At this point you’ve probably all seen the big front porch makeover that we recently completed for the 48-Hour Challenge with Better Homes & Gardens and Home Depot. And now we’re back with a super simple tutorial for anyone looking to spruce up an old timeworn wood deck or breathe new life into a seen-better-days front porch. Back when we decided to pull the paint trigger on our front porch, we actually opted to go with some subtle tan and cream stripes. Here’s how it all went down.
Step 1: Pick A Color… Or In Our Case, Colors. We took home a bunch of paint swatches and laid them out on the porch floor so we could look at them in the same natural light that the front of our house gets every day. Looking at a number of tan and cream swatches in place helped us to decide that Behr’s Harvest Brown (tan) and Ralph Lauren’s Greenwich (cream) were the perfect combination, so we had them both color matched to a gallon each of Behr Porch & Floor Paint (which is meant to handle foot traffic and exterior conditions). We were given the choice of a glossy paint finish or a flat one and we opted for the flat finish since we reasoned that it would be less slick in wet conditions so that’s definitely something to consider for your project as well (we’ve since marched around the deck in the rain and we’re happy to report that it’s the same texture as unpainted wood).
Step 2: Hose Things Down. You want your deck to be nice and clean before applying the paint, so you may want to scrub things down with a wood cleaner (available at Home Depot or Lowe’s) before you get down to the business of painting (especially if you have severe mildew or grease and oil stains anywhere on your deck or porch). Our deck was already pretty clean, so we just sprayed each plank down at close range with a hose and a nozzle that was set on “full spray” which blasted any pollen, old acorn pieces and other debris off of the deck for a nice clean slate. We also used a flat head screw driver to knock out any rocks or leaves from between the wood planks before we cracked open the paint. Here’s our porch right before we hosed her down:
Step 3: Protect The House. You’ll definitely want to use blue painter’s tape to tape off the side of the house that meets the deck or porch so you have no worries about getting any of your floor paint on the siding, stucco or brick facade of your home. This will give you a nice clean line when you remove the tape, and it’ll also make it a lot easier to paint each plank of wood without worrying about staying in the lines. At this point you can get out a good quality angled brush (it’s much better than a roller since it’ll get in the cracks between the wood) and your paint because it’s go time… as long as the deck is thoroughly dry from your hosing off session (the last thing you want to do is attempt to paint moist wood).
Step 4: Start Painting. In our case we had two colors of paint, so we opened them both and used two different brushes to apply each stripe of color (being especially careful not to mix up the brush and the correlating can of paint). Whenever you’re painting a floor you have to strategically start painting at a point that makes it easy to paint yourself out of the area, and in this case we started at one end of the deck and worked our way to the center where the stairs are:
Step 5: Keep Painting. I’m not gonna lie. The striped effect took a substantial amount of time, so just keep at it and paint each plank and listen to your iPod and get into a rhythm so you’re not constantly thinking “two down, fifty nine to go”- which can really kill the excitement factor.
Step 6: Plan Your Escape. I decided early on that in the case of our front porch, the best approach would be to paint myself to the front steps and then stop and restart from the opposite corner of the deck so I could finish by painting myself down the front steps and enter the house from the back door while the front dried. Due to the striped effect it meant one thing. It was IMPERATIVE that I correctly calculated which planks would be tan and which planks would be cream so I could accurately restart painting at the opposite end of the deck without messing up my pattern (I counted “tan, cream, tan, cream” down each plank three times just to be sure before I grabbed my brushes and went to town).
Step 7: Be Edgy. After I painted myself off the front porch, you can see in the picture above that I still had to paint the side of the wood planks all around the porch for a finished look. I opted to stick to tan on the sides of each plank instead of alternating so that only the top of the planks boasted alternating colors while the side/front of the decking was all tan for a crisp look (which was a lot easier to apply than alternating colors would have been).
Step 8: Dance it out. You’re Done! Once you paint the edge of your wood planks all around the perimeter of your porch or deck, you’re finished. Well, assuming one coat does the trick like it did with ours. We actually liked the subtly weathered look of one coat, but for a super solid and opaque effect you might want to apply a second coat 24+ hours later when it’s safe to walk on the deck or porch again.
