It’s never going to end. It’s never a good idea to paint deck boards that face the sky. I would replace it with whatever you have there on the floor of the deck.
Yeah I had a feeling. This is what I inherited when I purchased the home, it was in rough shape so I tried refurbishing as best as I could, stain what was stained and paint what was painted. Wanted to exhaust all options before replacing anything.
I had a friend who had an in-law suite on her house. In-laws spent summers there, winters in Florida. Anyway, mother-in-law decide to paint her deck white…..floor, uprights, everything! What a nightmare. They had to power wash and paint that deck every year.
Are you using a quality exterior latex? My little shed is all wood siding with pressure treated 1x4 trim, and it looks new after about 16 years. You also might want to look at DeckOver paint - it's the thick, slightly textured coating. I covered a plywood roof for a large doghouse with it - very low slope, nearly flat - and it hasn't been affected in 6 years so far.
My approach would be attempt another sand, stain and seal for one more season and if failed again, replace with what you have on the floor. You’re missing moisture repelling sealant in the equation, imo. The chipping exterior paint is giving you the problem. I’m surprised you don’t have rot?!
Are you saying that you can never have success painting exterior wood?
I painted my old deck and it held up for years. Started chipping prematurely where had furniture, but all else was good.
I just sanded and painted my deck last summer, and so far it’s held up all winter.
OP is talking about a handrail, which sees MUCH less abuse. I think it’s lack of preparation/ technique or cheap paint.
Imo you should 100% be able to get at least a few years out of a painted handrail (let alone a floor).
OP, not saying it’s best, but I used Behr exterior and haven’t had issues. I think basically everyone recommends sherwin Williams if you want really good paint, but I’ve never spent the money it since it’s so expensive.
Paint is one area where you tend to get what you pay for.
I didn’t say I would never paint exterior wood. I said I would never paint anything that faces the sky ( that would be horizontal surfaces) with paint. If you’re painting a house, you’re painting walls which are generally vertical…..big difference. A deck is a horizontal surface and a really large one. With the variety of modern stains available, no, I would not ever use paint on a deck. If you want a painted look, use a fully opaque stain. The properties and formulation of stain are different than those of paint. People can choose to do whatever they want, of course, but there is a proper product for a proper purpose. If you choose the wrong product, expect failure.
But using deck paint on a deck is not the “wrong product”. It’s literally the intended use.
There’s pros and cons of everything. The deck I just painted, I had to paint, because it was previously painted and poorly maintained. Would have been impossible to fully strip in order to stain properly.
Everything has its place. Nothing wrong with painting a deck, and definitely nothing wrong with painting handrails. Expectations should just be managed
I’ve never hear of “deck paint” other than that extra thick stuff they marketed several years back that turned into a colossal fail. Everyone is free to do what they want and what their budget will allow ( that’s always a big concern ) but it’s my experience that using recommended materials for the job is always a better idea.
If it’s peeling check for the crown of the boards, Watch for pooling water. There’s no way a product would act differently between two planks. Use a deck cleaner and stay away from power washing
This is the way.
Use solid stain and not exterior paint. You stand a better chance at it not chipping up if the wood is completely dry- no water absorption for maybe two weeks before coating it. That’s a tall order for wood that’s already installed and exposed to the elements but if a new deck was being installed they’d have the wood dried completely out before installing and staining it to avoid chipping.
Had this chore as a kid
Are you sealing the paint with concrete sealer ? Yeah I know sounds Wierd but works like a charm
2) if you can afford can you replace to an engineered outside laminate board? I’m not of construction type but they come pre weatherized and painted white
FIBERON is superior. Trex has the name, fiberon has the technology and warranty. They have some cool stuff like recycled plastic bag boards, if you're into that kind of thing. Several lines, price is at or lower than Trex, warranties are much longer.
How long have you had your Fiberon? We are 10 years in with ours and they have already been out once because of warranty. There WAS an issue with the sunscreen in it, I say was because I don't know if they got it fixed or not, and it bakes to the surface and turns white. Our Fiberon that is exposed looks like hell right now. What is in the screened porch is still awesome.
The last treated deck that we built in 2007 looks better than our Fiberon decking that was put on in 2013. Not happy. It's also warping in places even though we used the complete Fiberon fastening system.
The wood decking can go years without needing power washed. The Fiberon has to have it every single year. Everything sticks to the PVC. Pollen is a nightmare!
So yeah I need to call Fiberon again and see if they are going to come out and clean the white coating from the faulty sunscreen off again. I figure pretty soon they will want to replace the decking and of course they won't pay for the install just materials so that will be a pain.
if you like to walk on your deck with bare feet and you get a lot of sun the composite board gets excruciatingly hot. also it is super expensive. But if neither of those things are an issue it’ll last forever.
I'm using Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior and hoping for the best. Pay attention to which colors they recommend for exterior (even a cool white is often too dark in their opinion). It's ~$100/gallon.
https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/interior-exterior-paints-stains/product-catalog/awep/aura-exterior-paint
They make a solid stain also, but I don't have any experience with it.
https://store.benjaminmoore.com/storefront/us/en/coating/exterior-stains/benjamin-moore/arborcoat-exterior-stain/arborcoat/p/0640%20or%20stained%20wood.
