Find the best deck paint in this comprehensive guide! We’ll show you why we chose it and how to apply it for a smooth, professional finish that will last for years to come.
Get simple tips and tricks to learn how to stain or paint a deck without a lot of effort for a beautiful finish. Learn about the best deck paint, tools needed and so much more!
I’m not a huge fan of decks – I’d take a beautiful brick patio any day. I really like when kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms open up to a patio instead of a deck, but such is life, right?!
Our home (tour our before and after here) is built on a hill, making a patio impossible from the main level. It’s partially enclosed by the screened in porch, the house wall and the breakfast nook, with just one side opening to the yard.
Rather than opening up to a garden or yard space, decks tend to feel a little more confined. I wanted to find a way to redefine this outdoor space as a room. Deck paint was the perfect solution!
Deck Paint
Using a solid stain helped to make the wood deck feel like an extension of our home, rather than an enclosure. You know I love chatting all things paint around here – don’t skip our complete guide to the best Deck Paint Colors!
Choosing the best deck stain or best deck paint is essential for a durable, quality finish. A high quality deck stain is easy to apply and also reflects UV rays.
While there are many levels of opacity for deck stains and paint, we wanted one that helped our deck feel ling flooring… a true extension of our home.
With that in mind, our research led us to Sherwin Williams SuperDeck solid deck stain. After four years and several hail storms, it’s in immaculate condition. It stains and paints, offering a beautiful aesthetic.
Note – this is not a sponsored post, it’s just a product we love and wanted to share!
What is a Solid Stain?
A solid stain gives a painted appearance with the protection of a stain. While staining between the deck slats gives it a finished, polished look, almost like painted wood floors.
A color stain is suitable for decks that have been stained time and time again and can no longer benefit from a sheer stain. It’s also a great option to go over darker stains or to blend your deck with your home.
It is the best deck stain for:
- old wood
- treated wood
- dated stain
- tired stain
- to blend the deck with your home
- for a white deck
We said we weren’t going to DIY much at our new home, but it seems sometimes it’s just easier to do it yourself than to get a contractor to show up. My patience was waning, so Chris took over the project and learned how to stain a wood deck.
Supply List
- Deck Cleaning Product
- 2 edging pads with the plastic edges trimmed off
- a roller on an extension pole
- a paint tray
How to Stain or Paint a Deck
- Clean your deck throughly with a long arm brush and deck cleaner.
- Allow deck to dry thoroughly – 48 hours minimum.
- Place 2 edging pads opposite of one another and dip in stain or paint.
- Swipe in between slats.
- Using your roller, roll over the surface of the deck to keep the paint “drips” from drying on the surface.
- Stain (or paint) your nails. It’s quick and easy to do this when staining the slats with the side of your roller.
- Roll with an extension handle for a quick, smooth finish. For solid stains, you can use standard painting supplies.
Supplies
We used Sherwin Williams SuperDeck solid deck stain to paint our deck. We’re sharing the products and supplies we used here.
*We’ve also heard great reviews on the TotalTread paint, so we’re sharing it here as well (though we haven’t personally tried it yet)!
Tips
- Don’t Skimp – How you stain a deck and the products you choose makes all the difference. Don’t skimp on the time or money you spend here, because you’ll be doing it all over again soon if you do!
- Don’t use a pressure washer. Powerwashing should be left to professionals. Powerwashing your deck improperly could cause more harm than good. It can cause splintering, gaps, and warping.
- Stain Between the Slats – To avoid spending endless hours attempting to get a brush to properly cover the gaps between the slats, we did our research. Chris found a staining trick and it made the surface feel more like a floor and less like a deck.
- Longer Edgers – Staining between deck slats was extremely easy and not overly time consuming. It not only protects the deck, but is visually appealing no matter which direction you’re looking at it. We purchased longer edgers the second time, which made it even easier.
Planning to stain our deck this summer. Did you do the balusters first and then the floor of the deck?
Yes, that’s a best practice so you’re covering up any mess.
It looks so fresh and inviting! Nice job
Thank you, Teresa!
It’s two years after this post. Do you still have it/love it?
I sure do! It’s actually been 4.5 years since we stained it and it still looks great! It’s held up incredibly well.
Your deck is absolutely gorgeous. I have been searching for something like this. I saw the color and read the blog “How to Stain a Deck” however, when looking at the paint stains there is more to it than just adding the realist beige tint. What base and name of stain did you use. This is what I have picked out but not sure if this is right??https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/products/superdeck-exterior-deck-dock-coating?colorPartNumber=SW6078
They discontinued the one I used, so I removed it. The Superdeck series replaced it and works as well. Enjoy!
Everything you do looks beautiful. We are in the process of sanding and painting our deck with a solid stain. Â The colour you used looks really white, but you mentioned in your post that it is actually Realist Beige. I am going with a Behr deck paint and trying to decide if I should go with their true white or choose a creamier Navajo White. Â Our deck gets mostly east light. I am not concerned about maintenance, but more about how the colour reflects light.
In the sun it reads much whiter, but conceals the dirt. I love Navajo White as well! I’d try a couple samples and see which looks best at various times of the day.