The deck of your home is undoubtedly a place where your family can relax and have fun. Age, weather, and usage can cause wear and tear that may result in warp, decay, or may even accumulate fungi that can be harmful to health.
Aside from aesthetic factors, wood needs to be coated with protecting layers to make it last and keep it from getting damaged. But which should you choose for your deck: paint or stain?
While both offer various levels of treatment and protection, there are also advantages and disadvantages for each:
Wood stain is rather translucent in form and does not mask certain characteristics of wood such as wood grains and patterns. It adds more character to the furniture or the wood surface.
Although easy to apply and can be done even by novice carpenters, wood stains need constant maintenance. It won’t take long before the wooden furniture or wooden surface requires another layer of application, which means that the furniture would need to be stripped, sanded, treated, and stained periodically.
One advantage of wood stain is that it allows wood to breathe and age naturally, adding more charm to the surface of your deck.
Painting your wooden deck may be a bit more complex, as it requires several layers of application, drying times, and various other materials like paint thinners and tints. An advantage of paint is that it has the ability to last for an average of three years resulting in less maintenance.
Since paint is also opaque in nature, it provides more protection from UV light and weathering. Color also adds a playful and whimsical effect to your deck as well.
Whether you decide to stain or paint your deck, it will provide protection from UV light that can cause wood to fade, expand, or bend.