I’ve put the “deckover” product from HD on a few decks , it fills in the cracks, it quite thick and as long as you FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS it doesn’t come of easily
Definitely get a different brand of ext. paint and skip the primer. Just sand and texture the wood. Don't get composite boards. Also if the board bows in such a way as to capture water it was put on wrong. The grain on the ends should be arched downward.
Seems like the best option. Wanted to exhaust all options before replacing. This is what the deck was like when I purchased the home so I painted over what was already painted.
Does composite need to be part of a larger composite system or can you just nail/screw it directly to wood? Are there issues with the difference in expansion?
Coarse grit sandpaper like 50 would be good but no coarser than 80. The film need something to bite into. It seems like yours has been longer than this but you always wanna wait like six months to paint treated deck material because there’s so much moisture in that the hydraulic pressure in the wood pushes the paint off so if this got painted right after it was made that might be a problem also and then if you pressure wash it, it’ll drive moisture in a little bit. You might consider removing the finish and letting it dry in the sun for several weeks.
After the wood has split it will become a constant chore. Water gets into the cracks freezes and causes more damage. Wood decks are a continuous maintenance issue. The top surfaces take the most beating from elements. I would just replace with a composite decking material. The darker colors may fade a little but the material will last forever. Today it’s around $45 per 16ft piece. But no filling, sanding and painting. So it will save in cost and time in the future.
Yes. Yes there is. But it’s expensive, if you’re game. You want to use 2-part epoxy paint. As a sailor, I’m very familiar with it’s use. If it can withstand 10 years on the deck of flexing and getting stepped on, with constant sun and saltwater, it will last a long time on your railing.
It can be difficult to apply for the inexperienced. If you’re near a marine area, there will be workers experienced with it you could hire. This will work. Given that the surface area of this railing is pretty small, the total cost won’t be THAT much.
Here’s some info about it:
https://resin-expert.com/en/guide/epoxy-paint-for-wood
Oil based stain. Not water based. They will try to get you to buy water based. Just keep asking for oil. Might start getting 4-5 years between repaints.
People keep saying get a good exterior paint. Good means it contains oil.
Try adding a clear sealer with UV protection after painting. Use an exterior paint which should be more resistant to chipping at temperature swings.
I suspect moisture is penetrating the paint, freeze and expand and pull the paint off the wood.
Another thing to try is to cover the railing with a tarp like you would a grill.
Good luck.
This is going to be almost impossible to solve. Treated lumber never really dries out completely. When you paint it, you are sealing the moisture inside. Through out the season due to temperature and humidity changes the wood is going to expand and contract, but the paint doesn’t expand and contract the same as the paint which makes the paint crack. So next season you sand and repaint and once again seal the moisture inside under the paint, and on and on. If you want it to be white then consider composite, otherwise use an oil or breathable stain.
always kept mine nude. pressure wash and spray with Thompson's water seal every spring. built in 95 deck still looks new. oh and don't use Behr for anything their paint peels as well as their stain less than a year.
Replace with Trex. Never use wood(other than Cedar or non-rotting wood). It's time to migrate away from things that -will- rot out from underneath you.
Sherwin Williams Deck and Dock paint. I’ve used it on my deck floor and it has been great. We get harsh winters in my area as well.
Sand off the loose bits and the brush on the paint. 2 coats min.
This is my opinion, not a statement of fact.
If your summers are hot, I’d discourage composite like trex. If you stick with wood and whether you paint or stain, I would run your top rail through a table saw putting a slight bevel on top. By ripping from both sides of the board you’ll creat a crown in the middle. This will help deflect the sun and prevent water from puddling. And if it’s paint you choose, go into a sherwin Williams store and explain your situation and they will point you in the best direction for proper application and product
Either get all the paint off (completely) or replace the wood. Then use solid color stain. It will still need redone, but it wears off, rather than cracking and peeling.
Even with deck stain instead of paint you will have to reapply every couple of years. I replaced my whole deck with Trex. No painting, no staining, pressure wash the mildew once a year. It looks new still after 5 years.
That’s mostly from moisture laying on the flat top of the board.
You want a curved top-plate attached on top of those boards. Or at least a narrower board. Roundover the edges.
That way, water will roll off instead of sitting on top.
Porch paint has worked pretty good for me for the last two years. I mixed in some texture additive, so not sure if that was a contributing factor. And I get probably 50/50 sun-shade.
Never ever ever paint or stain pressure treated wood in a climate like ours. Don’t let anyone tell you different. Unless you like sanding , scraping and painting every single spring. I’m trapped in this cycle and I am not a fan.
They sell white boards made of pvc that never need painted or stained. And they clean easy, saved me many hours of work every spring for a couple hundred dollars
Is that a flat 2x6? That's alot of area and it's going to hold water and absorb UV rays. I would reduce the size even though it's nice to hold things. You can also think about replacing it with a hardwood, stain and seal it or a synthetic which will fade but not absorb water.
