We’ve been working on putting our back patio space together! We love to use this space as additional living space when the weather is warm. Step one included power washing the concrete slab and power washing the wooden steps that lead into our house from the back patio. The next thing I did was refresh the wooden steps that lead into our back door. This before and after transformation truly changes the whole space! Here’s how to refresh wooden steps with Behr DeckOver Paint.
The Wooden Steps Before
We have two large steps that lead down to the patio from the back door of our home. Our family goes in and out of this door all the time, and these wooden steps have been showing the wear and tear. The steps were raw wood when we moved in 8 years ago. I have stained the steps twice with a dark wood stain since we have lived here, but I got to the point recently where I seeking a change!
Behr DeckOver Paint
I started doing some research on how to “fix” the issues of these steps looking old and worn and came across a product you can purchase at Home Depot. It’s a coating, kind of like a thick paint, that you roll onto wood or concrete to refresh the look of your deck, stairs, etc. Once I started looking into it, I decided this was the product to try!
This product is sold at Home Depot and is a Behr Paint product. The colors are predetermined, meaning you have to choose a color they provide, but there is a large variety to choose from. You can grab a 1 gallon or 5 gallon container right from the shelf and have it colored at the paint station as you would any other paint can. We chose the color Slate as it most matches up with the exterior of our home. The product comes in a smooth or textured formula, and I chose smooth for our project.
Prepping for Paint
The only prep work I did was power wash the stairs. There are detailed instructions on a handout that you can grab near the product in the store if you want to do all the prep work necessary. I didn’t feel the need to strip the wood for this project, but you can make your own judgment based on what you are doing!
Tools Used for Painting Project
I purchased 1 gallon of the product and used a small 1/2 inch nap roller and a small paint brush to use on the edges. That’s it! My project was small, so again, you might need more product based on how large or small your job is.
How To Apply Behr DeckOver Paint to Wooden Stairs
I applied this product to the edges of the stairs, and around the door and concrete with a small paint brush. This product is THICK and different from paint, so don’t be alarmed! I rolled the larger parts of the stairs with a small roller. Also, don’t forget to fill in the nail holes with the product using a small paint brush. I let dry for several hours and came back the same day and applied a second coat. This product dries pretty quick, especially on a warm day. I used the same process for the second coat. We decided not to walk on the stairs for at least two days to help the product cure.
That’s it! The product itself provides a waterproof barrier so there is no need to add a topcoat. This was a simple project and the before and after is unreal. I love working on small home improvement projects that have a large impact. Now our stairs look crisp and cared for!
This product is awesome! I have so much leftover product (I barely used any of the 1 gallon) that I’m going to paint the wooden stairs in our garage as well I hope you like the refresh of our wooden stairs using DeckOver Paint! I’ll check back this fall and update you on how well this has half up over the summer and heavy foot traffic! XO