Creative DIY paint enthusiasts are not afraid to experiment with different paint hues for their projects. At times, the results of their effort can be truly inspiring. How do you create a masterpiece instead of just another typical paint job? First, you need to consider if you will choose to use a paint or stain. Although the two products seem to have a number of similarities, there are a lot of things that distinguish them. Knowing the difference between staining and painting is important if you are to achieve your desired results. This article will focus on their differences and similarities.
How Paint and Stained Decks Contrast
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Stain is Less Expensive
When you walk into a paint shop or hardware store and ask for the price of stain and paint, you will quickly realize that a gallon of stain is less expensive than a gallon of paint. A gallon of stain sells for around $35 while a gallon of paint costs around $60. If you decide to go with the painting option, you will have to part away with an extra $15-$40 per gallon to purchase wood preservative and another $15-$35 per gallon of primer. With stain, you save the extra $30-$75 on wood perseverative since stains already contains them. Stains also do not require primers to adhere.
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Paints Offers More Variety
Unlike stain, paint offers more when it comes to hue variety. From neutral colors like forest green or chocolate to eye-popping crimson or royal blue for more contemporary vibes. Stains are limited to clear shades of brown because they are designed to maintain the native or natural qualities of wood.
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Stain is Easier to Apply
Both staining or painting a deck requires surface prepping like light sanding or scrubbing with deck cleaner. The effort required while staining is less. Painting has several processes. First, you will need to treat your deck with wood perseverative then proceed to coat it with a quality primer. You will also need a minimum of two coats of oil-based or latex paint. Once done, you will be required to seal the surface with a polyurethane sealer. With stains, you do not need to do all this since you can choose a 2-in-1 stain and sealer. You also don’t need to apply a top coat.
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Painted Decks Can Easily be Maintained
When applied to decks, coats of paint dry to slick surfaces. This makes sweeping away dirt, dust, and debris a walk in the park. On the other hand, stains dry to a matte finish thus demand greater efforts when sweeping clean. This makes most homeowners resort to using pressure washers when cleaning their stained decks. When using pressure washers, use care so as not to gouge the wood due to the force of the washer.
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Painted Decks Lasts Longer
Although both stained and painted decks face unique problems (paint chips or peels while stain discolors due to heat), when you do an overall comparison, you will find out that paint is more durable and can last more than 10 years before reapplication. On the other hand, stained decks last for a shorter period, between 1-8 years, before a reapplication is required.
How Paint and Stained Decks Compare
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Composition
Solid paint and stain contain similar compounds. Both deck stains and paints come in latex-based and oil-based mixtures. Like paints, color deck stains have solids which cause stains to form permanent films on the surface of lumbers.
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Application
Both color stains and paints have similar application processes. Builders and paint experts apply both paints and stains with brushes, rollers, and sprayers. Additionally, both perform best when the application is done over coats of primers.
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Maintenance
To maintain stained and painted decks, you will need to clean them regularly by scrubbing or washing them with pressure washers to get rid of dust, debris, and dirt. Doing so ensures that they maintain their superb look for the longest time possible.
An awesome and diligent paint job results in superb decks which add monetary and aesthetic value to our homes. A professional job on our decks not only complements our homes, but it also ensures that we get value for what we pay for. Regardless of the finish you choose, C.E.T Painting is here to ensure that you get top-notch services which will leave your decks looking as good as new. For more details about painting and staining your deck, contact us through our website or call us through this number: (914) 615-1415.