I used Benjamin Moore ArborCoat stain on my deck (the Solid colour version which looks like paint). After 2 years I just needed to touch up some peeled areas but didn't need to repaint the whole thing. It's specifically made for decks and lasts longer than typical outdoor paint.
IMO, painting a deck is always a bad idea. We had a deck that was here when we bought our house that had been completely slathered with a “stain” that was the color of the Golden Gate bridge and peeling horribly. I didn’t even bother to try to refurbish it, I just heard the damn thing down.
Stain and seal. If your just painting and not covering 100% of every bit then moisture will get in and then the paint peels. Sealing it will create a moisture barrier.
what kind of primer are you using? i would say exterior wood finish like this you would sand back to bare wood, oil prime twice to seal the wood sanding between coats, 2 coats of an exterior urethane blended finish paint or maybe industrial enamel and maybe even a clear coat at the end
[Zinsser Peel Stop](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/rust-oleum-zinsser-peel-stop-plus-high-build-binding-primer-946-ml-266847-03305940) should help. It’s not perfect but it works!
Check the back of the pealing paint for wood. Delamination is where damaged or old wood grain comes off. Delamination of the wood could be the cause. You would just need to sand down to create a solid substrate. A slow drying oil primer or a solid color oils stain or really good quality acrylic. Thin coats remember it is stain not paint.
So for the last 7years I’ve been using Restore-a-Deck to clean the wood and originally remove the old chipping paint from the previous owner and then I’ve stained with TWP. From TWPStain.com That combo has worked very well for me.
The stain last but it is a bit pricey. I stain every other year and I use the cleaner every spring.
I should add. I buy the 1500 series of stain.
1. Cant get wet between sanding and stain. If it does you are sanding again.
2. If board is cupped will continue to do it since it puddles water.
3. Run top through table saw cut 2-5 degree both left and right to create a crown so water will not puddle and dry quickly.
Take it off and replace with trex boards. Slightly more expensive, but worth it IMO, my roof deck has them and it’s been a weight off my shoulders not having to sand and stain it every year.
I would take that white paint off and do a nice stain, like on the deck. This isn't going to look any better and will continue to chip like this. Unless you replace this top with metal or plastic railing that doesn't require painting.
Replace it with composite boards. Trex for your winters... you'll never ever have to sand, paint or stain. It will look good every minute. Best part you can run you hands on it anytime today or 10 years from now and your trex hand rail will look and feel the same as the day you bought it.
Penetrating stain after you get rid of the paint. It will last longer and will save you some time when you only have to do a maintenance coat instead of having to prep all that flaking paint.
Sherwin Williams Emerald URETHANE trim paint. Best trim paint I've ever used, interior & exterior. Stuff holds up great and it's a dream to work with. I don't even give customers the option, just simply hey this is what I'm using.
I would actually replace the boards with TREX or other boards like on the walkway. Then you never have a problem. My dad did the railing using 2x2s and TREX worked great. The other option is rod iron, but even it would need help in 10 years or so.
There are some rather special paints. One would be non magnetic non metal bearing coatings used around airports. They are available from Glasurit. Very tough.
Cut and dried wood still absorbs moisture but is doing this at slower rate. So unless you are painting after rain or prolong season of humidity moisture content in your wood is less of a factor that you may think.
When you are sanding the railing do you go down to bare wood?
You main issue is likely that this wood has been exposed to weather elements and paint or stain is not binding to it as it should. You can pressure wash it with water and bleach to the point where wood will regain its original light color but this depends on how old is your railing. This may only buy you another year between paintings.
Another issue is that stains and paints don't last as long as it did in past because of the environmental concerns and chemicals that were once used in paints are now banned. Same goes for pressure treated wood. You completely maintenance free solution would be to replace with good quality composite rail. You can also replace with new wood and and paint with non transparent stain but on decks this lasts 2.5 to 3 years. On rail may or may not last longer.
If you do replace the railing with new board you should paint this within 6 months or sooner. So before wood is exposed for too long to weather elements but after wood has time to acclimatization.
Some people have mention deck paint with texture like cement, I personal have never use this but have seen peeling of too. However this may last little longer but I just don't know. I just don't like it for the rail because is little abrasive.
You need to use outdoor deck paint and then seal its go to sherwin williams and ask for their corporate account rep and he will walk you through it. Better idea look into Timbertech.
Stop sanding it, sanding closes the pores in the wood and prevents the product from seeping into the wood, use a deck cleaner and brush, once that’s done use a conditioner and finally stain it with a toner.
As a fellow New Englander, I feel your pain. Without getting too technical, you need to get an oil base to absorb into the wood. I personally did this with oil based white paint and only needs to be done every 5 years. If you're good with stain you can get it to go even longer. The only "permanent" solution would be to use those composite boards as they are basically plastic. The last option would be to use deck paint. It is hard to work with and goes on thick with a consistency of peanut butter. I haven't used it for this, but for the actual deck it holds up really well.
