Complete Porch Transformation: Prepping and Painting Tips

By Sarah Berry, July 19, 2023

Painting your porch is one of the easiest and quickest ways to increase your home's curb appeal. Porches are the first thing people see when they walk or drive past your house. It's where you first welcome your guests into your home, so it's important to put your best foot forward. Painting a porch is also the best way to protect the wood as it is exposed to all the elements.

Painting a porch floor can seem straightforward: slap some paint down, let it dry, and viola! A beautiful upgrade! The truth is that the majority of the work that goes into porch painting is actually done before any paint touches the floor. I've broken the process of prepping and painting a porch into steps that are easy to understand. Even the most novice of painters can have a beautiful porch that increases their living space while protecting their investment in their home.

One of the first factors one has to take into account when painting any wood object that lives outside is the weather. You need a span of a few days of dry weather. Painting moisture into the wood accomplishes two things: bubbling paint that will need to be removed, and it forces moisture into the wood which hastens wood rot.

Once you feel pretty confident that you'll have a few dry days ahead of you, go ahead and get your materials together. You'll need:

Broom or something to clean debris and paint chips off the porch
Wire brush or paint scraper
Sander and 60-80 grit sandpaper
Trisodium phosphate (TSP)
Scrub brush and bucket
Caulk
Painter's Tape
Paint rollers and frame with an optional extension pole
Good quality paintbrush
Zinsser 1-2-3 Primer
Porch Floor Paint
Optional: Powerwasher

Step 1: Create a Clean Work Surface

Clear all furniture, plants, and debris from your porch. If you have a powerwasher or can rent one from our Timberville store, this is the time to use it. Start with the lowest setting and work your way up. Using too high of pressure can actually cause damage to the wood by fraying the grain.

The goal of using the powerwasher here is to knock off any loose or peeling paint. If you don't have access to a powerwasher, use your wire brush or paint scraper to remove old paint. Any paint that has lifted away from the wood needs to be removed to ensure that your primer can adhere to the wood. If your paint is still firmly sticking to the floor, it is not necessary to remove it. Once you're done removing the old paint, clean it up with either a stiff broom or a shop-vac.

Step 2: Take Inventory

Take a look at the porch floor. Replace any rotten or soft boards. If there are any nails that have worked their way loose, drive them back in. You'll be glad you did this when you're not snagging a sock on it, or worse, cutting your foot. If there are any spots on the floor that are rougher or prouder than you'd like them to be, sand them down to your desired level. I wouldn't recommend using fine-grit sandpaper because there's a potential of making the floor too slippery if it gets wet. If everything looks good, then you're ready to move on.

Step 3: Get Scrubbing

Primer and paint need a clean surface to stick to, and road grime and grease can easily collect on porch floors. I strongly suggest using Trisodium Phosphate, or TSP for short. TSP is an industrial-strength cleaning agent that dissolves easily in water. TSP can cut through grease, soot, dirt, and more with very little effort on your part. Follow the directions on the tub for mixing at the right strength. I cannot emphasize this enough, friends: USE GLOVES! TSP will draw every bit of moisture out of your hands. I make my TSP solution in a 5-gallon bucket and scrub the floor with a stiff bristle brush. Rinse it off with clean water and let your porch dry completely.

Step 4: Filling In

Once your porch is dry, fill any cracks or gaps with caulk. I avoid clear caulk for projects like this because it can discolor and can't be painted over. Taking time to caulk these gaps helps prevent water from seeping into the wood and causing it to rot. The kind I used was dry and ready to be painted in 30 minutes.

Step 5: Priming is Fundamental

Believe it or not, you're on the home stretch! Using a primer helps ensure that the paint really sticks to the porch which will give you good-looking and long-lasting results. If you're confident in your ability to keep your paint and primer where they belong, there's no need to protect other surfaces with painter's tape. For the rest of us, take the time to apply painter's tape to keep paint and primer off anything that you don't want coming in contact with it.

Even if you haven't added any pigment to it, you want to make sure that the entire has an even distribution of resin. Resin is what helps seal the porch surface and provide a sticky foundation for the paint. Pour the primer into your paint tray, but before you saturate your roller in it, dampen the roller with water. This helps "prime" the roller to absorb more primer and helps provide an even application to the porch. When applying the primer, use a thin coat and only apply it to the areas where there is bare wood. Use your brush to make sure that you get in between the boards and into every crevice you can see.

For this step, we recommend Zinsser 1-2-3 Primer. It's water-based, so it's easy to use and clean up. It's also mold and mildew resistant. It dries quickly and is ready to paint in an hour. This primer is approved for both indoor and outdoor use, so it's a great primer to keep on hand.

Step 6: Finally, painting!

Once the primer is set, you're finally ready for the most gratifying part of the job: applying the paint. This is when the rejuvenation really makes itself evident. When picking out colors, remember two things: Randy's Do it Best Hardware can color match, and whatever color you choose, make sure the base is for porch floors. This paint is specially formulated to stand up to exposure and high traffic.

Mix the paint in the can thoroughly. Mixing it ensures that all the pigment is evenly distributed for a uniform color. This part is up to you, but I prefer to cut in before using my roller. Again, take time to get into all the cracks and spaces in between the boards. The better the application, the more protection the paint can provide.

Once you've finished cutting in and painting around all the fiddly bits, grab a fresh roller and dampen it as you did with water for the primer. Paint using a crisscross pattern to really work the paint into the floor while making sure that you're applying a thin layer. Let this first coat dry completely according to the directions written on the can. I waited 4 hours before reapplying. Once again, I cut in using my brush first and I also went ahead and painted the places where the roller wasn't able to apply paint with the first coat. I removed the painter's tape after I was done cutting in. Waiting until the paint is dry to remove it can cause the paint to peel. Use the same method as the first coat and let it dry a MINIMUM of 24 hours before allowing foot traffic and replacing any furniture. Wait closer to 48 hours if your furniture has metal feet.

Step 7: Enjoy!

Take the time to celebrate a job well done! In the span of a weekend, you've both increased the curb appeal of your house, but more importantly, you've taken an often neglected space and made it enjoyable and useable again!