Oh and you may have noticed two photos up that we’d previously painted the front of our steps and the wide plank of wood around the deck in the same tan tone that we used for our stripes. This is an excellent way to accent a front porch and break up a whole lotta wood, so if anyone’s on the fence about painting their entire porch or deck, painting just the fronts of the steps and the trim around it can be a super simple way to add a bit of crispness to your entryway (speaking about the fence: we’ve now a roller barrier). Here’s the before picture of the front steps totally bare last fall:
To keep the paint from getting on the actual planks of the stairs, you can tape things off or even use a piece of cardboard to block any drips or accidental swipes like we did below:
Here’s a picture of the front of the steps after we painted them tan along with the wood “front” that encircles the porch. It took less than an hour and we didn’t even have to use porch and floor paint since it didn’t need to withstand foot traffic (we just grabbed some leftover trim paint from the railings and went to town without spending a dime). The lesson? Whether you’re interested in adding a little bit of zing with some painted porch “trim”…
…or a whole lotta polish and personality with a painted (and maybe even a striped) porch floor, there’s really nothing hard about either process. If you can paint a wall, you can definitely paint a deck or a porch floor… and you’ll be doing the happy dance in no time.
Wanna learn more about floor painting? Check out two old tutorials to learn how to stain a concrete floor or even paint one for a more polished and finished effect.
Robbin says
Hi – over the years I’ve tried to clean my deck; but year after year the perimeter boards near the house are green from mildew/mold I presume. I have a pergola over the deck. I am going to paint the deck but wondered if I should paint the posts. I don’t plan to paint the pergola. My house is light orange brick with creme trim and the back door is too.
Thank you.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s all about personal preference, and you could probably get a fantastic effect either way. Just think it through and try to picture how it’ll look both ways before you decide to paint those posts (since it’s hard to un-do it if you don’t like the look) but we’ve never been sorry to paint something once we thoroughly think it through. Good luck!
xo,
s
Sllanes says
Love the site. Can you please tell me what I can use to stain/paint my upstairs deck. When built 4 years ago, other than treated lumber, we never stained and/or painted. We have now built a deck downstairs too. So, what do I need to do with both?
YoungHouseLove says
Just visit your local home improvement store for that info! There are tons of options for you to choose from. Good luck!
xo,
s
Marilyn Rudenstein says
I would like you to answer a couple of questions:
I have a front wooden stoop in front of my old house (which we’ve owned 2 years) It was painted black which is chipped with grey underneath. The vertical posts in the bannisters are white. My door is red. The house is white vinyl siding and has black fake shutters. I would like to add color to my stoop. Maybe even red to match the door. Is that undesirable. If I had the money, I’d even want to paint the shutters red or use a different color for both the stoop, door and shutters.No one mentioned scraping the wood before painting. Is that necessary? What do you think about the bright color idea for the stoop, to match the door. How long can we expect the finish to last?
Thanks, Marilyn
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Marilyn,
You definitely want to sand or powerwash your deck if it’s flaking and use paint that’s made to handle outdoor foot traffic to be sure that it’ll hold up to the outside weather. As for color selections, that’s 100% personal preference. We wouldn’t paint a deck bright red to match a red door because it’s a bit bold (and we like to layer colors so the door is one tone while the porch is another) but it’s your house and you have to love it so follow your heart!
We also generally like the shutters to be one color while the door is another tone and the porch is a third tone for a nice dimensional and coordinated look that’s not too matchy-matchy and flat (if everything was red it wouldn’t be as cute and might even compete with itself instead of coordinating and looking less chaotic). So one approach might be to keep your shutters black (since you can’t paint them if they’re fake) and keep the door red but choose something like a medium gray for the porch so everything feels related and tied together. Then add some bright red planters and plant some pretty white flowers and you’ll have even more color and texture that feels inviting and warm. Just an idea!
xo,
s
Dan Danner says
I there it’s me again. You mentioned a Purdy roller for slightly textured surfaces, would that be 1/2, 3/4, 0r 3/8 nap? Beleive it or not after five days of trim painting on the deck which is two stories I have just completed the deck mcleaning process and am awaiting for eveything to dry so in the meantime and after looking at the wood deck I just had to come in and ask this question.