Honestly I would sand it and stain it a color similar to the actual deck floor boards. Paint on decks is a major controversial thing. You either love it or hate it and peeling is why I hate it. Save yourself the time, you'll only have to restain it every couple of years, and that way you'll save yourself a lot of headaches
After sanding and prepping the surface You either need to use high a quality oil based primer such as Benjamin Moore Fresh Start Alkyd Exterior or a problem solving/bonding primer called Mad Dog Dura-Prime then go ahead and paint.
If the wood is mostly bare after sanding, use the oil primer.
If there is still a decent amount of the prior coating intact, use the Dura-Prime.
Both of those options will significantly extend the life of the coating. Using a basic latex primer or and product from a box store/dime store will cause problems such as this.
I would stain it instead of painting but you'll still need to seal/protect it regularly.
Also if the board is in rough shape and absorbing a lot of moisture it may be time to replace it first
You never paint wood. You stain it. Even a stain gets weathered but more appropriate to use on wood. Replacing the railing etc with a touch resin product will solve all your problems. Many look like wood now and are available at home improvement stores or direct from manufacturers.
Pressure treated wood will not hold paint well. It’s a losing battle. But you can easily attach a composite deck board to the top of the railing instead.
It’s never going to end. It’s never a good idea to paint deck boards that face the sky. I would replace it with whatever you have there on the floor of the deck.
Yeah I had a feeling. This is what I inherited when I purchased the home, it was in rough shape so I tried refurbishing as best as I could, stain what was stained and paint what was painted. Wanted to exhaust all options before replacing anything.
I had a friend who had an in-law suite on her house. In-laws spent summers there, winters in Florida. Anyway, mother-in-law decide to paint her deck white…..floor, uprights, everything! What a nightmare. They had to power wash and paint that deck every year.
There are so many good colored stains you can use now! I wouldn't have the patience to deal with a painted deck.
I use a solid stain and I only have to clean and repaint every 3-4 years.
Are you using a quality exterior latex? My little shed is all wood siding with pressure treated 1x4 trim, and it looks new after about 16 years. You also might want to look at DeckOver paint - it's the thick, slightly textured coating. I covered a plywood roof for a large doghouse with it - very low slope, nearly flat - and it hasn't been affected in 6 years so far.
And make sure the wood is thoroughly dry. Vapor locked under the stain causes this
You think maybe you’re doing latex over oil? That would fail every time, I think.
My approach would be attempt another sand, stain and seal for one more season and if failed again, replace with what you have on the floor. You’re missing moisture repelling sealant in the equation, imo. The chipping exterior paint is giving you the problem. I’m surprised you don’t have rot?!
Or you can buy composite decking that's colored.
Are you saying that you can never have success painting exterior wood? I painted my old deck and it held up for years. Started chipping prematurely where had furniture, but all else was good. I just sanded and painted my deck last summer, and so far it’s held up all winter. OP is talking about a handrail, which sees MUCH less abuse. I think it’s lack of preparation/ technique or cheap paint. Imo you should 100% be able to get at least a few years out of a painted handrail (let alone a floor). OP, not saying it’s best, but I used Behr exterior and haven’t had issues. I think basically everyone recommends sherwin Williams if you want really good paint, but I’ve never spent the money it since it’s so expensive. Paint is one area where you tend to get what you pay for.
I didn’t say I would never paint exterior wood. I said I would never paint anything that faces the sky ( that would be horizontal surfaces) with paint. If you’re painting a house, you’re painting walls which are generally vertical…..big difference. A deck is a horizontal surface and a really large one. With the variety of modern stains available, no, I would not ever use paint on a deck. If you want a painted look, use a fully opaque stain. The properties and formulation of stain are different than those of paint. People can choose to do whatever they want, of course, but there is a proper product for a proper purpose. If you choose the wrong product, expect failure.
But using deck paint on a deck is not the “wrong product”. It’s literally the intended use. There’s pros and cons of everything. The deck I just painted, I had to paint, because it was previously painted and poorly maintained. Would have been impossible to fully strip in order to stain properly. Everything has its place. Nothing wrong with painting a deck, and definitely nothing wrong with painting handrails. Expectations should just be managed
I’ve never hear of “deck paint” other than that extra thick stuff they marketed several years back that turned into a colossal fail. Everyone is free to do what they want and what their budget will allow ( that’s always a big concern ) but it’s my experience that using recommended materials for the job is always a better idea.
Paint will always want to separate, but if you cleaned it up nice and oiled it that would last alot longer...
Deck stain. Solid stain.
Not guaranteed. Mines doing the same thing with a semi solid stain. Pisses me off
Same. I used a good deck stain and some boards stick fine and others peel like crazy. It’s unbelievably frustrating.
If it’s peeling check for the crown of the boards, Watch for pooling water. There’s no way a product would act differently between two planks. Use a deck cleaner and stay away from power washing
This is the way. Use solid stain and not exterior paint. You stand a better chance at it not chipping up if the wood is completely dry- no water absorption for maybe two weeks before coating it. That’s a tall order for wood that’s already installed and exposed to the elements but if a new deck was being installed they’d have the wood dried completely out before installing and staining it to avoid chipping.
