Painting Vs. Staining A Deck

Painting vs. staining a deck. Both are excellent ways to guard decks against weather-related damage. They're both made of similar materials, applied in a similar manner, and serve identical functions. However, for all the similarities, the two are completely different. There are a lot of aspects to take into consideration, and each has its particular advantages and disadvantages.

Painting Your Deck: Pros

• Variety. Paint comes in a myriad of colors, and nearly all of them are able to be transformed into an exterior paint. This makes monochromatic colors much simpler to create because you can mix and match almost anything. Stain, however, is only available in a few colors, so the color options are an advantage of painting as opposed to staining decks.

• Paint is Opaque. Because paint is opaque, that is a shade that's hard to see through and cover any flaws. This can be an enormous benefit for decks that are older and shows discoloration. The majority of stains are thin. They are intended to be seen through, which reveals the natural grain of the wood. However, if you're suffering from discoloration, these colors will also show and may be amplified.

Painting Your Deck: Cons

While painting can be a fantastic option to add color and protection decks, there are a few negatives.

Unnatural Looks. Wood is an amazing material, particularly if you've got an exotic hardwood such as Teak and Ipe. Paint is completely opaque, so the warmth, beauty, and charm are lost. This is the reason we typically have decks painted in older times or of less expensive material, such as pine.

Trapped Moisture. After you have painted your decks, the moisture could be trapped by the paint. The deck must be extremely dry prior to painting it. If water is trapped by the paint, it will try to escape. This could cause cracks, bubbles, and peeling.

Staining Your Deck: Pros

Another option to enhance and protect your deck is with stain. It's identical to paint and can accomplish the same thing, but it has a distinct appearance. It's also much easier to apply and more affordable than deck paint.

• Options. You can use a clear wood stain for those who want to highlight the beautiful wood without adding a hue. Clear stains are able to improve the natural wood shade by making wood appear darker. If you're looking for a bit more color, then you can use an emulsified wood stain. They're translucent, so you'll still see the grain of the wood, but they add a bit of hue. If you love the look of paint but you want to use stains, choose the opaque. A lot of wood staining products have a large amount of pigment that mimics the appearance of paint.

• Accentuate the Wood. Stain is superior to paint for decks if you wish to emphasize and enhance the wood's appearance. This is particularly beautiful with hardwoods such as Ipe. A stain that protects the wood will maintain the wood's natural color and stop greying.

Staining Your Deck: Cons

While deck stain is an excellent choice for a lot of people, it's not the best choice for all.

• Reapplication. Most stain types don't last for that long. Most deck stain is applied each year because we see the summer heat and the cold winters. The stain doesn't last for long. The more pigment you apply, the longer it is likely to last. However, we like a deck stain that is almost clear.

• Cracks. Stain is thick. It fills every tiny crack and pore. The stain is extremely thin, so it won't provide that additional protection.