Stain Vs. Paint For the Exterior of a House

You've just spent a lot of time and money siding your house. Now you need to protect that investment. So which is going to work better for you: paint or stain? There are benefits and drawbacks to each type of finish.

Appearance

Stain will color your wood while keeping the grain pattern visible. Paint will completely obscure the pattern of the wood grain.

Application

Stain penetrates the wood, and generally only a single coat is necessary or recommended. Paint forms a coating over the wood. Typically, two coats of paint are applied over a coat of wood primer.

Maintenance

When stain fails, it fades. The siding is then washed, and the product re-applied. When paint fails, it peels and lifts. The siding must be sanded or stripped prior to re-application.

Longevity

Stain will require more frequent maintenance than paint. On siding, you might expect five years from stain, versus 10 to 12 years or longer with paint.

Protection

Both stain and paint will protect your siding from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight, and exposure to moisture. Because it completely coats the wood, paint provides superior, longer-lasting protection from sunlight and water.

References

• Superdeck