Give Your Deck a New Look For Under $500 in One Day; DIY Painting/Staining Made Easy

Is your deck looking a little warn down? Needs a little face lift? With the cost of wood so high right now, re building is not the most budget friendly option. Good thing there is another option to refresh your outdoor space – and there is a budget-friendly way to get it done yourself!

Here is how to quickly and cost-effectively re-stain/paint your deck

You will need:

• Paint
• Sanding/scraping tools
• An outdoor extension cord
• Cardboard or drop sheets to protect the house/grass/etc from paint over spray
• Painting tools (brushes/tray/tray liner/roller/sprayer, etc)

Step 1: Sanding

Why we sand before painting:

Sanding is important before painting to make sure the wood is smooth and to remove any chipped or old current paint. This makes it easier for your stain/paint to grab and hold to the wood even better and last longer.

The goal of sanding:

Keep in mind, you don’t need to sand right back down to the original wood color. Scuff sanding for smoothness so there are no splinters and any current lifting paint is removed is all you need to do. If your current paint color is really holding on, that’s ok! You may just need an extra coat of the new paint.

Tip: If you have a lot of peeling paint on your current deck, save yourself some sanding time by pressure washing the deck the day/night before sanding to remove some of the looser stuff.

Get started!

For the deck floor, you can rent a floor sander from places like the Home Depot. You can book your equipment rental, pick up time and the location you’d like to pick up at on their website here. You can rent equipment for anywhere from 4 hours to 4 weeks, but the less amount of time you have it, the more cost effective. (A 4 hour rental of this one will cost $47)

Remember to ask about the cleaning to avoid being charged a cleaning fee (typically emptying the bag & wiping down the machine) and keep in mind – sanding pads cost extra.

Sanding pads

It is a good idea to get different grit levels for the pads. Half or more of your pads should be around 60-80 grit to use first to remove debris from the deck first, then use a higher grit (like 120) to smooth it out to be ready for painting/staining. 6 pads from the Home Depot ran me about $85.

Sanding railings

Remember – you only need to sand to smooth, not to remove all paint. You can use a manual or hand sander to sand the railings. Remember with electric sanders to make sure to purchase sanding pads as well, and if you are buying a cordless sander, double check that the machine itself comes with a battery (some are sold separately).

Electric hand sanders are quick and efficient. Prices typically start at around $40 for these. We like the Black & Decker corded detail sander.

Manual sanders are great if you need them for the railings or tight corners. You can get them for as cheap as $6 just about anywhere.

Tip: Save money by grabbing paint scrapers from the dollar store for any loose pieces on the deck railing/hard to reach places.

Remember to sweep after sanding!

Step 2 – Painting:

Buying paint

Ask your paint expert at the point of purchase about the best brand stain/paint for outdoors on your deck. We loved using the Shark Skin brand (purchased from Cloverdale Paint) – it is a bit more expensive, but covers better and has a multi-year warranty.

Rollers are going to be good to you. A paint sprayer will be your absolute best friend, especially if you have a larger deck. I used a Wagner brand paint sprayer, but you can purchase similar paint sprayers for a fraction of the cost on Amazon. This one here is a best seller and a fantastic deal.

How much you need: Ask the store employee of where ever you are purchasing the paint how much they suggest you buy. It is always better to buy just enough than too much, as you cannot return paint once it’s been mixed. I used 4 gallons in total for my railings & deck,

Start with the railings

Any paint drips or over spray onto the deck floor can be covered later on. If you are using a paint sprayer, give them a good two coats – typically you have to re fill your paint spray cup every few minutes until you are done.

Tip: If you don’t have (or don’t want to buy) a paint sprayer, put on a rubber glove and an old sock over top of your hand. Dip the hand in the paint and use your hand to cover your railings with paint and really get in the hard to reach corners with ease.

For the deck floor: Use a roller for the entire thing, or just for the edges. If you are using a paint sprayer, use large pieces of cardboard to cover the railing/side of the house where you are spraying to prevent over spray from getting your siding or newly painted railings. Do 2-3 coats; allow to dry between each coat.

Total cost:

• Sander machine rental: $47
• Sanding pads: $85
• Hand sander: $6-$40
• Scraper: $2-$4
• Paint sprayer: $85-$140
• Paint: $100-$250 (depending on brand & deck size)

That’s it! Let it dry at least 24 hours & enjoy!

Check out our “Deck Painting” highlight on our Instagram page for our deck painting experience with before & after videos.

So you can see what a difference a new coat of paint/stain makes, this is our deck before & after: