When it comes to home improvement, the deck often takes center stage. That’s why it’s important you paint your deck to prevent rotting while giving it a twist of aesthetic color and combinations.
In this guide, I’ve curated the best deck paint colors to inspire your own deck transformation!
Ideal Colors for a Wooden Deck Paint
Depending on your deck ideas and look, these colors can make a difference in your outdoor space. Just make sure that the formulas of these paint colors have an anti-slip feature made for surfaces like decks.
1. Natural or Clear
If you want to retain the wood’s original appearance, you should try natural or clear paint. It preserves and boosts the original beauty of your deck board. In addition, applying this paint after staining the wood protects your deck from damage and rotting.
2. Black
Painting your deck with black paint can add contrast to your home’s exterior or patio furniture. This is ideal if you want your deck to have a dramatic color. I highly recommend using it for instant water and UV ray resistance.
3. Honey
How about a timeless and classic view of your deck? This aesthetic look can be achieved if you paint your wood with honey color. It offers an overall light tone making it the most popular deck paint color.
4. Light Blue
If you want a deck with a unique and standout appearance then, certainly you have to paint it with light blue color. However, I suggest opting for a semitransparent light blue for a more natural look on wood.
5. Greige or Slate Gray
You can also paint your wooden deck with two colors that interest you. Say, the combination of grey and bridge or greige paint color offers light hues with cool shades. You can have a unique wood finish using it.
6. Classic Gray
If you’re aiming for sophisticated and charming deck colors, classic gray paint should be on your list. It has neutral tones base color of orange, yellow, or red that blend perfectly with your deck paint. You can enjoy the accents of this color, especially during summer.
7. Driftwood Gray
I highly recommend driftwood or dark gray to be the perfect shade for a beach house deck. Most woodworkers like myself also use this paint to mend a cracked deck and highlight the fresh textures of the deck boards.
8. Redwood or Fiery Red
To give your deck a burst of life, a red hue is your ultimate choice of paint. Considered a classic color, it has a warm tone and is best painted on brick houses. This is ideal for an outdoor space that needs attention.
9. Whitewash
If you’re looking for paint to give your wood a rustic and unique appeal, whitewash paint can achieve that. These paints hide imperfections in your deck color. This paint blends well with most aesthetics and gives more integrity to the space. To do this successfully, you should know how to whitewash the wood.
10. Walnut or Light Walnut
Most consider walnut as the perfect color for decks. Using it gives the wood a lighter dark brown hue, a shade that’s darker than honey or golden oak. It offers warmth and orange-brownish tones that blend with greens in your backyard.
11. Alligator Green
If you’re looking for a bold color for decks, alligator green is an option worth considering. It gives an interesting contrast of color to your house, emphasizing the color of nature.
Painting your deck green can also help mask imperfections on the surface, including footprints.
12. Two-Tone
If you want to customize the sections of your deck, a two-toned color choice can do the trick. But if you want to do this technique, your wood deck should be large enough. You can divide the areas for different activities.
13. Variegated
Using earth tones, your deck will require less maintenance. The variegated paint is a combination of earth tones that give your wood a rich and natural-looking texture. It creates the illusion of the natural grain of hardwood.
14. Light or Golden Oak
For versatility, you can use light or neutral deck colors to blend with a variety of outdoor decor. It reveals the natural wood grain of your wood and requires less maintenance. Since it’s a lighter shade, it is easy to apply.
Interesting Read: Ideal Stains for Red Oak Floorings
15. Contrasting Inlay
You can also add style and personality to your deck by creating a contrasting inlay. You can do this technique to achieve a simple or more complex deck painting process. To do this, you should include different colors and patterns.
16. Barn Red
The barn red color offers elegance and a tidy finish to your deck. You can apply this paint with white color as your front door and a few outdoor elements with a neutral color or light hues. Make sure that it has a perfect combination with your outdoor space.
17. Colony Blue
Another attractive color that you can use for your deck colors is colony blue. It has a flat finish than the common blue color but you can achieve a modernized and chic appearance. It should be UV and mildew resistant to protect your deck from direct sunlight.
18. Calming or Dark Blue
You can also choose a calming or dark blue for a nautical ambiance on your deck. It brings style as well as liveliness and brightness at the same time. Most woodworkers also prefer dark blue to cover specks of dirt and marks.
19. Classic Taupe
For a seamless blend with a dark brown stain, I recommend applying a coat of timeless taupe paint. This shade not only offers a striking contrast that elevates the look of your deck, but it also ensures thorough coverage, acting as an effective waterproofing solution for your deck.
