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Finishing a newly installed wood deck or refinishing an old deck will protect it from moisture- and weather-related damage and extend its lifespan. While exterior paint and wood stain can both work, the two popular finishes differ in terms of appearance, application, durability, maintenance and cost. Painting Vs. Read on for a comparison of staining to see what’s on offer The best protection for your deck.
- The stain is cost-effective and natural. Stain is cheaper than paint and enhances the natural look of the wood, while paint gives a more refined look.
- Paint offers durability and variety. Paint lasts longer and comes in more colors, but requires more preparation and maintenance.
- The stain is easy to apply. Stain requires less preparation and fewer coats, making it easier to apply than paint.
- Maintenance varies by termination. Painted decks are easy to clean, while stained decks require careful maintenance to avoid damage.
Bottom line: The choice between paint and stain depends on budget, desired look and maintenance preferences.
Sten is more budget-friendly.
Stains run between $20 and $35 per gallon, while exterior paints suitable for decking range from $30 to $60 per gallon. Also, if painting, you’ll need to factor in an additional $15 to $40 per gallon of wood preservative and another $30 or so per gallon of primer. Most commercial wood stains already contain a preservative and therefore do not require a primer to adhere.
Gives a natural look to the stain.
Wood stain, transparent to semi-solid opaque, partially fills wood pores. The stain creates a thin film on the deck that allows both the natural grain patterns and cracks above the wood to show through – ideal if you like a natural look. The paint, with a high percentage of pigments and resins, completely fills the pores of the wood and dries to an opaque surface that hides cracks and covers the distinctive grain of the wood. The result? A more refined, manufactured look. Even if you aim to hide imperfections, maintain a rustic look, a High quality solid wood stain There’s a good choice—our favorites are highly pigmented and still virtually opaque.
Paint offers more variety.
Paints are available in colors ranging from neutrals like chocolate brown or forest green to royal blue or crimson for a more contemporary vibe. Because wood stains are designed to emphasize the original qualities of wood, they are usually limited to clear varieties or shades of brown.
The stain is easy to apply.
either Painting the deck Or Staining on deck Proper surface preparation will require:
- clean it up,
- Scrub it with a store-bought one Homemade Deck Cleaner,
- repair or replacement of damaged boards,
- And then lightly sand any surface ridges.
Once it is ready for the finish, the stain can be applied directly by brush or roller in a single coat. The stain’s flowy consistency prevents globs from pooling, and its transparency minimizes the appearance of lap marks in the finish. Additionally, when you choose a two-in-one stain-and-sealer, such as Thompson’s Waterseal Transparent Waterproofing Stain (Available on Amazon)No additional clear top coat is required.
If you’re painting, there are a few extra steps to complete before work. The deck should be treated with a wood preservative and then coated with a quality primer. At least two coats of latex or oil-based paint are usually needed, and the thick consistency of the paint means that globs and lap marks usually end up. Once painted, the surface must be sealed with a clear polyurethane sealer.
The paint lasts a long time.
Both paint and stain deck finishes are susceptible to unique problems—paint to chipping or peeling, and stain to heat-related discoloration. But painting vs. In the headwinds of staining a deck, the paint usually comes out as a more durable and colorfast finish, lasting 10 years or more before needing re-application. Oil-based paints offer the best protection from moisture, while latex paints offer the best protection against UV-related fading. Stain finishes on decks are more short-lived, lasting one to eight years before reapplication is needed. In general, the more pigmented a stain is (ie, the higher the opacity), the more resistant it is to moisture and UV damage. Transparent stains offer little moisture protection and virtually no UV protection, while solid stains offer high moisture and UV protection.
Paint is easy to maintain.
Even in a low-gloss sheen, the paint dries to a crisp surface that repels dust, dirt, and debris. The stain dries to a more matte finish that requires more effort to clean off. This tempts some homeowners to take it Pressure washer on their stained decks, but the sheer force of the washer can dent the wood. The maximum washer setting should not exceed 600 psi for softwoods such as cedar or 1500 psi for hardwoods such as oak.
At least once a year, you’ll need to deep-clean your deck to remove bacteria and mold—this goes for painted or stained decks. This involves applying deck cleaner with a sprayer or roller, scrubbing any particularly dirty spots with a soft-bristled scrub brush, and then rinsing with a garden hose.
The stain can easily be painted over.
A stained deck can easily be painted over or given a new shade of stain. Simply dull the old finish with sandpaper, clean the deck with de-glosser and then prime and paint or top with a new shade of stain. While painting over a painted deck is easy, converting from paint to stain requires an effort-intensive process: Strip off old paint and primer completely With a commercial paint stripper or sandpaper, clean it with deck cleaner, sand deck imperfections, and then apply stain.
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