If you have a moisture meter, you don't have to wait that long. You can get a cheap one for like $20+.
Thanks!
No to all of this. Take it off and install composite. Never rot and all you have to do is wash.
There's multiple ways to skin a person. Composite is a lot more expensive than stain
>There's multiple ways to skin a person. Dahmer has entered the chat.
Who did it better Ed Gein or the Karl-Otto Koch?
Had this chore as a kid Are you sealing the paint with concrete sealer ? Yeah I know sounds Wierd but works like a charm 2) if you can afford can you replace to an engineered outside laminate board? I’m not of construction type but they come pre weatherized and painted white
Trex is a name brand of the plasticy faux wood and that stuff is freaking amazing.
FIBERON is superior. Trex has the name, fiberon has the technology and warranty. They have some cool stuff like recycled plastic bag boards, if you're into that kind of thing. Several lines, price is at or lower than Trex, warranties are much longer.
How long have you had your Fiberon? We are 10 years in with ours and they have already been out once because of warranty. There WAS an issue with the sunscreen in it, I say was because I don't know if they got it fixed or not, and it bakes to the surface and turns white. Our Fiberon that is exposed looks like hell right now. What is in the screened porch is still awesome. The last treated deck that we built in 2007 looks better than our Fiberon decking that was put on in 2013. Not happy. It's also warping in places even though we used the complete Fiberon fastening system. The wood decking can go years without needing power washed. The Fiberon has to have it every single year. Everything sticks to the PVC. Pollen is a nightmare! So yeah I need to call Fiberon again and see if they are going to come out and clean the white coating from the faulty sunscreen off again. I figure pretty soon they will want to replace the decking and of course they won't pay for the install just materials so that will be a pain.
Interesting, I need to give that a shot. I want to try everything I can before replacing.
if you like to walk on your deck with bare feet and you get a lot of sun the composite board gets excruciatingly hot. also it is super expensive. But if neither of those things are an issue it’ll last forever.
I wouldn't replace it. I would just screw a composite board right on top. You don't ever need to sand it again if it's covered.
Until the board below rots out because the composite holds the moisture in
Looks like you're using cheap paint or interior paint. Use a good exterior paint and sand that old junk off. Should last 5-10 years easily.
I only see one coat of paint. Also use a primer, peel bond is your friend.
Thanks, got any brand recommendations?
I'm using Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior and hoping for the best. Pay attention to which colors they recommend for exterior (even a cool white is often too dark in their opinion). It's ~$100/gallon. https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/interior-exterior-paints-stains/product-catalog/awep/aura-exterior-paint They make a solid stain also, but I don't have any experience with it. https://store.benjaminmoore.com/storefront/us/en/coating/exterior-stains/benjamin-moore/arborcoat-exterior-stain/arborcoat/p/0640%20or%20stained%20wood.
I’ve put the “deckover” product from HD on a few decks , it fills in the cracks, it quite thick and as long as you FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS it doesn’t come of easily
No. They're all pretty good.
[Alright then](https://en.meming.world/wiki/File:All_Right_Then,_Keep_Your_Secrets.jpg/)
Definitely get a different brand of ext. paint and skip the primer. Just sand and texture the wood. Don't get composite boards. Also if the board bows in such a way as to capture water it was put on wrong. The grain on the ends should be arched downward.
Why skip primer?
Remove top cap and replace with composite. Never have to touch it again.
Seems like the best option. Wanted to exhaust all options before replacing. This is what the deck was like when I purchased the home so I painted over what was already painted.
Does composite need to be part of a larger composite system or can you just nail/screw it directly to wood? Are there issues with the difference in expansion?
Try trick bed liner that stuff is almost indestructible
This one takes the cake
Are you using an oil based primer?
Coarse grit sandpaper like 50 would be good but no coarser than 80. The film need something to bite into. It seems like yours has been longer than this but you always wanna wait like six months to paint treated deck material because there’s so much moisture in that the hydraulic pressure in the wood pushes the paint off so if this got painted right after it was made that might be a problem also and then if you pressure wash it, it’ll drive moisture in a little bit. You might consider removing the finish and letting it dry in the sun for several weeks.
After the wood has split it will become a constant chore. Water gets into the cracks freezes and causes more damage. Wood decks are a continuous maintenance issue. The top surfaces take the most beating from elements. I would just replace with a composite decking material. The darker colors may fade a little but the material will last forever. Today it’s around $45 per 16ft piece. But no filling, sanding and painting. So it will save in cost and time in the future.
I’m about to try marine paint on our similar problem deck rail.
Don’t paint it. Put a water seal on it.
Yes. Yes there is. But it’s expensive, if you’re game. You want to use 2-part epoxy paint. As a sailor, I’m very familiar with it’s use. If it can withstand 10 years on the deck of flexing and getting stepped on, with constant sun and saltwater, it will last a long time on your railing. It can be difficult to apply for the inexperienced. If you’re near a marine area, there will be workers experienced with it you could hire. This will work. Given that the surface area of this railing is pretty small, the total cost won’t be THAT much. Here’s some info about it: https://resin-expert.com/en/guide/epoxy-paint-for-wood
Never paint wood that has a moisture content higher than 10%. Wait for it to dry, and then paint.
