Should I paint or stain wood?

Wood can make a great addition to your home. If you’re installing a deck or just touching up your floors, you might be looking at ways to change up how the wood looks naturally. Even a wood feature of your home might be in need of a change.

There are a couple of ways to change the way wood naturally looks. In general, you can add a fresh coat of paint or stain the wood. Both can be tempting, but you’ll want to work with a painting services company before making a decision.

What’s the difference between painting and staining wood? 

Staining wood will add color to the original wood features, bringing out all of its best qualities. Essentially, it can make the wood look new again but might not give you exact colors.. 

Painting is just what it sounds like – adding a coat of paint over wood. Paint lasts long and will give you a variety of bold colors staining might not be able to, but you’d be covering up the original detail.

What are the pros and cons? 

Staining is considered healthier and can even be cheaper in the short term. It makes the wood last longer and bring the patterns to life. In addition, it’s relatively easy to apply and budget-friendly. 

The downside? It doesn’t last as long. While it can last up to eight years, a lot of that is dependent on how your floors or deck is being treated. You’ll probably end up adding a new coat every other year or so.

On the other hand, painting will last up to ten years. And? It offers way more colors. Painting can be more expensive. A lot of that is the prep work and maintenance. Before you paint, you have to treat the wood with preservative and then apply a seal afterwards. 

Paint is hard to remove and if you don’t utilize professional painting services, it’s likely to ruin your wood underneath. 

Can’t decide? 

These can be huge decisions. Our craftsmen at Handyman Connection will be happy to provide you with consultation and painting services to help make your home great.