How to paint deck (and not have it take forever)?

[ManBearPig]

Anyone know wha tools I'd need to paint a deck? I don't want to hand paint it because it'll take forever (already did it once). Are paint sprayers what people use for painting decks?

Also, to get rid of the old paint what should I do? Just get a giant sander? What sealant would you recommend (can this be sprayed on/whatevered as well)?

Thanks ATOT pros.

 

[CrystalBay]

roll it

 

[Ronstang]

What kind of paint? Are you really painting it, or just using one of those tinted wood sealers? Paint on a deck is not going to last long.

I have a lot of deck up at my lake house, especially considering I have a two stall boat house that has another deck up top as a roof. Every year I bleach it in the spring and then put wood sealer on it. I just use a bug sprayer to apply the sealer. Cheap and easy. I clean it out as best I can but if it doesn't work the following year a replacements is less than $20 and saves a ton of time and a lot of back pain.

 

[ManBearPig]

I think it's actual paint. And you're right, it really doesn't last long. Roller is actually a solid idea.

 

[SandEagle]

it took me forever to paint my deck last summer due to the sheer number of spindles i have. i used a small brush to do each side of each spindle. later found out you could buy a mitt, dip it in paint, and grab pull down on each spindle to get in done quickly.

use rollers on flat boards.

 

[Sixguns]

I was going to ask something like this but for a fence and using stain. When I helped stain my dads fence, we used a sprayer and it sucked. The thing got clogged and didnt work very well. So I thought I would just use a roller and have a rag on hand to get any problems cleaned up. Would this work?

 

[NuclearNed]

we hired some guys last summer to paint our house. On our porches, they put down a layer of paint, then a few days later they put down a sealant/hardener/??? that they said would make the paint wear better.

 

[Mxylplyx]

I just attempted to apply a tinted sealer on my deck with a garden sprayer this past weekend. It was a nightmare. The liquid sealer base did not mix well with the paint that was mixed in, and the paint came out in gobs and spurts, and looked like absolute shit. After a few passes, I stopped what I was doing, stripped it off with a deck stripper, and redid it with a clear sealant.

If you have old paint/sealant on the deck, use a chemical deck stripper and a pressure washer to get it off. A good pressure washing should restore the natural color of the wood. Let it dry for a few days, and then apply a clear sealant with a garden sprayer. If you absolutely must use a tinted sealant, roll it on, dont spray.

 

[Kntx]

If you're staining or sealing use a mop. It'll get down between the boards a bit.

 

[ManBearPig]

I just attempted to apply a tinted sealer on my deck with a garden sprayer this past weekend. It was a nightmare. The liquid sealer base did not mix well with the paint that was mixed in, and the paint came out in gobs and spurts, and looked like absolute shit. After a few passes, I stopped what I was doing, stripped it off with a deck stripper, and redid it with a clear sealant.

If you have old paint/sealant on the deck, use a chemical deck stripper and a pressure washer to get it off. A good pressure washing should restore the natural color of the wood. Let it dry for a few days, and then apply a clear sealant with a garden sprayer. If you absolutely must use a tinted sealant, roll it on, dont spray.

Any reccs for a chemical deck stripper?

 

[iRONic]

Anyone know wha tools I'd need to paint a deck? I don't want to hand paint it because it'll take forever (already did it once). Are paint sprayers what people use for painting decks?

Also, to get rid of the old paint what should I do? Just get a giant sander? What sealant would you recommend (can this be sprayed on/whatevered as well)?

Thanks ATOT pros.

Link to an awesome forum

I built a 20 x 10 PT wood deck on my house 25 years ago. I read a bunch on that forum over the past few years and it helped me keep my stuff looking good.

Prep! Prep! Prep!

 

[bignateyk]

You're going to regret painting.

1) It doesn't last long before it starts peeling, etc...
2) Once you paint it you're pretty much fucked if you want to get rid of it in favor of a natural wood look or stain. (unless you enjoy dumping gallons of chemicals all over your deck and crawling on your hands and knees scraping it off for days)
3) It's much harder to apply than a simple sealer or stain.

 

[ManBearPig]

You're going to regret painting.

1) It doesn't last long before it starts peeling, etc...
2) Once you paint it you're pretty much fucked if you want to get rid of it in favor of a natural wood look or stain. (unless you enjoy dumping gallons of chemicals all over your deck and crawling on your hands and knees scraping it off for days)
3) It's much harder to apply than a simple sealer or stain.

1) I know.
2) I know. Paint was already there.
3) Damn.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I dunno, but putting it off until next year is definitely instantaneous.

 

[skimple]

Forget the chemical strippers. You have to keep them wet during the entire dwell time, and it will never get all the paint off anyway. Borrow a gas powered pressure washer (2500 psi or above) and use a 15 degree tip. Practice on some less noticeable areas such as footers and ledger boards. 4 to 6 inches away. Point straight down, not at an angle. Angles will lift more grain.

When you're done, plan on renting a flat plate sander for a day (not a drum sander) to get the smoothness you want on the deck boards. Get extra pads.

If you have a lot of railings, you may want to consider just building new ones. The time to strip these is immense and pulling them off makes it easier to work on the deck boards.

You will still not get all the paint off, but you may get enough off to consider a semi-transparent stain, depending on the color of the previous paint. If you have to go opaque, then at least get a good quality solid-color stain - not paint. I like Behr Premium Solid color (got 6+ years out of my last deck stain). A lot of pros hate Behr with a passion but I have always had good results and they are still rated #1 with Consumer Reports.

 

[Mxylplyx]

Forget the chemical strippers. You have to keep them wet during the entire dwell time, and it will never get all the paint off anyway. Borrow a gas powered pressure washer (2500 psi or above) and use a 15 degree tip. Practice on some less noticeable areas such as footers and ledger boards. 4 to 6 inches away. Point straight down, not at an angle. Angles will lift more grain.

When you're done, plan on renting a flat plate sander for a day (not a drum sander) to get the smoothness you want on the deck boards. Get extra pads.

If you have a lot of railings, you may want to consider just building new ones. The time to strip these is immense and pulling them off makes it easier to work on the deck boards.

You will still not get all the paint off, but you may get enough off to consider a semi-transparent stain, depending on the color of the previous paint. If you have to go opaque, then at least get a good quality solid-color stain - not paint. I like Behr Premium Solid color (got 6+ years out of my last deck stain). A lot of pros hate Behr with a passion but I have always had good results and they are still rated #1 with Consumer Reports.

If the existing color is from an oil based stain, a pressure washer is not going to get it off. You have to either use a chemical stripper, or sand it down.

 

[surfsatwerk]

1. Tip paint bucket over.

2. ...

3. Profit!

 

[Mxylplyx]

Any reccs for a chemical deck stripper?

Just go to lowes or home depot, and buy whatever they have. I got mine at lowes. It was about $20/gallon. It's in the same place as the deck sealers. It's a biodegradable, caustic chemical that you apply with a roller or sprayer, wait 15min, and then wash off, preferably with a pressure washer. Read the directions carefully, particularly the safety precautions, and avoid getting it on siding, as it will strip the paint off that as well. This is only for oil based stains and sealants I believe. If you have a latex based paint on your deck that is flaking off or peeling, a simple pressure washing should get it off.

And just in case I wasn't clear the first time, avoid tinted sealants. Use clear sealers only. A good pressure washing before hand should restore the natural color of the wood.