Thanks
YoungHouseLove says
Just ask the guys at your local home improvement store what they recommend while you’re there picking one or two up. We always just take guesses and the paint goes on well, but they might shed some more light on that selection process for you (anything for a semi-smooth surface should do the trick).
xo,
s
Dan says
First let me apologize for all of the misspelled words in my last note but as I mentioned I had been working, sanding, priming, and painting all of the trim that is attached to my deck, that’s really not an excuse for bad spelling but I need to blame it on something. So I talked to the guys at HD and they tried to steer me in the direction of a foam roller, I tried that on the upper rails and it put down a lot of paint but left me with a non-skid surface probably not a bad thing but I don’t want my deck to look that way so I’m guessing a 3/8 nap should do the trick? One more item, I primed the upper rails white put two coats of paint on them and I noticed this morning that there is a white haze on them, I can’t wipe it off, what’s up with that?
Thanks
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Dan,
Yup, it sounds like your 3/8 roller should do the trick. And as for the white haze, we have no idea. We’ve never heard of that issue. Again perhaps it’s a question you can ask the home improvement people? Good luck!
xo,
s
Jeremy says
Hi, your porch looks awesome! I love the stripes. I have a question about painting… I have to paint a pergola built our of “green” wood and I was wondering if I would need to prime it before I paint…What do you think? This will be the 1st time its painted.
Thanks,
YoungHouseLove says
You will most definitely need to prime it or you’ll get a ton of terrible bleed-through. Be sure to use exterior oil-based primer and exterior paint (preferably in gloss or semi-gloss) for the most durable and long lasting effect. Good luck!
xo,
s
Dan Danner says
Just finished the deck, I would sure hate to do that for a living. You guys were right on the money with the Purdy brushes and rollers the deck looks great.
Again thank you for all of the help.
Dan
YoungHouseLove says
Glad to hear it! Enjoy that deck of yours. You worked hard for it!
xo,
s
Alissa says
Your porch is beautiful! It’s so inspiring to see such a wonderful makeover on a small house. I just bought my first home as well, and it is hard for me to take ideas from sites that show makeovers on mansions. :)
I want to paint the stripes on my covered front porch–but I am really bad with envisioning color choices. My house is tan, shutters dark green, front door & rails white. I’m trying to think about your suggesstion of layering colors, so I’m not sure that tan and green will be the best colors for me because they might look too matchy-matchy with the rest of the house. Or maybe it is Ok because this would be a bright green? Do you have any color suggestions?
Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
As long as you do something subtle and tone on tone it should look great, so try grabbing some soft sage green swatches and seeing if there’s a creamy light green and an even softer one that you can layer for a subtle effect. Anything too bright will look like a circus tent. But you can bring pops of bright color in with pots and planters. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
paul says
My house is tan sage light green shutters black door what would be good deck color?
YoungHouseLove says
A medium mocha would be nice. Not too dark or it’ll clash with the black door, but not too light so it’ll show stains. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Nancy says
Our deck is about 20 years old. We used pressure treated wood. The sides are white and we just keep up with the repainting, no problem.. The problem now is that we decided to stain the worn out floor planks, we did all the prep but the stain came out a sandy tan color, too light so we went darker, now this is what has brought me to the computer. I am sick, it looks horrible!! Looks like we painted (not stained) it a dark chocolate brown (not walnut). Help, please. My husband ran for the power washer but it is too new and we probably would have to wait a year or two for it to dry out to lift up. I want to just paint it white but realize that might not work over this dark color. Any suggestions would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you!!!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Nancy,
We wish we could help but your best bet would be to ask the pros at a few local home improvement or paint/stain shops. They might have a chemical stripper you can apply or some other tip to share. Good luck!
xo,
s
Lisa says
Hi
I am currently attempting to repaint my front porch . ..it is 222 sq feet and is currently grey and i am going to repaint it grey. I am in the process of scraping and sanding but it just seems like there could be an easier way . . .is there???
