7 Great Deck Paint Color Ideas
Choosing the right paint color for your deck is important for a wide range of reasons. Before we cover some excellent options and tips for choosing with confidence, here are four ways paint color can upgrade your deck.
1. Enhancing Outdoor Aesthetics
The color of your deck sets the visual tone for your entire outdoor area. Choosing a lighter shade can create a bright and open feel, making smaller spaces appear larger. Darker tones, on the other hand, can add a sense of coziness and sophistication. You can also make a bold statement with a vibrant hue, giving the space more personality and energy. The right deck color will harmonize with your house’s exterior, landscaping, and outdoor furnishings, helping to create a unified aesthetic.
2. Controlling Temperature
Paint color also influences how hot or cool your deck feels underfoot. Lighter colors reflect more sunlight, keeping surfaces cooler, even on scorching days. Darker colors absorb heat, which can be beneficial in colder months. This makes it key to consider the climate of your area when choosing your deck paint color.
3. Helping With Maintenance and Durability
Paint color also plays a role in long-term maintenance. Lighter shades are better at concealing dust, pollen, and minor scratches, keeping your deck looking fresh with less frequent cleaning. Darker colors tend to show more dirt, dust, and imperfections, but they can also do a better job of masking mildew and water stains, making them ideal for shaded or damp areas.
4. Boosting Property Value
First impressions go a long way with potential buyers, and a beautiful deck can enhance your home’s curb appeal, potentially increasing property value.
With all that in mind, which paint color is best for your deck? Here are seven excellent choices to consider.
7 Great Deck Paint Colors
1. Whale Gray
This soft, neutral gray offers a calming, contemporary vibe. It pairs well with both modern and traditional exteriors and is great for creating a serene outdoor retreat.
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2. Marblehead Gold
This warm, golden hue can add a cheerful and inviting touch, bringing a sense of warmth that makes it ideal for spaces meant for relaxed social gatherings.
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3. Gull Wing Gray
This soft, muted color has subtle blue undertones, evoking a cool and airy feel that’s excellent for both modern and traditional outdoor spaces.
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4. Chestnut
This rich, dark brown exudes elegance, making it perfect for creating an intimate and inviting atmosphere.
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5. Pewter Green
This muted shade harmonizes beautifully with natural surroundings, making your deck feel like a natural part of a home’s landscaping.
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6. Tree Branch
This warm brown also complements natural surroundings, and can add richness to the area’s aesthetic without looking too dark or heavy.
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7. Mahogany
This deep, reddish-brown can add warmth and richness to your deck, making it perfect for creating a more luxurious outdoor space.
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Contrasting Inlays: A Modern Deck Design
Unlike traditional single-tone decking, contrasting inlays can elevate an outdoor space with modern flair and artistic expression. They’re created by using different colors, materials, or textures, such as geometric shapes, herringbone patterns, borders, or even custom designs that break the monotony of a single-colored deck.
Benefits of Contrasting Inlays
Visual Appeal
Inlays can upgrade the look of a deck, transforming an ordinary platform into a statement piece that elevates the overall aesthetic of the area.
Space Definition
Inlays can visually define separate functional zones on your deck, such as dining areas, lounge spaces, and pathways, creating a sense of structure without the need of physical barriers.
Enhanced Safety
Contrasting inlays can also highlight steps and edges, improving safety and guiding foot traffic.
If these benefits appeal to you, consider the following inlay design possibilities.
Popular Contrasting Inlay Types
A picture frame border outlines a deck with a contrasting color, adding definition and a stylishly finished look.
Herringbone patterns add a modern, textured look, featuring diagonal planks in contrasting colors.
Diagonal stripes create an eye-catching pattern that can add depth and an appealing sense of movement.
Checkerboard patterns feature alternating light and dark planks, creating a bold, geometric effect.
Accent squares or circles under planters or around seating zones highlight the area, drawing the eye and adding a sense of definition.
Choosing Colors for Contrasting Inlays
The key to a successful contrasting inlay is, of course, color selection. Here are some pairings to consider.
For an urban aesthetic, charcoal and ash gray work well.
For a balanced and natural look, consider a mix of dark and light wood tones.
For a modern, bold, high-contrast look, pair black with white.
For a more earthy and inviting vibe, consider forest green and tan.
Whatever effect you’re going for, it’s important to sample color pairings to make sure you find the perfect combination. (More on sampling below.)
Some Installation Considerations
Contrasting inlays can do wonders for a deck, but there are some practical factors to keep in mind.
Make sure the materials you use for your inlays match your primary decking. Use composite on a composite deck, wood on a wood deck, and so on. This ensures a consistent aesthetic, while also simplifying maintenance and preventing uneven wear over time.
Install your inlays with proper spacing to account for weather-related expansion. (Getting this right depends on the material you use and the climate of your area.)
Sampling Deck Paint Colors with Samplize
Finding the best colors for your deck is simpler with large-format peel-and-stick paint samples from Samplize. Here’s how it works.
Step One: Choose Your Samples
Make selections from the colors we’ve covered above, or browse 1000s of options from leading brands, like Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, and Farrow & Ball. Select some favorites, and we’ll deliver your samples to your doorstep the very next day.
Step Two: Peel and Stick
Your samples will be painted (not printed) with two coats of real paint and tested to ensure 100% accuracy. Start by testing one sample in an inconspicuous spot on your deck that’s clean and free of debris. Once you’ve tried one sample, feel free to stick on various colors side by side.
Step Three: Pick Your Color
It’s important to take your time with this step. Notice how each color performs at various times of day, when the sun’s out, when it’s cloudy, and so on. Consider how each complements your deck furniture, your home’s exterior, and your landscaping. See what some trusted friends think. And if you’re planning a contrasting inlay, identify colors that pair well together. After all that, if you’re not completely confident in your choices, simply repeat steps one and two until you are.
It All Starts Here
When you’re ready to find the ideal colors for your deck, start exploring a world of possibilities right here.
