Building a deck is more than just wood and nails. It’s an investment in your property. Living in Naperville where the seasons can range from freezing winters to hot, humid summers, you should know what the best methods are to protect your deck. Most homeowners get confused when it comes to this step, especially when it comes to choosing between painting and staining. Both options offer their unique benefits, but theist choice for your deck depends on the material used to build it, your style preferences, and how much maintenance you are willing to do.
This article will show you what the pros and cons of painting vs. staining are so you can make a good decision. Let’s get right into it.
Painting Your Deck
Painting provides an updated and sophisticated touch which makes your deck become more eye-catching. Here are some reasons to consider painting:
Pros of Painting
- Enhanced Protection Level: Paint forms a solid and thick layer that protects the wood from being attacked by the sun, moisture, and pests, improving its life expectancy.
- Changeable Color Scheme: Nearly every color available allows paint to complement either the exterior of the house or the personality of the women.
- Satin Finish: Paint can smooth out any fine lines and surfaces to achieve a better appearance.
- Low Maintenance Cost: While stained wood requires upkeep, a painted surface is often simpler to clean and does not require maintenance.
Cons of Painting
- Higher Maintenance: Given the changes in weather in Naperville, paint chipping, cracking, or peeling over time is quite common. There’s a lot of work involved in the painting your deck over and over again.
- Covers Natural Beauty: If you are fond of wood’s natural grain paint will take care of this completely.
- Difficult to Undo: If you paint your deck and later want to change to a stain then be prepared for a huge amount of sanding or stripping, it’s time consuming.
Staining Your Deck
Staining overtakes the wood in its sweet beauty while at the same time offering a layer of protection. Here’s why you would prefer stain instead:
Benefits of Staining
- Emphasizes Natural Grain: Different stain has various levels of opacity, meaning that it is possible to highlight the wood grain and other details.
- Easier application: Staining, in most cases, is faster and easier than painting.
- Avoids Moisture Infiltration: Stains can soak the wood and seal it up against moisture attack which could eventually lead to decay of the wood.
- Requires little scrubbing: Even though stain will eventually wear out, touch up will be less of a hassle as it does not chip off or crack.
Disadvantages of Staining
- Fewer Tints to Choose From: Stains, on the other hand, are typically available only in wood-toned shades, offering less versatility compared to paint.
- Reapplying Maintenance is Necessary: Depending on the type used, you might be required to redo it every couple of years, 2-3 to be precise.
- Limited Coverage for Imperfections: Staining does not cover as much of the blemish or patching of the wood as paint would, instead, it exposes them more.
Factors to Consider When Choosing
- Deck Material: If your deck is made from hardwoods like cedar or redwood, staining out of photo is quite often the preferable option in order not to hide the beauty of the wood. As for softer woods or composites, paint might be preferable.
- Weather Resistance: Naperville’s brutal winters and hot summers require a finish that will be capable of expanding and contracting as well as with moisture. Good quality paints and stains do offer waterproofing to an extent but in different ways.
- Maintenance Preferences: For a fresh look with little maintenance effort, settle with stain, it is easier to renew periodically.
- Aesthetic Goals: What’s the general outlook that you want for your deck? For a more unrefined or natural look, a stain would be better. A paint is ideal for a clean, modern feel.
Why Professional Application Matters
Applying finish on your new deck, be it painting or staining, requires either way, due diligence and specific methods. To achieve that they would have first cleaned, sanded, and sealed the surface that is being finished on. Doing it yourself, can consume a lot of your time and make it difficult to uphold quality, but getting a professional in the Naperville area can deliver a perfect finish.
Conclusion
Both painting and staining have their up-sides however, which option is appropriate for your deck in Naperville is entirely your decision and that of your outdoor space. If you are not sure between the two alternatives, you may seek assistance from a nearby decking expert.
At Wolf Spirit Decks, we work with all sorts of deck building and maintenance across Naperville. Whether it is just a tip on how to put a final touch on a new deck or it is installation, we do cover a range of deck services. Get in touch with us system people now in order to begin your journey with decking!
