Hi! I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood staining and restoration. My simple deck stain facts and tips are based on my history as a wood restoration contractor. See here for more info about me.
- Never use paint on a deck; it leads to peeling and becomes a major, difficult problem to fix later.
- For a solid, opaque look, use a solid-color deck stain instead of traditional paint on horizontal surfaces.
- Solid-color deck stains are specifically designed to penetrate and adhere better to deck surfaces than paint products.
- Before applying new stain, remove dirt, mildew, and old peeling stain using a deck stain stripper and pressure washing.
- You do not need to fully remove old coatings; intact, non-peeling stain can be covered with a new solid stain.
- Always apply a wood deck brightener after stripping to neutralize the stripper before applying your new solid-color stain.
Question: Can you Paint Over a Deck Stain?
My Pro Advice on Painting Over a Deck Stain
No, you should never use paint on a deck, as it will lead to peeling and be a huge burden to fix. If you want a solid, opaque appearance, then use a solid-color deck Stain. Solid-color deck stains are designed to penetrate and adhere better to a horizontal deck surface but will also give the wood a fully opaque appearance.
Prepping for a Solid Color Deck Stain
When applying a solid color deck stain over a previously coated deck, the key is to remove any dirt, mildew, and old peeling stain. The best way to do this is to use a deck stain stripper and pressure washing. Note that you do not have to fully remove the old coating using a solid color stain. You can cover any intact and non-peeling stain with your new solid stain. Make sure to use a wood deck brightener after to neutralize the stain stripper.
Have any questions? Ask in the comments below.
I used restore-a-deck semitransparent in dark walnut on my cedar fence and unfortunately don’t love the results. Other than being a little more red than I expected, I don’t think it’s the fault of the product; the wood was quite variegated, so the stain came out in a lot of different shades. (Also possible I applied it wrong, though I did follow the instructions). In any case, I’m thinking I might want to try another color over it. Possibly even a solid to get it more uniform.
Based on how I understand the product works, I assume I can’t use any other penetrating stain (including the restore-a-deck itself) for some time. Is that right? Could I use a solid stain or a paint over the semitransparent, though? It’s not a deck so I assume some of the concerns about paint may not apply.
Honestly it looks great in the picture and is how a semi-transparent should look. The different colors for each board is based on the wood itself. If you go solid stain, you can go over this coating. If you switch to a different semi-transparent, you will have to remove the coating. You will end up getting the same results with different shades.
Will deck prep products and stains damage the paint on my house? Will i need to mask off the house and doors?
They should not harm paint unless the paint is failing. Peeling, oxidizing, etc.
What if I just stained it with a semi-solid stain but now I want a brighter colour only available in paint. Can I just paint over top of the stain???
You would have to prep and then coat with a solid color stain. Do no use paint on deck.
I have a new deck ( over a year old) that has not been stained or painted. I want to go with a water base paint or stain. It gets full sun in the summer. Should I use a primer before applying either?
No, do not use a primer with deck stains. Do you want a semi-transparent or a solid color stain for the deck?
I am a bit at the end of myself. I have a solid Brazilian wood deck. It is 16 years old. It was originally coated with One Time red Ceder. About 8 years ago I refinished it with the same product. We then left overseas for many years and came back to a terrible deck, full of accumulated pollen and mildew.
I decided to wash it of and sand it down. Took 7 days on my knees (I am 71 years old)
I then finished of with Shewin William stain and it overlapped badly. Was back overseas for a year. Came back and power washed it down as I normally would. The SW product made a mess. The power washer created marks and together with the overlapping is just bad. And I lost the color of the wood grain.
So either I sand it down again (which physically is impossible) or finish it of with a solid color stain.
But I am worried that a solid color stain will still show the marks.
What can I use that will hide it but not peal?
Thank you so much for your advice.
803 3181647
Yes, you would have to power sand to get those pressure wash marks out fully. You can use a solid stain though to mask it. Try this brand:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-solid-color-stain-review/
What has been your experience with Behr Advanced Deckover (solid stain) for older redwood deck?
Behr Deckover is a very poor product. Read the review and customer comments below the review:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/behr-deckover-review-updated/
We have added on outside and now want to finish. The old area has three coatings of merbau ( dark ) can I paint over that and bring the whole area to the one colour
If you want a solid stain to cover all wood so it matches, see this for prep advice: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-reapply-a-solid-color-deck-stain/
Hi Scott-
I just stained my decks one month ago (6/22) with Sherwin Williams Superdeck in Riverwood. This was the same product and color that was used by the previous owners 3 years ago. I pressure washed first and allowed to fully dry before application. It was very hot outside at application (88-90 degrees and sunny). The problem is, the front porch dramatically shows every footprint and even after a heavy rain, sandy muddy residue is left behind where footprints fell that will not sweep off or come off without actual scrubbing. One, why is this sticking to the deck and two, can I repaint with a different water-based product with better ability to shirk off dirt? Or seal it better in some way?
The issue is related to SW products in general. They are not very good. You should be able to apply another solid color deck stain over it. You should never sealer over a deck stain.
Could you please recommend a product that would work best over the top of the Sherwin Williams Superdeck? Should I use a water-based similar color transparent stain to try and let the color I have already painted show through (and hopefully not have to repaint every square inch of railings and side walls)? I painted two large decks, some deck walls and a walkway as well. These photos are right after completion and then a shot of how the floor boards are looking dirty/stained after one month and rain. To say I’m frustrated with Sherwin Williams performance is an understatement.
You can only use a solid color deck stain over a solid color and you will have to cover all the wood unless you want a two-toned deck. That means the rails are one color and the floors are another color. That would be easier of course as you would just redo the floors. Any of these solid stains would work. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
Thank you for your advice.
can you use water based stain over a previously stained deck that was stained with oil base semi transparent stain(2 years ago) and if so what RAD products would be needed to get best results.
No, you should strip the old coating off no matter what when switching stain brands. For help with this, reply back with some pics in the comments.