03/06/2026
FRIDAY DECK TIP
Thinking about painting your deck? Read belowđ
Paint is one of the worst things you can put on exterior structures such as decks and pergolas. While it may look good for a short period of time, paint forms a thick film on top of the wood that traps moisture underneath. Deck boards are constantly exposed to rain, humidity, and temperature swings, and they need to be able to breathe.
When paint seals the surface, moisture canât escape. Over time this leads to peeling, flaking, mildew growth, and accelerated wood rot. Once a deck has been painted, it also becomes a maintenance nightmare because the only real way to fix it is grinding or fully stripping the paint.
What should you use instead?
A high-quality penetrating deck stain. Unlike paint, stain soaks into the wood fibers rather than sitting on top. This allows the wood to breathe while still providing protection from moisture, UV damage, and weather.
A good stain will:
⢠Protect the wood without trapping moisture
⢠Fade naturally instead of peeling
⢠Be much easier to maintain in the future
If your deck is already painted or coated with a âdeck coatâ, itâs time to start planning for a deck replacement.
The picture below shows exactly what a painted deck quickly turns in to. Once the paint dries, the timer starts ticking at 10x speed.