Thanks
YoungHouseLove says
You might be able to use sone sort of chemical stripper to avoid all the sanding. Just ask the pros at your local home improvement center what they recommend. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Loretta says
Surfing the internet for ideas to paint my front porch. Like the stripes. Had thought about painting one solid color and then taping off an “area rug” and doing some stenciling. But like the striped effect. My porch goes down one step on the North and then a walkway and another step down. Same on the South end of the main porch. Will keep surfing.
Adriana says
hello,
How do you keep the exterior brick of your house looking so nice and clean?! I live in a row house in Philadelphia and I was thinking about renting a power washer but some people say that power washer are not good for brick. ty
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Adriana,
We actually don’t do a thing to maintain our brick- although we suppose if it looked a bit worse for wear we would google around for an eco and brick-safe option (like scrubbing it down with something non-toxic). So sorry we don’t have personal experience to share with you on the subject!
xo,
s
Larry Straszewski says
When you painted your porch/deck, I noticed that you did not refer to a “sealant.” Did you apply a water-proof sealant?
Thanks
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, didn’t use one and haven’t regretted it at all. Everything has held up just fine and looks great. We definitely include details like that in our descriptions if we use them (and the porch and floor paint that we used didn’t call for any topcoat). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Elle says
My deck is in really bad shape. Old wood with a lot of knotholes, and some splits in some of the planks. It has not been painted or stained in years. Last time I painted it, when it was relatively new, the paint all chipped and peeled off during the winter. Now it is REALLY weathered! I was planning on using KILZ on it as a basecoat. Then using an opaque paint– in a grey color. Would the KILZ help? Elle
YoungHouseLove says
You definitely want to get the deck to a non-peeling and flaky place before applying anything (otherwise the whole result is compromised before you even start) so we would suggest powerwashing it and even sanding it down to get a good base to work with. Then we would ask the pros at a paint store what they recommend since the kilz might not be meant to hold up to foot traffic (a lot of porch paint has primer built in so adding it beforehand isn’t necessary). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sherrylou says
I am in the process of getting my deck ready to repaint. I live in the mountains in CO where it gets really cold in the winter. Last year I put on half of the porch an oil-based paint, but after winter noticed it was peeling. What paint should I use?????? Also I noticed when that newly painted portion of the deck was wet, it was quite slippery. Should I not be using oil-based paint??? If I do use it, I thought I could sprinkle a tiny bit of very fine clean sand over the painted area to keep one from slipping. Thanks. Sherrylou
YoungHouseLove says
Just visit your local home improvement store to see what they recommend. Picking a flat finish instead of something glossy should cut down on the slippery problem, and something meant for foot traffic and weather durability shouldn’t peel or wear down. Good luck!
xo,
s
Jillian says
Your deck looks fantastic! I am planning to paint the floor of my sunroom (previously a porch). I would love to use a white or cream color, but it’s a high foot-traffic area, and I’m worried that it will be difficult to keep it looking clean. Would you mind sharing your thoughts on how your deck looks now, a year later, and whether the cream paint has held up well, or if it is difficult to clean? I’m planning to use Behr paint, as you guys did, so I’d appreciate any thoughts, suggestions and wisdom you have in hindsight of this project. Thank you so much!
YoungHouseLove says
It looks great! Really holds up very well. The main traffic goes in the back door though (99.9% of the time) so we’re not sure if it would be the most practical choice for a room that’s used extremely often (since it doesn’t hide dirt very well, even though it wears very well- at least in our experience). Maybe a smidge darker would make a difference, like a mocha tone? Hope it helps!
xo,
s
A says
Lovely job! Congrats on a beautiful porch. The stripes were worth it (I did not have to do it, though!).
I found your page b/c I am about to paint the newly installed front steps on my house (fresh knotty pine, not pressure-treated). I’ve never done any exterior painting, so I was wondering if you had any tips on whether I need to prime first. I see that you didn’t, and wonder if you did research on it that you could share. I’m assuming that I don’t have to — that the exterior paint is designed to do what a primer does for indoor painting.
I also noticed, as did another commenter above, that you did not seal it. I don’t think that’s a problem b/c, again, I’m assuming that the exterior paint is, in and of itself, the sealer.
Thanks.
