How to Paint a Deck in 5 Easy Steps (with Pictures)

A deck can be a great spot to loosen up and for family members get-togethers. It can also make the residence look far more eye-catching and increase its price. Nevertheless, a deck requires a bit of servicing and upkeep to keep it searching its very best. One of the most recurrent projects that you will require to tackle is portray — sunlight, extreme weather conditions, and heavy use will just take their toll on your deck every single few a long time. If this is your very first time facing a repaint, you have come to the proper location. Here, we give you with a stage-by-phase guidebook to make it as painless as possible and help you be greater knowledgeable.

Tools & Materials

Preparation

To get the ideal outcomes, you will need to do a bit of preparing. Environmental aspects like warmth, humidity, and daylight can influence the concluded merchandise. You may want to paint throughout the driest time of the yr in your area, and check out the forecast to make confident there will be no rain for numerous days.

Use a humidity gauge, and only commence the venture when amounts are in between forty and 50%. Start off painting early in the day when any morning dew evaporates. Stay away from painting in immediate sunlight, which might make the paint dry way too swiftly. If it isn’t a cloudy day, cling a couple of tarps to solid shade ahead of you get commenced.

Get Safety Equipment

Even though you are operating outside the house and have plenty of ventilation, it’s even now a great concept to put on protecting products to defend your health. For illustration, a very good pair of operate gloves will safeguard your arms from any substances in your cleaners or paint, and protection glasses and a dust mask will safeguard your eyes and lungs from particles in the air.

Calculate Your Paint Requirements

You ought to also determine how significantly paint you will need to have. Evaluate the length and width of your deck, then multiply them together to get the square footage. For case in point, a 20-foot prolonged and 10-foot-vast deck is two hundred sq. ft. However, you also need to take into account any railings, steps, and so forth., and you could also decide to apply a lot more than 1 coat, which can double or triple your paint requirements. An regular gallon of deck paint can include anywhere amongst two hundred and five hundred square feet, so you will need to have to verify each and every can for its protection location.

If you are using an more mature paint, you can use your calculations to aid establish if you have sufficient remaining. If not, you’ll need to have to see if you can nonetheless acquire a lot more of the very same kind prior to you get started. You will also need to guarantee that the older paint is even now usable, as it can deteriorate above time.

How to Paint a Deck (5 Steps)

1. Clean Your Deck

As soon as you have all your components, it is get commenced. The first thing to do is thoroughly clean the deck extensively, as it can get very dirty sitting out in the surroundings. A energy washer can make the job less difficult, but you can use a deck brush to get the work completed. A deck cleaner can help raise any dirt and particles, but numerous cleaners insert substances to aid defend the deck right after it’s cleaned, and because you are about to paint, you don’t want anything at all additional, so be mindful to get a cleanser only.

2. Allow the Deck Time to Dry

Once the deck is clear, you will want to allow loads of time for it to dry, as scrubbing and power washing can trigger moisture to penetrate the wooden. Many people give it two or even three days in warm, sunny, dry climate.

3. Inspect The Deck

If the deck is ageing or previously has paint or stain on it, there is a opportunity that you will need to do a little bit of sanding to generate a easy surface to apply the paint. For example, if you see peeling paint or a rough floor, use a powered hand sander to get the deck in greater condition and so it will look nicer when painted.

If you want to sand it, you will want to rinse it off once again to take away any dust prior to you paint, which indicates it will also need to dry.

4. Apply Primer

Now it’s time to commence painting. Start off by applying a coat of deck primer. You require a primer on each new and pre-painted surfaces to get a for a longer time lifespan from your paint and to support it appear more even. Primer will also help prevent the new wooden from absorbing the high-priced deck paint, so you really do not need to have as numerous coats. It also assists stop previous paint from demonstrating by way of the new shade. Use a brush to implement the primer close to corners and tight regions, and use a roller above massive flat areas for best results. You will then need to permit the primer to dry fully, typically right away, just before relocating on to the painting.

5. Paint the Deck

With the primer dry, all that’s left is to paint. You will incorporate paint to the area the exact same way that you included primer, utilizing a brush and a roller. Shift little by little and very carefully so you apply an even coat, which will aid the shade continue being constant more than the total region. A thick region will show up darkish, even though slender paint may let the primer to display by way of. Allow a entire working day for the paint to dry just before you wander on it or insert any furnishings. Now your venture is full!

Summary

Painting your deck is not challenging, but it does take preparatory operate. The exterior environment can insert a wonderful offer of grime and grime to the surface, specifically if you dwell in a city in which car exhaust and other smog are plentiful. You will need to remove it with a electricity washer or deck brush prior to you include any new paint, which can take a considerable sum of elbow grease, introducing to your workload. However, the portray is fairly easy, particularly if you have excellent temperature, and the end result will be properly worth the effort.

Featured Graphic Credit rating: Pi-Lens, Shuttterstock