How to Mask Outdoor Decks

Are you thinking of sprucing up your backyard with a coat of fresh paint? If you have a beautiful wood deck, or even an even cooler trex deck- you’re not going to want to get paint splatters on them. That is why you should take extra care when masking outdoor decks before painting the exterior of your home. In this blog post Peak Pro will teach you how to properly mask a deck before painting the exterior of your home.

Trex decks are an awesome alternative to wood panelled porches and decks, they are made up of  95% recycled plastic and give off the same aesthetic as a nice stained wood. Trex decks are especially important to mask properly when painting the exterior of your home. If you were to get paint splatters on your Trex deck, there is no fall back plan of sanding and staining that you would have with natural wood. All in all the outlook of removing paint splatters from your deck, isn’t too bright. You will either be painting your beautiful deck or sanding and staining it (if you have a wood deck)- two extremely time consuming processes! But who would want to go through that process when you could just properly mask your deck instead!

Masking decks is a lot like masking an interior room. You don’t want to take any chances with your valuables or other items that you aren’t intending to paint. This is why Peak Pro always recommends that you mask off the entire deck including railings and any deck furniture. More or less precautions should be taken depending on your method of painting. If you chose a painting style that is fast, efficient and has lots of splatter, read below on how to mask your deck when spraying the exterior of your home.

How to mask your deck when spraying the exterior of your home

If there is going to be any wind on the day of painting your home exterior, you are going to want to mask off your entire deck, and beyond. The easiest place to start would be to lay down your drop cloth over the entirety of your deck. One with a plastic backing is best, so that the paint can’t seep through. Then, work your way closer to the exterior wall you are painting. Here we recommend laying down a 2-3in tape in those hard to reach edges, then a layer of painters tape with painters plastic attached. Peak Pro often uses construction paper over the plastic for extra protection. It’s not worth the risk of getting paint on your nice trex deck. Then of course plastic covering all windows and doors adhesed with painters tape.

How to mask your deck when rolling or brushing the exterior of your home

Now this process is much less mess but takes twice the time. This is where you truly chose your battles, more painting time and less preparation versus more preparation and less painting? If preparation isn’t your thing, but you’re not risking it this time with you beautiful deck, here’s how to prep and mask your deck before rolling and brushing. Your biggest concern with painting the exterior of your home with a paint brush or roller, is drips. So it’s best to keep the masking close to the wall. Lay down the drop cloth close to the wall you are painting and extend it roughly 5ft back depending on the angles you’re painting. Peak Pro still highly recommends doing a double layer of painters plastic and construction paper over the edges. A great tip to painting over doors and windows with a roller or paint paintbrush, is to make an paper awning over the opening with a 4in width so that it will catch any drips of paint.

Would you prefer your Highlands Ranch painting company and their professional team of home painters to paint your home for you? Request a quote here for exterior painting Denver or Denver commercial painting. Our painters for homes exteriors will give your home a new look with fastest and cheapest estimate you can find! Also serving Austin Texas!