YoungHouseLove says
Exactly! Porch and floor paint is self-priming and made to go straight onto deck wood that is clean and dry without the need for any top coat or sealer. Just be sure to get something made for that job (so it holds up to weather and floor traffic). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sue says
Beautiful porch! Did you paint the lattice below the porch? If so, did you use spray paint?
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, we didn’t paint that area, but we bet an angled brush would work. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hope Burns says
Your deck looks GREAT! I was just doing a “paint your deck & steps” search and found your site! Just yesterday I had our steps & landing & wrap around porch floor repainted – and I cannot tell you how happy I was to see you used a flat finish paint! My house is only 4 years old – so I knew the paint used was Sherwin Williams – so I went to the local Sherwin Williams store & the gentlement there told me I HAD to use an Ultra Gloss finish – I took a piece of wood in with the paint color I needed to match – and I asked was what I had Ultra Gloss? He said no – I said I wanted what I had as I wasn’t painting the entire wrap around porch right away and wanted it to blend in with what I had – I cannot tell you the almost heated discussion we got into! I finally got what I wanted – flat finish paint – I can understand how a gloss might be easier to clean – and like he said it was like “laminating” a piece of paper – but WHO in the world wants shiny steps? *LOL* Thanks for letting me vent but I DO feel validated now! :-)
Bryan says
i was reading the comment above by Hope Burns & I understand the heated discussion he got into, i’ve had so many of the same with many paint rep’s,salesmen or who ever is in any paint store, dept, ect. it’s not just Sherwin Williams as they are one of the top (paint stores) problem is there are many different opinions, ways, answers, solutions & products to use, I’ve been painting for over twenty years & know there are many ways & products to use all depending on $,where,what,when and so on. My opinion is most of these salesmen are just that… salesmen, NOT PAINTERS!!! Anyway Sherwin Williams Ultra is one of there better paints but gloss? maybe for the handrails not the deck I prefer satin or low sheen on the rails & sides if not the whole deck, flat wears better, just don’t buy that cheap flat paint but as he stated flat finish paint, Again satin looks new or lustrous (my opinion)flat is… well flat! And for tips it would depend on the type of surface that needed to be coated & the amount of $ to spend. The following info is how i’ve painted some decks that have lasted five years plus then a recoat on the deck giving it more years to go & still looks good at a cheap price. But if you read up on how to & what not to do from all kinds of sources it will state not to do some of the things i do, but try it on a piece of scrape wood. Alot of deck coatings/paint do not require priming as they are self priming, saving $$$ & time. I’ve used alot of different types of this coating they usually require two coats & cost more. So the $$$ & time saved on primer is not worth it, unless you get one of the top rated coatings, which cost alot more. So my opinion is to prime & making sure to back roll or brush to penetrate into the wood, i’ve gotten good results using a durable,flexible oil based primer which kills water stains, also make sure that the primer soaked in, allowing 1.5 mils.(wet) or less (more is not better)after being properly primed, I spray on one coat paint or brush & roll(not self priming)just deck paint, making sure not to apply to much paint(exceding max millage)refer to specs. On your test wood check for proper adhesine as I am sure you wont be disappointed. “To do a perfect job” it would consist of a system and a plan that whould be intended for that specific surface to be coated, the more time & $$$ you spend the better it would be.(Of Coarse !!!) It will be hard to beat the quality of the job i discribed and i have no idea how to beat the cost!!! REMEMBER THIS IS MY OPINION on how to…paint a deck… PROVE ME WRONG!!!
Hope Burns says
Bryan – THANK YOU so much for your post! I’m reading & re-reading your post because I think there’s a lot of info there! One thing – I’m a “she” and I think that’s another kind of intimidating thing when I’m walking into a paint store! I’m the first to admit my knowledge is VERY limited – but I find the best way to start out is to follow what I already have – that’s why I was so set on matching the original paint and paint finish – mainly because I LOVED how it looked :-) I always try to learn as much as I can when I DO go into stores – and the Sherwin Williams guy gave me some good tips – but we definitely disagreed on what finish the paint should be.
Here’s a coincidence – my brother’s name is Bryan !!! also with a “y” :-)
Thank you again so much for your post!
