After a couple of years, your deck paint will start to wear down. Buying a whole new deck can cost a lot of money, so what are you supposed to do to make sure that your deck still looks as good as when you first laid the wood down?
The simple solution: Invest in some quality deck paint. A good coat of paint to your old wooden deck will leave it looking as fresh as when you first got it.
There are a lot of great options on the market for deck paint for old wood. Of course, because of this, it can also be difficult to narrow down what will be the best choice for you. We’re here to help you make that decision much easier.
Read on for the best deck paints that need refreshing after some years of wear. We’ve also written a handy buyer’s guide to help you narrow down your decision.
In a hurry? This is our winner!

- PORCH & PATIO PAINT: KILZ Porch and Patio Floor Paint is a 100% acrylic latex product providing a durable, long-lasting finish that is ideal for both interior and exterior applications.
- ADVANCED FORMULA: This Acrylic paint offers a low-lustre enamel surface that is formulated to endure on deck, porch, and patio siding and floors through variable weather conditions. This product will create a moisture resistant finish that resists scuffing, fading, cracking and peeling.
- MULTIPLE USES: Ideal for porches, floors, decks, basements, patios, siding, trim, furniture and trellises. May be applied over properly prepared, previously-painted or primed surfaces. Not for use on areas subject to automotive tires. For residential applications only. CAUTION! Sealed surfaces may become slippery when wet. Use caution when walking on surface when moisture is present.
Last update on 2023-11-30 at 01:54 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Deck Paint For Old Wood – Comparison Table
Last update on 2023-11-30 at 01:54 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Reviews

If you are looking for a long lasting deck paint to use on those old slats out on your deck, we’ve got you covered.
The Kilz Interior/ Exterior Enamel Porch and Patio Latex Floor Paint is designed to give your deck that attractive, smooth finish that you are looking for to make your deck look as sleek as it did when you first it.
There are a lot of things to love about this immaculate paint. To start with, maintenance is incredibly simple. There is no need to worry about spending hours trying to clean down your deck because the paint has been designed for simplicity.
It’s also incredibly durable, able to withstand even the toughest of beatings from eager feet rushing across your deck.
Not only does the deck paint meet all of this key criteria, but there’s also more. It comes in two attractive neutral colors, which are slate gray and silver gray. These colors are sure to look stunning on your deck.
The paint is totally mildew resistant and has been designed to stand up to the test of time. Not only this, but a mere gallon of this paint is able to cover from 200 to 300 square feet on a rough surface, and 300 to 400 square feet of space on a smooth surface.
It’s fantastic if you are looking for an option that is going to help you to hide any nasty wear and tear damage on your old wood, while also providing you with an attractive finish that is going to look stunning in your yard.
- Durable
- Easy to maintain
- Large coverage
- None

The In The Swim Patio and Deck Paint is a fantastic option if you are looking to give your old wood a new lease on life, especially if it’s a pool deck. This brand specializes in creating great quality deck paints and pool paints. There are a lot of things to love about this product, so let’s dive in.
To begin with, there are a lot of colors on offer with this paint, so you are spoiled for choice in what colors you can use. Colors include taupe, granite, white, buff tan, ivory, putty and sand. These colors will look stunning on your deck.
It’s possible to apply all of the paints on any kind of surface, new or old, concrete or wooden. It should be noted however that if you are using it on a wooden deck you will need a primer. You are also going to need to apply 2 different coats.
The paint is able to cover 100-125 square feet for one gallon. Of course there are certainly better coverages with other paints, but for the price this is certainly an affordable option.
- Dries quickly
- Can be used on both wooden and concrete decks
- Decently sized coverage
- Before applying it to a wooden deck you will first need to put a primer on

For a luscious texture that you are sure to love, invest in the RTG Deck, Porch, Patio Anti Slip Paint. This paint is great for helping you to prevent any cracking or warping, and it will also give your deck a lusciously shiny finish.
The RTG deck anti slip paint solution is a water based paint that will get right into the wood giving it a stunning finish.
It features a non slip coating that is incredibly durable, able to deal with the stress of feeting running across it in addition to adverse weather conditions. The paint is also totally resistant to any marks and stains.
As the name suggests, you can apply this paint to a range of different materials, from wood to sealed concrete and masonry. It’s also eco friendly, ideal if you are more environmentally conscious.
It doesn’t produce much of a smell either! The coverage area isn’t the most impressive, between 80 to 100 square feet.
- Durable
- Can be used on a range of materials
- Eco friendly
- Not an awfully large coverage

The Benjamin Moore INSL-X Sure Step Acrylic Anti Slip Coating Paint is great as far as grip is concerned.
If you’re going out on your deck during the winter, you have no need to worry about falling around the place like you’re on an ice rink. The paint has been designed to stop skidding slipping or water pooling up on the deck.
This paint is perfect if you have children that you want to keep safe from falling, or if you live somewhere where there is a lot of water build up. It can be used on a range of different materials too, and it’s pretty affordable!
Not only this, but the paint is very attractive so it will look fantastic on whatever surface you choose to put it on.
It even maintains color in areas that are exposed to harmful UV rays and bright sunlight. With so much versatility, it is certainly a great option that you are sure to love. It even comes in a bunch of different colors!
- Lots of color options
- Anti slip
- Ideal for areas with high traffic
- Not a huge coverage