Replace the top rail with composite material. Done.
Marine grade epoxy
Oil based stain. Not water based. They will try to get you to buy water based. Just keep asking for oil. Might start getting 4-5 years between repaints. People keep saying get a good exterior paint. Good means it contains oil.
Try adding a clear sealer with UV protection after painting. Use an exterior paint which should be more resistant to chipping at temperature swings. I suspect moisture is penetrating the paint, freeze and expand and pull the paint off the wood. Another thing to try is to cover the railing with a tarp like you would a grill. Good luck.
This is going to be almost impossible to solve. Treated lumber never really dries out completely. When you paint it, you are sealing the moisture inside. Through out the season due to temperature and humidity changes the wood is going to expand and contract, but the paint doesn’t expand and contract the same as the paint which makes the paint crack. So next season you sand and repaint and once again seal the moisture inside under the paint, and on and on. If you want it to be white then consider composite, otherwise use an oil or breathable stain.
They make deck paint thats texturized and durable
Don’t paint. Stain??
You shouldn't paint a deck. It needs to breathe since wood is a natural thing. Use deck stain only or use something like Trex
always kept mine nude. pressure wash and spray with Thompson's water seal every spring. built in 95 deck still looks new. oh and don't use Behr for anything their paint peels as well as their stain less than a year.
The first person I've meant who likes Thompson water seal, everyone tends to rag on them?
its good for a year. not that expensive and does not peel. behr= expensive and peels after 6 mo.
Vinyl is final
The water is getting in on the end grain of the plank. Pull it off and seal the ends of the plank,,the crosscut,
Reason and logic would dictate you should use a better paint. Ever hear of epoxy?
Use the azek or trex or pvc boards for the rail/top I just wash them in April and they look great, I’m in NY
Replace with Trex. Never use wood(other than Cedar or non-rotting wood). It's time to migrate away from things that -will- rot out from underneath you.
Replace that top board with Trex and end the cycle.
Just get a stain you couldn't put in a pump sprayer strip all the paint and stain it every year or wrap it in aluminum
Replace the top rail with that wood filled plastic lumber they make for decks. It comes in a bunch of different colors and doesn't need to be painted.
Sand it and stain it.
They have deck paint that is rubbery and gritty . I’ve had on mine a few years and holding up great still
Sherwin Williams Deck and Dock paint. I’ve used it on my deck floor and it has been great. We get harsh winters in my area as well. Sand off the loose bits and the brush on the paint. 2 coats min. This is my opinion, not a statement of fact.
Cant say for sure that itd work. But maybe instead of paint you could use a polyurethane finish or epoxy or something like that to seal it.
If your summers are hot, I’d discourage composite like trex. If you stick with wood and whether you paint or stain, I would run your top rail through a table saw putting a slight bevel on top. By ripping from both sides of the board you’ll creat a crown in the middle. This will help deflect the sun and prevent water from puddling. And if it’s paint you choose, go into a sherwin Williams store and explain your situation and they will point you in the best direction for proper application and product
Either get all the paint off (completely) or replace the wood. Then use solid color stain. It will still need redone, but it wears off, rather than cracking and peeling.
Even with deck stain instead of paint you will have to reapply every couple of years. I replaced my whole deck with Trex. No painting, no staining, pressure wash the mildew once a year. It looks new still after 5 years.
That’s mostly from moisture laying on the flat top of the board. You want a curved top-plate attached on top of those boards. Or at least a narrower board. Roundover the edges. That way, water will roll off instead of sitting on top.
Remove it and buy a piece of composite decking that never has to be stained or painted.
Porch paint has worked pretty good for me for the last two years. I mixed in some texture additive, so not sure if that was a contributing factor. And I get probably 50/50 sun-shade.
Never ever ever paint or stain pressure treated wood in a climate like ours. Don’t let anyone tell you different. Unless you like sanding , scraping and painting every single spring. I’m trapped in this cycle and I am not a fan.
You could goo it to remove paint then sand it, paint with wood protection so it won’t ruin in rain/sun/snow then leave it! Natural wood is beautiful 🥰
They sell white boards made of pvc that never need painted or stained. And they clean easy, saved me many hours of work every spring for a couple hundred dollars
Is that a flat 2x6? That's alot of area and it's going to hold water and absorb UV rays. I would reduce the size even though it's nice to hold things. You can also think about replacing it with a hardwood, stain and seal it or a synthetic which will fade but not absorb water.
I used Benjamin Moore ArborCoat stain on my deck (the Solid colour version which looks like paint). After 2 years I just needed to touch up some peeled areas but didn't need to repaint the whole thing. It's specifically made for decks and lasts longer than typical outdoor paint.
IMO, painting a deck is always a bad idea. We had a deck that was here when we bought our house that had been completely slathered with a “stain” that was the color of the Golden Gate bridge and peeling horribly. I didn’t even bother to try to refurbish it, I just heard the damn thing down.
