A deck is a great place to relax outside and spend time with family and friends. We use ours almost daily for grilling, hot tub, relaxing, and dinners al fresco. We also live under a lot of trees and with all the rain and moisture, it takes a toll on the wood and the stain. Every two years we find that it’s time to stain the deck again.
Typically deck stains will last 3-5 years, but our backyard creates a harsh environment for the wood, so we have to stain more often than average. Now that it’s time to stain the deck again, we find ourselves considering: painting vs staining the deck?
Painting a deck is usually more expensive and time consuming than staining a deck and doesn’t seal the deck and protect it from moisture the way that stain does. There are pros and cons to painting and staining a deck and it is best to determine which is best for the weather elements that your deck is exposed to as well as your budget for the project.
Pros of staining a deck
- Using a quality deck stain that includes a sealant will penetrate the wood and seal it, helping to preserve the wood.
- Stains showcase the beauty of the wood rather than covering it up as paint does.
- If your deck is exposed to harsh conditions, stain can provide waterproofing, sun, and other weather elements.
- Stain is easier to apply because one coat of a high quality sealer is sufficient (unless your deck is exposed to especially harsh conditions, then you may want to apply two coats).
- It is more cost effective to stain a deck rather than paint it because you only need stain with sealer mixed in to coat the deck no other primers.
Cons of staining a deck
- Decks will need to be re-stained every 2-4 years depending on the amount of exposure and how harsh the weather conditions are where you live.
- Staining a deck will not cover all the flaws and damage to an older deck the way that paint will.
Pros of painting a deck
- One thing to consider is that paint is available in any color you prefer which gives you a lot of options.
- Paint lasts longer than stain, so you will be able to go much longer in between, usually around 10 years or more before you have to repaint.
- Unlike stain, paint does a really good job at hiding flaws in an old, weathered deck.
Cons of painting a deck
- It’s hard to go back to stain once you have painted a deck. This is the most important consideration for us because we are not sure if we want to go so permanent. It would be very labor intensive to go back to stain after painting a deck.
- Paint does not protect the wood from water and can actually trap moisture. Our local painting company recommends using a wood preservative as well as a primer before painting and using a clear coat polyurethane sealer as the final coat.
- It is more expensive to paint a deck because more supplies are needed including wood preservative, primer, paint, and final poly coat.
- A big con for a lot of people is that paint hides the natural beauty of wood. Stain can bring out the beautiful wood grain of your deck and that is pretty hard to beat!
Our deck is exposed to fairly harsh weather and a lot of moisture and while our first choice would definitely be staining the deck, we are wondering if paint would last longer. It is possible that because our backyard is often very humid being under a canopy of trees, that the moisture would damage the wood with only paint applied.
On the other hand, a stain only lasts us about 2 years before it needs to be redone making more work in the long run. Because moisture is a problem in our backyard, staining the deck is the best protection despite the extra work it will be to maintain.
Which stain to use for decks
The best type of stain to use on your deck is one that also contains a sealer that protects from sun and water damage and helps to prevent mold and mildew. With this type of stain, you can simply use soap and water to clean your deck as needed.
Consider the elements that your deck will be exposed to when determining the type of stain you use. For example, if your deck is exposed to saltwater, you will want to use a stain that is specifically meant to be used in marine conditions with constant moisture.
Which paint to use for decks
Before choosing a deck paint, you must consider the specific conditions as with choosing a stain. The easiest deck paint to use is a Kilz latex exterior floor paint which will be mold and mildew resistant and durable.
Just like with stain, the elements are very important in considering what type of paint you should use. For example, for a pool deck, you will want to use an anti-slip coating that is easy to apply, has great adhesion and as the name suggests, is slip resistant.
Should you paint or stain your deck?
There is no right or wrong choice when it comes to choosing stain or paint for your deck. The specific elements of your deck, your budget, and time all play a part in your decision. Consider all of the pros and cons of staining vs painting your deck and determine which is best for your specific situation.
Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all choice for everyone because the circumstances may be very different. If you choose to hire a company to stain or paint your deck for you, be sure to ask what they suggest and why they think it is the best option for your deck.