The Benjamin Moore INSL – X Tough Shield Floor and Patio paint is certainly the ideal option if you are looking for something with a lot of longevity. This paint will truly stand the test of time on those old wood deck slabs.
To start with, the paint is durable, abrasion proof and it has actually been made to be able to outlast a lot of other products similar to it on the market. The finish is smooth and it will look great on your deck.
It should be noted that this is a pretty expensive deck paint, but this is not an issue when you consider the value for money that you are getting. Your deck will have never looked better than it will with the Benjamin Moore INSL-X Tough Shield Floor and Patio paint!
- Attractive finish
- Long lasting
- Abrasion proof and durable
- Expensive
Buyers Guide
Why Should You Refresh Your Old Wooden Deck?
When you are trying to spruce up old wood, you have two main options: deck paint or deck stain. There are a couple of benefits of opting for deck paint as opposed to any other finishing options.
To start with, when you are painting you can use pretty much any color that you want to use. If you want a luminous orange deck, you can do so – just beware of the fact that your neighbors may be initially alarmed!
Paint is solid so you are able to cover over an older color completely, or you can totally cover over the wood, and this ultimately gives you more options for what you want to do with it.
Paint is also great for filling in any cracks and gaps that may be in the deck. The finish is a lot thicker than most other finishes, so it’s a great choice for repairing any wood that’s been damaged by the harsh outdoors. With that being said, there are also paints that have been designed for just that.
You will also find that paint can be easier to clean. This can largely depend on the color of course, so if you have a lighter colored deck such as white this may not be applicable.
On the other hand, so long as the paint is good quality and it has been allowed to cure correctly before it is used, it will create a hard shell that means that any dirt can wash off it easily.
Finally, paint does a good job of protecting wood. It usually resists any mold, rot and sun damage far better than any other finishes. With that being said, there are also other finishes that can protect wood well.
Things to Consider
So in order to buy the best deck paint for old wood, it’s important to know what you need to be looking for. There are a number of different factors that you should consider before you invest in such type fo paint.
Coating Thickness
Before you buy your paint, you should always check how thick the coating is. This is because every paint differs in terms of thickness. To start with you have normal deck restoration paint, and then there are other that have more thickness which is indicated by numbers like 4x, 10x and 20x.
As you may imagine, the ones with labels such as these are 4 times, 10 times and 20 times thicker than normal restoration paint. This means that any wooden structures that you wish to paint will have a thicker paint.
Thick paint is a good thing mostly, as it will help to hide any imperfections such as splinters, scruffs and cracks on your deck that could make it look ugly. On the other hand, ultra thick paints can be a little tricky to apply in comparison to thinner paints.
You’re going to need to be diligent when you are preparing to paint. Make sure you don’t cut any corners if you want the deck to look good!
Vertical or Horizontal Surfaces?
Figuring out whether to use wood restoration paints on horizontal or vertical surfaces is no easy task. A lot of other deck owners will talk about paints peeling on areas that are often walked upon, but it truly is just a matter of choosing an option from a reliable brand and applying the restoration paint correctly and making sure that it is prepared well in advance.
Just make sure that you choose a paint from a good brand and follow the instructions properly in order to get results you will be proud of.
Coverage Area
We’ve all been there – we’ve all bought more paint than we actually need to paint an area of our home. Most of us have also probably bought less than we need. Because of this it’s important that you know just how much paint you are going to need for the job you are doing.
Most brands that are reliable will tell you outright how much coverage a single gallon has. For instance, with a 4x paint you should be able to cover around 80 square feet of one area. The amount of coverage gets lower the thicker the paint gets.
Color
Generally when you are looking for deck paint brands will have a bunch of different colors of concrete and wooden paints that you can select.
Some even have as many as 60 different shades that you can use. Others may not have as many but may have better color retention. You will need to consider what color you are looking for in advance so that you can make a selection.
Application
There are some paints that are very tricky to apply, and they can take a long time to apply at that. Thankfully though, applying restoration paint is very simple. This is because the vast majority of the paints have an even coverage an dry easily.
They also tend to make room for any second coats. The main thing to remember is preparing the paint properly and accounting for any weather problems that may get in your way. Consider the temperature and whether the paint is waterproof.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some of the problems with using deck paint on old wood as opposed to another kind of finish?
While paint is a fantastic choice for decks, it also has its problems. To start with, paint is pretty permanent.
Once you start painting a wooden deck, you are going to need to constantly paint the deck. You can’t go back and use a stain or a sealer if you’ve decided to use paint, not unless you want to make things a lot more difficult for you.
Simultaneously, as we have already said you can get paint in any color. Sure, this is a great thing mostly, but sometimes some colors simply don’t look good on a deck. It’s a lot easier to make a choice of color that you’ll regret if you use paint.
Paint can also be quite slippery when wet, you when it’s raining outside you need to be very careful that you don’t fall on your back like a baby deer on an ice rink. It can also hide the wood’s natural beauty too. This is because paint will hide the wood grain.
Will a stain or a paint last longer on a deck?
In general, you will find that paint lasts for a longer duration of time than a stain will on a deck. With that being said, there are a number of different things that may affect the lifespan of your finish to the old wood.
Some examples include the amount of stress they are put under, how well they are maintained and what sorts of weather conditions they are up against.
Do you need a primer if you are using deck paint for old wood?
The answer to this is not simply yes or no, as it varies. Different brands and paint types will require different things. One paint may require a primer, whereas another may not.
In addition to this, you may find that some other paints also require extra preparation such as sanding, whereas with others you may only need to apply one coat of paint and then you can just get on with the task at hand.
With that being said though, you should ensure that you are following the directions very carefully to make sure that you are doing everything correctly and getting the best possible results.
What sort of paint should you use on a deck?
When selecting a paint for a deck, it is important that you opt for an exterior paint that has been designed for high traffic areas, and for materials such as concrete, wood, or metal surfaces.
Paint that has been made particularly for decks also tends to have mold and mildew resistance, protection against UV rays and it has defenses against extreme weather. Paints that are designed for interior use do not possess these qualities.
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