Do you need an undercoat for a deck to be painted?

[Irene3]

old floor deck oil stained that has being sandered and cleaned

[Akanksha]

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, @Irene3. We're delighted that you've joined us, and we look forward to assisting you with your D.I.Y. projects around the home and garden.

Thank you for your question on painting your deck. Sounds like an exciting project. I'm sure our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. expert @EricL will be happy to assist when he's back online on the site. Let me tag our experienced members @marliemakesit, @Dave-1, and @Tara86 for their thoughts as well.

In the meantime, can I request you to please provide photos of your deck in its current condition so our members have a better idea of what you're working with? This will help them provide more tailored advice.

While waiting, I recommend reading experienced renovator @Adam_W's guide How to restore a deck as well as the Bunnings guide How to paint a deck in case they help. You can also check out our Top 10 most popular decking projects if you're after some project inspiration.

Do keep us updated as your project progresses. We'd love to see your deck transformation. 

Akanksha

[marliemakesit]

Hi @Irene3 ,

We painted our deck using Cabot's Deck & Exterior Paint. It is self-priming so as long as the deck is sanded smooth and clean you can apply it straight on. We're about 1 year in and have had no issues (besides a few marks from pot plants etc. which is inevitable).

Deck & Exterior Timber Paint | Cabot's (cabots.com.au)

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @Irene3 

I was wondering how old the deck is (just gauging how dry the timbers may be) 

Also is it possible for a couple of photos of the overall area and one showing the timber you are planing to paint.

Thinking about your question, oil generaly gets down between the boards and I wonder if this could cause an issue? Do you know when it was last oiled?

Dave

[MitchellMc]

It's great to see you've already received some helpful replies @Irene3.

Most exterior paints are self-priming and go directly over freshly prepared and sanded timber; there is no need for a primer. @marliemakesit has made a great recommendation of the Cabot's deck and exterior paint as it's designed for deck applications. As @Dave-1 mentioned, it would be great to see the deck's condition so we can advise on whether any additional preparation is required. Let me know if you need a hand uploading images. He's also correct that any remaining oil needs to be stripped from the decking, and Cabot's 4L New Timber Prep can be used for that purpose.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Jason]

I always get a little sad when I see a deck that's been painted as I would much rather see the beautiful timber - imperfections and all. Seeing you have done the hard work of sanding, are you sure you can't simply oil the deck now @Irene3?

As per other members replies, it would be great to see some photos so we can assess the deck's condition. Please let me know if you need a hand uploading some shots.

Thanks,

Jason