Deborah says
Partially inspired by your striped porch I just completed my aging deck (stripping, cleaning, and staining)and decided to use similar colors as you did (I chose Sikkens SRD Semi Transparent Stain…1 coat product!)Quail and Navajo White. I felt courageous in my decision to paint an erratic pattern of stripes on the deck walls (similar to what is in fashion for striped painted walls) so it’s not too much, not too patterny, just a little interest for an otherwise neutral toned deck. I’m loving it. Thanks.
Liz says
I need advice on an efficient way to remove old glue from our front porch. It’s actually more of a 6 x 6 concrete stoop. The original owners had indoor/outdoor carpet laid down that was awful. After pulling it up, there was old, weathered, dry-rotted glue that stubbornly won’t come off merely by scrapping. I’ve heard there is glue disolve products… but where to begin?
YoungHouseLove says
We’ve never tackled that, so maybe you can ask around at your local home improvement center? Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sharon says
This post taught me, a NEVER-BEFORE DIYer, to paint my deck! For anyone who wants to paint over a previously oiled deck, this is what I did to prep it, hope this helps! So far the paint is holding up well over this surface!
Backyard Blitz: prepping the deck for painting
Shepherds Rest Mom says
Ours is a rural log home, with logs stained a dark mahogany, and trim painted hunter green. Our most trafficked entrance is across a 32×16 foot open deck, painted some years ago and in bad need of refinishing. We’re also in the process of installing a hot tub to one end of that deck, changing its use quite a bit, and wanting a whole new look – lighter and somewhat “funsy,” with some bright colors added. I love the look of your striped porch and am considering using similar colors for our deck, incorporating some splotches of bright colors as accents. Would love your opinion on that. Would the light-colored floor be too much of a contrast with the dark walls? Also, the deck is accessed directly from a chirt (gravel/dirt) parking area, rather than the slate walkway you have, so I’ve wondered some about the tracking problem. We have 6 children, lots of traffic, and definite possibilities of mud puddles on your way to the deck. Thanks for any help.
YoungHouseLove says
You could pick a halftone of the walls for your stripe and then something slightly lighter for the other stripe, just so they’re not too stark and contrasty. Sort of a mocha with a lighter mocha stripe so it would work with the dark mahogany walls maybe? Then you could still add pops of color and it’ll hide more dirt/mud. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Dee says
I just got new siding which is a nice sandy tan color and have black shutters and a black roof. I wanted to know what color you would suggest to paint my cement front porch. Now, it is a brick red and looks horrible. I dont think it should match the color of the siding but not sure where to go with color choice. Any suggestions, please?
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe try going a shade or two lighter or darker than the siding so it coordinates but still feels defined? Good luck!
xo,
s
Amy E says
I just found your site a couple weeks ago and love all of the advice you have for sprucing up your home! I want to paint our front porch railing and steps but don’t know for sure what we should do. Our house is a light mint green color and the trim is all cream. The front porch is tiny, with just a side railing and then big steps. Should I paint the railing and steps the same color as the house trim, or go with something different? Also, the porch floor is plain cement. Would it look okay if I left that unpainted, or should I do something with that as well?
YoungHouseLove says
You probably can’t go wrong keeping the railing and steps cream but it might be fun to go mocha or tan with the steps and keeping the railing cream for some added definition and interest. You can definitely keep the porch plain cement or go mocha/tan with that too. Good luck!
xo,
s
Sibyl says
So. Love the info. Just was searching for info on painting the wooden deck floor in my new enclosed porch. Ive bought the Behr Porch paint but am wondering how much prep to do. I have some white paint drips from trim and the wood is unfinished. Will I need to prime? My floor is going to be brown. Don’t want to see that white! Also have lots of stuff left in the cracks from construction. Plan on trying to “suck” it up with vacuum but don’t think that will be quite enough suction. Any easy suggestions? Been working on painting for a couple of weeks and really need to be done. Just need to paint the floor. Can I also move furniture from one side to the other as I finish one side and wait 24hours? Don’t have anywhere to store a roomful of furniture as I paint.
