisor will walk with you through the space giving you a chance to provide any initial feedback. Your point of contact for this project will follow up with you sometime after the job is complete to ensure you are satisfied with our work and to give you a chance to review our process.