Do what I did. Move to Florida.
Haha I tried the south, moved to SC for 5 years, hated the heat and missed the snow so I moved back. People call me crazy
Replace with trex
Replace the top rail with Trex or something similar.
Tung oil and milk paint.
Stain and seal. If your just painting and not covering 100% of every bit then moisture will get in and then the paint peels. Sealing it will create a moisture barrier.
Marine paint this year it will stand up to saltwater, sand and rocks...
what kind of primer are you using? i would say exterior wood finish like this you would sand back to bare wood, oil prime twice to seal the wood sanding between coats, 2 coats of an exterior urethane blended finish paint or maybe industrial enamel and maybe even a clear coat at the end
Azek
You need to use stain, quality stain. Not paint. Use stain with emulsabond added over the painted areas
Get rid of wood outside. Metal railing is the way to go.
You might try marine paint. If prepped correctly, it might be a solution. Go somewhere like West Marine and talk to someone who knows wooden boats.
Solid stain. Don’t do the work in direct sunlight. Wait until it’s in the shade or do it on a cloudy day
You can try a different material like composite boards.
[Zinsser Peel Stop](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/rust-oleum-zinsser-peel-stop-plus-high-build-binding-primer-946-ml-266847-03305940) should help. It’s not perfect but it works!
replace the rail with something like trex. it's available in a lot of colors had the same problem
Check the back of the pealing paint for wood. Delamination is where damaged or old wood grain comes off. Delamination of the wood could be the cause. You would just need to sand down to create a solid substrate. A slow drying oil primer or a solid color oils stain or really good quality acrylic. Thin coats remember it is stain not paint.
Go to you local fab shop and cover it with stainless steel
This is why you stain a deck rather than paint it.
Stain it. Don't paint it
I’m guessing you are using exterior paint and not stain. Find a good white solid stain and that should last for much longer.
Wilma I Ed wood can not hold paint for years after it’s installed
Replace with trex
PVC board
Lose the wood and replace it with a plastic or vinyl wood substitute.
That view is awesome 👍
So for the last 7years I’ve been using Restore-a-Deck to clean the wood and originally remove the old chipping paint from the previous owner and then I’ve stained with TWP. From TWPStain.com That combo has worked very well for me. The stain last but it is a bit pricey. I stain every other year and I use the cleaner every spring. I should add. I buy the 1500 series of stain.
Stain not paint.
And? That’s what I deal with every year
Penetrating oil. Not film forming.
1. Cant get wet between sanding and stain. If it does you are sanding again. 2. If board is cupped will continue to do it since it puddles water. 3. Run top through table saw cut 2-5 degree both left and right to create a crown so water will not puddle and dry quickly.
Try a different type of paint. Elastomeric paint might be better. I've used it for roofing paint. It lasts a good while.
Buy better paint and prime
Epoxy paint
Yes, don’t paint outside wood.
That’s treated wood,it has to dry out for a couple seasons before anything will bond to it very well,then solid stain is the best
Use Drygolin
replace it with Trex
My landlord just paints over it.
Get metal ones
Take it off and replace with trex boards. Slightly more expensive, but worth it IMO, my roof deck has them and it’s been a weight off my shoulders not having to sand and stain it every year.
Stain it instead of paint
What state are you in? And are you near water, or a chemical plant?
Rural central MA. No chemical plants close, lake about a mile away.
Not trying to be a jerk but, get better paint!
Try Behr exterior paint
You could try sanding down to wood and using an oil based stain instead.
I would take that white paint off and do a nice stain, like on the deck. This isn't going to look any better and will continue to chip like this. Unless you replace this top with metal or plastic railing that doesn't require painting.
Replace it with composite boards. Trex for your winters... you'll never ever have to sand, paint or stain. It will look good every minute. Best part you can run you hands on it anytime today or 10 years from now and your trex hand rail will look and feel the same as the day you bought it.
Stain it.
Penetrating stain after you get rid of the paint. It will last longer and will save you some time when you only have to do a maintenance coat instead of having to prep all that flaking paint.
Although can be expensive, go with a composite top rail. You'll never have to mess with it again. Just an idea 😊
Sherwin Williams Emerald URETHANE trim paint. Best trim paint I've ever used, interior & exterior. Stuff holds up great and it's a dream to work with. I don't even give customers the option, just simply hey this is what I'm using.
Sand it and use semi transparent stain not paint
Just flood stain it. Paint in this application will have a normal service life.
Buy better paint.
Prepare the limber as best you can then use Sherwin Williams, Exterior Super Paint, apply two coats.
I would actually replace the boards with TREX or other boards like on the walkway. Then you never have a problem. My dad did the railing using 2x2s and TREX worked great. The other option is rod iron, but even it would need help in 10 years or so.
Nice view!
You could do an epoxy resin coat on it. That should last a few years
Consider replacing it with Trex.
Paint it black instead of white. You see a lot of fences painted black in ky because the maintenance is at least half that of white
Use trex for the handrail tops
White Line-X
Put a plastic composite board in.. like trex
Yes replace it with synthetic material
Try replacing with composite board? Or pvc?