YoungHouseLove says
I would try to get everything out of those cracks with a vacuum and something like a paperclip or a wet cloth to clear them out. Then you don’t need primer since it’s built into the Behr Porch paint so once you apply 2-3 thin and even coats of paint you won’t see the white paint drips (might see the bumps of them if they’re not flat, but you can try to spatula them flat or remove them by “popping them off before you paint could help). As for furniture, moving things from side to side can work if it’s all you can do (it’s easier to paint it all at once of course). Good luck!
xo,
s
Krystal says
I absolutely love this! My fiance and I bought our house a year ago and it has been nothing but work! I am just starting to get outside and have been so lost as to what do for making our deck better aside from staining it! But this is just great I may have to try this! Thanks! I also loved the technique for painting the cabinets which I am going to be doing today!
Sabrina I says
Looks amazing. I am going to do the same thing to our double back deck which is painted a horrible kinda brick red. Do I need to prime it first because it is so dark? I also want to paint our front steps which are 25 steps and are made out of cement. Do you have any idea’s on how to paint them? They are a steel gray color but all chipped. Plus my husband used a pick ax to get the ice off in the winter and they def need some cement fill in. ( he’s new to the tool use lol) Thanks a lot!!!
YoungHouseLove says
I believe that all exterior porch and floor paint is formulated with a sort of built in primer so other than thoroughly cleaning before you apply it you don’t need primer. Just read the can to see what they recommend though- it might say something about primer if you’re going over something dark. As for cement, they sell cement stain and I believe there’s also porch and floor paint that works for that so just read the cans to see what works for that material. Good luck!
xo,
s
junia says
I know this is a mega old post, but I have a question I’m hoping you will answer. What to you think of painting an old cracked and dry back porch using solid color stain? thank you!!!
YoungHouseLove says
I would do it! But you might want to sand it all down so the cracked and peeling parts are smooth (so fresh paint/stain can go on well). Good luck!
xo,
s
Jane Chadwell says
I am debating the finish type of the paint I will use. I don’t want it to be slick, but I DO want it to wash easily. I read somewhere that flat was not slick but others may be. My deck is not covered, receives lots of bird traffic(too much), and young children eat, paint and play on the deck. Washing easily is important, but so is safety. I am leaning toward a satin finish. ?????? Also, I have a splinter problem. Will satin do better to help the splinters?
YoungHouseLove says
I would just see what they offer (some places only offer flat or glossy). We used glossy and it was never slippery- even in flip flops in the rain. It’s meant to be applied to floors, so they don’t create paint that gets too slick for obvious safety concerns. Either one should wash easily since paint formulas today are made to be durable and easy to scrub. So it sounds like either flat or glossy could work- or satin if they have it!
xo,
s
Patricia says
Thanks for encouraging folks to be creative, but I feel like the article is oversimplified. What kind of paint did you use and how does it hold up to the wear and tear of daily foot traffic? Can a person use a solid wood stain and then coat it with polyurethane for better durability ? I have seen a suggestion that one can use regular paint and then coat it with polyurethane, but that was done as interior floor paint could that work for the exterior?
YoungHouseLove says
Check out Step One of this post for all of that info. See an excerpt of it below:
Looking at a number of tan and cream swatches in place helped us to decide that Behr’s Harvest Brown (tan) and Ralph Lauren’s Greenwich (cream) were the perfect combination, so we had them both color matched to a gallon each of Behr Porch & Floor Paint (which is meant to handle foot traffic and exterior conditions). We were given the choice of a glossy paint finish or a flat one and we opted for the flat finish since we reasoned that it would be less slick in wet conditions so that’s definitely something to consider for your project as well (we’ve since marched around the deck in the rain and we’re happy to report that it’s the same texture as unpainted wood).
As mentioned, Behr Porch& Floor paint is the type of paint we used, and it’s meant to hold up to daily wear and tear of traffic as it is specifically formulated to be walked on (and can be used outside, which calls for added durability). We used that paint as directed on the can (without any poly since it’s formulated to be used without it). We used the flat finish and it held up wonderfully for years (we have since moved but have driven by ur old house and it still looks great from the curb).
xo,
s
Stewart says
I LOVE this. Any suggestions for achieving this on a wood porch where the planks are flush against one another (meaning, no cracks in sight). Should I prepare myself for a LOT of taping as though it were a wall?
