American Vinyl Windows

Painting A Deck

While most people prefer the natural wood look of a deck, some prefer to paint their deck to add color to their outdoor environment. Something to remember before painting decks, however, is that the original wood finish will be very difficult – at times impossible – to get back if you change your mind.

If you’re sure about how to paint it then let’s start with preparing the wood. The deck needs to be pressure washed before painting. Be sure to use the pressure washer in a back to back motion, and don’t get too close to the wood. Pressure washers are very powerful and can easily damage wood if you’re not careful. About 4-8 inches should be okay for most washers (around 1300psi). Always lift the nozzle slightly at the end of each stroke to prevent making marks in the wood.

Once it has been washed, the deck is ready for painting – well not quite. The wood will need to be primed with a good primer for outdoor painting, usually latex. In some cases two primer coats will be necessary. Sherwin Williams’ Duration exterior latex requires no priming but you will still need two coats.

Allow the primer to dry according to the manufactures instructions before painting with an exterior latex paint. Here in Austin, with extreme humidity throughout most of the summer, it is advisable to add about 25% to the drying time suggested. The paint can be rolled, brushed or sprayed. If you want it sprayed and are not familiar with sprayers, it is suggested that you call a Austin painting contractor with experience in this type of work.