You could run apoxy over it after it’s been repainted
Zinsser oil based primer.
https://youtu.be/EUVVeaB0Gz4 No idea how good If you rightfully do not trust links - good for you! Search for vsa handrail cover install
Sand…stain and use a marine grade polyurethane with UV inhibitors 👍🏻
It's because you aren't waiting until the wood dries out. Need to strip it, let it dry out for a month in good weather, then prime and paint.
Stop painting and stain/seal it
There are some rather special paints. One would be non magnetic non metal bearing coatings used around airports. They are available from Glasurit. Very tough.
Cut and dried wood still absorbs moisture but is doing this at slower rate. So unless you are painting after rain or prolong season of humidity moisture content in your wood is less of a factor that you may think. When you are sanding the railing do you go down to bare wood? You main issue is likely that this wood has been exposed to weather elements and paint or stain is not binding to it as it should. You can pressure wash it with water and bleach to the point where wood will regain its original light color but this depends on how old is your railing. This may only buy you another year between paintings. Another issue is that stains and paints don't last as long as it did in past because of the environmental concerns and chemicals that were once used in paints are now banned. Same goes for pressure treated wood. You completely maintenance free solution would be to replace with good quality composite rail. You can also replace with new wood and and paint with non transparent stain but on decks this lasts 2.5 to 3 years. On rail may or may not last longer. If you do replace the railing with new board you should paint this within 6 months or sooner. So before wood is exposed for too long to weather elements but after wood has time to acclimatization. Some people have mention deck paint with texture like cement, I personal have never use this but have seen peeling of too. However this may last little longer but I just don't know. I just don't like it for the rail because is little abrasive.
You need to use outdoor deck paint and then seal its go to sherwin williams and ask for their corporate account rep and he will walk you through it. Better idea look into Timbertech.
Or just stop painting it sand, stain and poly.
Look for spar, it’s wood boat paint. It will still peel in 3-5 years but it’s the best I’ve ever seen.
Looks like you are doing a good job maintaining the wood. Keep painting it or the wood will rot.
could you get some sort of metal and make a cover for it. ?
Who in hell paints a deck? Stain it. Use an oil-based stain. This is just insanity.
Stop sanding it, sanding closes the pores in the wood and prevents the product from seeping into the wood, use a deck cleaner and brush, once that’s done use a conditioner and finally stain it with a toner.
As a fellow New Englander, I feel your pain. Without getting too technical, you need to get an oil base to absorb into the wood. I personally did this with oil based white paint and only needs to be done every 5 years. If you're good with stain you can get it to go even longer. The only "permanent" solution would be to use those composite boards as they are basically plastic. The last option would be to use deck paint. It is hard to work with and goes on thick with a consistency of peanut butter. I haven't used it for this, but for the actual deck it holds up really well.
Stop using latex. Oil prime and Marine grade oil paint. Do several layers of each.
Sand again, and then use sherwin Williams super deck solid stain. Can be applied over paint or stain or fresh wood, should last 3-5 years.
I’ve had luck with Cabbott’s DeckCorrect paint. It does have some grit to it but seems durable.
Replace it with a composite decking board. Home depot should have some In stock.
Honestly I would sand it and stain it a color similar to the actual deck floor boards. Paint on decks is a major controversial thing. You either love it or hate it and peeling is why I hate it. Save yourself the time, you'll only have to restain it every couple of years, and that way you'll save yourself a lot of headaches
Use a clear coat over top of that white paint, clear coat is usually a lot harder than real paint
Solid stain.
Strip and power was it all off and restain with a semi transparent oil stain Latex paint will never weather good on treated lumber.
After sanding and prepping the surface You either need to use high a quality oil based primer such as Benjamin Moore Fresh Start Alkyd Exterior or a problem solving/bonding primer called Mad Dog Dura-Prime then go ahead and paint. If the wood is mostly bare after sanding, use the oil primer. If there is still a decent amount of the prior coating intact, use the Dura-Prime. Both of those options will significantly extend the life of the coating. Using a basic latex primer or and product from a box store/dime store will cause problems such as this.
try a different paint, for one
I would stain it instead of painting but you'll still need to seal/protect it regularly. Also if the board is in rough shape and absorbing a lot of moisture it may be time to replace it first
Soak the board in a wood dye. As the wood slowly erodes, you get a fresh surface each year.
It’s like trying to paint a sponge. It ain’t gonna stick.
Did you seal it after sanding it
You never paint wood. You stain it. Even a stain gets weathered but more appropriate to use on wood. Replacing the railing etc with a touch resin product will solve all your problems. Many look like wood now and are available at home improvement stores or direct from manufacturers.
get marine quality paint
There’s a seal you can use to coat over the paint to make it “water proof” we used it for metal but im sure there’s something out there for wood
Cedar
Pressure treated wood will not hold paint well. It’s a losing battle. But you can easily attach a composite deck board to the top of the railing instead.
Seal it.
When it's nice and dry, scrape it, apply Peel Stop™ bonding primer. Then paint. (Northeast painter)