20. Colorful Railing
Your deck can also have a colorful railing but make sure that you blend their colors. The shades should also complement the color of your house. Add the colors that speak your personality and style. You can opt for your favorite colors.
21. Brownstone or Earthy Brown
To prepare your deck for any sudden change of colors surrounding it, try painting your deck with a lighter color. Brownstone gives a classy look to your deck. The illusion it creates makes your outdoor space more entertaining and attractive.
22. Mission Brown
A touch of brown on your deck requires less maintenance but is more appealing. This shade of brown is deeper than the regular brown color. When you painted your deck with this, you can easily add elements with vibrant colors.
23. All-Weather White
Another color that you can paint your deck is all-weather white. This color is versatile especially when you want to achieve perfect combinations of your furniture and the deck paint color.
24. Dark or Chocolate Brown
If you want your deck to have a perfect makeover, then you should choose this darker hue of brown. The color should be similar to black or chocolate brown. Once painted, you can see your deck blends well with your decorations and furniture.
25. Beige or Tan
For a uniform appearance, beige or tan paint color is your best color option. It comes with cool or warm shades that will make your deck showcase a softened appearance. Add furniture and plants to make a twist to your deck.
Solid Stain vs Paint For Decks
How about staining them rather than painting them? Well, let us have a look at the difference between the application of paint or stain on your wood decks.
At first, you think of these two as a similar paint job. However, I’d advise deck staining if the wood grain showcases distinctive patterns.
There’s also the option of clear or solid stains. It’s important to note that regardless of whether you opt for clear or solid, neither will hide imperfections on your deck surfaces nor fill in cracks.
On the contrary, painting adds style and personality, especially if you opt for the best deck paint colors that I mentioned above. Once your deck is painted with your preferred color combinations, it will have a gloss sheen to keep your space polished and fresh.
Best Deck Stains to Use
I highly recommend using a deck stain that is semi-transparent and oil-based. A deck stain offers easy preparation and application. If you need to re-stain deck surfaces, you only need to wash down the surface before you stain it.
Extra Tips for Picking the Perfect Deck Paints Shade
During painting jobs, I employ several techniques and tips to properly choose appropriate paint colors. Also, here is the best time to apply paint:
Tip #1: The colors of your deck should complement and accentuate the exterior of your house such as sidings, furniture, plants, and rags. You should also consider your outdoor space and indoor flooring when painting it.
Tip #2: If you choose the wrong color, you have to understand the color wheel rules. There are three sections of colors that you must know: dominant, secondary, and accent color [1].
The dominant should be your deck color ideas. Secondary and accent should be the color of your elements like furniture, rags, pillows, and plants.
Tip #3: The shade and finish of your paint are important to your railings and floorings. These two areas will define its overall appearance.
Tip #4: When painting, make sure that you mix your paint in an additive to make your paint non-slippery. Paints, especially when wet, are slippier than stains. So, the additive should have a sand-like texture.
Also Read: Recommended Composite Decking Brands
FAQ
How long does deck paint usually last?
Deck paints can last for 10 years if preparations and finishes are done perfectly. Painted decks require less maintenance, but some woodworkers repaint them every year depending on weather conditions. You may opt for high-quality waterproof paints for better and long-lasting results.
What kind of paint last long on decks?
You have two options: acrylic (water-based paints) or polyurethane (oil-based paints). I recommend the latter to give your deck a quality finish that can last longer. They are considered outdoor surfaces so you should use oil paint.
How can you prepare your deck for staining or painting?
There are major elements to consider when painting or staining it. First, prepare the wood decks by washing them completely clean. Then let it dry before sanding to make the surface. After that, check if there is remaining dust or dirt.
You should also cover the adjacent surfaces with plastic sheeting and put painter’s tape on the sidings near your interior flooring. Then apply primer to stick your deck paint color. Make sure your paint has non-slippery components before painting your deck.
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Conclusion
So, there you go—these are the colors that I go for when it’s time for my home’s interior and exterior improvement.
If you’re planning to upgrade your wooden decks, use this as a reference to choose the best deck paint colors. You can opt for a clear stain but I highly recommend painting for the best results!
You've probably seen his down-to-earth wisdom in USA Today, Bobvila, Family Handyman, and The Spruce, where he has shared commentary and guidance on various woodworking topics.
Robert is the brain behind Sawinery, where he aims to share tips, tricks, and a passion for all things carpentry.
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