DIY Painted Porch Project

Thistlewood
by Thistlewood
3 Materials
$50
2 Days
Medium

Have you ever had a porch that you were embarrassed of?

Raises hand.

I always told everyone to go in the front door just so they'd miss the porch. It was peeling and flaking and in terrible condition.

Seriously.

It took "distressed" to a completely new level.

And now?

We transformed it with a little paint and some elbow grease

And here's the DIY for the painted porch project.

Sand and paint existing porch


The porch needed to be thoroughly cleaned and swept. There was a lot of loose paint and grit and grime on the existing porch.

First we used a sander to sand down the areas that had areas of paint that was peeling. Next, we used a deck cleaner and let it dry. Then we swept it off one last time and made sure the surface was clean before adding a base coat of transparent deck stain.

Measure Off The Squares


You can make the squares as large or as small as you like depending on your design aesthetic.

Each of these squares measures 17″ across.

Measure and mark off the squares with a yardstick or tape measure.

We marked the outline of the squares with a pencil.

Tape Off Squares


This is a step with one important component.

Using painter's tape the squares you don’t want to paint on the inside of your pencil lines and the squares you want to paint on the outside of your pencil lines.

It might take a few mistakes to get the hang of it (not that we would know anything about that), but just double-check your taping as you go along.

Score Tape and Paint Squares


Make sure all of your tape is adhered properly before you stain the porch.

I usually take a flat object (like a library card) and run it along the edges of the tape to make sure there aren’t any gaps or tape that’s lifted.

Then simply paint every other square with a contrasting stain.

We used a lighter deck stain for more of a farmhouse look, but you could choose a darker stain or even a contrasting color.

We chose to use transparent deck stain so the wood grain would show through.

Let base coat dry thoroughly.

Peel Off Tape to Show Pattern


Let the stain dry thoroughly and peel off tape. The porch now has a patterned floor.


Here’s are some finished pictures of the completed deck.

I love how the project turned out.

It's such a simple project to completely transform an outdoor space.


Like this outdoor project? Here are a few of my other favorite outdoor projects:

Our Outdoor Seating Area With a New Bench

How To Paint an Outdoor Garden Shed

Resources for this project:
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Thistlewood
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Frequently asked questions
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  2 questions
  • Katen Katen on Oct 08, 2022

    Durability of paint in elements?

  • Cathy b Cathy b on Oct 08, 2022

    I have made 'rugs' out of vinyl flooring by using KLin and paint on the back side. We have had boards that have gotten rotted. what do you do with your indoor outdoor rug with rain and snow? thank you

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3 of 11 comments
  • Mary Russell Mary Russell on Oct 09, 2021

    I'm curious about the paint's long term adhering over the transparent deck treatment?I have to do our back porch soon ane was wondering about treating the wood again then trying to either stain or paint it?

    • Debbie Debbie on Oct 08, 2022

      I would definitely put a marine( for boats) clear topcoat on it. Maybe even 2 coats.

  • Em Em on Oct 09, 2021

    👍️

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