BTW – LOVE your home(s)!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, I bet tape would take some time but look amazing! Good luck!
xo,
s
Fred says
I have a deck with a roof over and the deck is painted grey.I changed my homeowners,they sent an inspector out and said I would have to put a railing up which I did with treated wood.I was thinking about using a solid stain on the new would and thepainted deck wood,would this work?
YoungHouseLove says
I’m not sure, I would ask a pro at a paint store like Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams since they know a lot about stain! Good luck!
xo,
s
Joy says
If your deck has been stained, does it need to be primed prior to painting?
YoungHouseLove says
I would ask at the paint desk, since some paint might have built-in primer so it might not be necessary!
xo,
s
Lisa J. says
I LOVE it! I am now inspired to paint my deck & walk way planks with alternating colors. I have painted the top part once before with the outdoor sealer, it was ugly, it looks almost peach in color :p lol So, now I really want it to be bright & pretty:) How often do you think they will need to be repainted? =) Thanks so much <3 Lisa J. (WV)
YoungHouseLove says
I would guess maybe every 3 years or so? Maybe more if it gets a lot of wear, and maybe less if it doesn’t. Ours still looks great at our old house (we no longer live there, but from the street it looks good when we drive by, haha).
xo,
s
Christine says
I love your site!! We bought our first house in December 2011 and have slowly been getting into DIY projects.
I just have a quick question because we are hoping to make improvements to our back deck. Our backyard gets very little sunlight due to huge pine trees which are beautiful but result in lots of pine needles and moss! The boards in our deck are very close together as well (and get clogged with pine needles) resulting in water sitting on top causing moss. I noticed there was a bit of green moss on your front steps in the pre-painting photo. We were thinking of renting a power washer from Home Depot before painting to get the moss and any remaining pine needles out. Did you power wash the steps first or can you just paint right over top?
Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, it’s smart to power wash any moss or green mold before you paint (you can scrub it with a wire brush too if you don’t want to rent a power washer). Hope it helps!
xo
s
judy says
I have a cement porch how would I lay these strips of wood with out them coming up certain type of glue I have to use or what
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I’m not sure how you would lay wood on top of cement… maybe try googling how to do that? We haven’t tackled it yet. But you could also paint stripes right onto the cement porch with porch and floor paint for a similar look :)
xo
s
stephanie cannon says
build a deck over it.
stephanie cannon says
what kind of paint did you use?
YoungHouseLove says
That info’s in Step 1 of this post. Hope it helps :)
xo
s
The Stucco Guy says
I have never seen the alternating deck look before, what a great idea! I’m going to bookmark this page for sure.
Adrienne says
Can you tell me where this bench is from?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s from Home Depot a while back.
xo
s
Lorraine says
We scraped and sanded our wooden porch. There are still patches of old paint. We sanded them flat. Can I use an oil primer over this and follow it with a regular latex paint?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, that sounds perfect. Just make sure it’s exterior porch/floor paint.
xo,
s
rachel says
the pics are great very clear with great narration thanks for sharing!
Painting Tips says
Great post! Been reading a lot of tips on painting my deck. Thanks for the info!
Manda Wolf says
I know you guys are super busy with the new baby and normal stuff so I’m sorry for dragging up an old post. My front deck right now has one coat of red stain on it and I hate it. I would really like to do this and I was thinking maybe two colors or gray. Any idea how that would cover the red stain? We have green siding and a red front door which I love but the red deck makes me think my house is screaming “CHRISTMAS!” all day long. So if you could possible spare the time just a quick suggestion on colors (or color scheme) and any idea how hard it would be to cover the red stain would be sooooo soooo sooo helpful.
Here is a picture of the deck before we stained it red if that helps:
http://ourwolfden.wordpress.com/2013/08/29/building-a-front-deck/
YoungHouseLove says
Hi Manda, I would actually suggest stripping the stain rather than trying to paint or stain over it, since it can be hard to get a finish to look the way you want or to hold the way you want if you’re working on any already stained surface. Here’s a post about how we stripped our current deck before restaining it. And I think gray would be a great color scheme – maybe something that’s similar to your roof?
-John
Deck Work says
Great post! Been reading a lot about deck work. Thanks for sharing this!