Help choose a deck stain color
May 13, 2017 11:29 AM Subscribe
My wife and I are terrible at picking colors - please help with a deck stain color.
We need to stain our deck and other outside wood (fence, steps, etc.). Unfortunately, the types of wood used are totally mixed up because different things were built at different times. There is some natural color cedar, some pressure treated stuff, and part of the decking floor is made of a composite trex-like material. The composite stuff is a brown color, kind of like "Vintage Lantern" on this page. The cedar is just weathered cedar, though the painter just pressure washed it, so it looks fresher. The pressure treated stuff is just a neutral blah.
Our painter wants to use Benjamin Moore Arborcoat. There are color samples here. My wife and I looked at these but we are baffled as to what to pick. We choose "Redwood," but the painter did a small area for us and it looks terrible - way too red. We just want something "normal" that minimizes the issue of the different types of wood. I suppose that means something relatively dark/brown to make everything darker than it is now? We are totally fine with something boring/conventional. Any help appreciated!
We need to stain our deck and other outside wood (fence, steps, etc.). Unfortunately, the types of wood used are totally mixed up because different things were built at different times. There is some natural color cedar, some pressure treated stuff, and part of the decking floor is made of a composite trex-like material. The composite stuff is a brown color, kind of like "Vintage Lantern" on this page. The cedar is just weathered cedar, though the painter just pressure washed it, so it looks fresher. The pressure treated stuff is just a neutral blah.
Our painter wants to use Benjamin Moore Arborcoat. There are color samples here. My wife and I looked at these but we are baffled as to what to pick. We choose "Redwood," but the painter did a small area for us and it looks terrible - way too red. We just want something "normal" that minimizes the issue of the different types of wood. I suppose that means something relatively dark/brown to make everything darker than it is now? We are totally fine with something boring/conventional. Any help appreciated!
Without seeing it, it's my understanding that the Trex is not going to take a stain so I would stain everything else to match the existing Trex.
posted by saradarlin at 1:26 PM on May 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by saradarlin at 1:26 PM on May 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yes, a photo of the house/yard would really be helpful. At least tell us the color of the house? If you do need to match the Trex then possibly something like Vintage Wine could work, but this is purely speculation without knowing more about the house/yard colors.
posted by gudrun at 3:57 PM on May 13, 2017
posted by gudrun at 3:57 PM on May 13, 2017
No color exists in isolation. That red, for example, might look completely different if it were next to a cherry brick or a more black wood.
[Mentioned in case it helps you become better at picking colors in the future].
FWIW, we have looked at that line of deck stains, and liked a color named either Natural Cedartone or Cedar Naturaltone.
posted by amtho at 4:12 PM on May 13, 2017
[Mentioned in case it helps you become better at picking colors in the future].
FWIW, we have looked at that line of deck stains, and liked a color named either Natural Cedartone or Cedar Naturaltone.
posted by amtho at 4:12 PM on May 13, 2017
I have a house with Trex decks. They are impervious to stain, being largely composed of recycled plastic melted and mixed with sawdust, so keying your choice to match the Trex color will probably be the most successful approach. In fact, if you look closely at the Trex, you will see that the boards are actually molded, and the "grain" pattern is molded in rather reflecting actual wood. The color is through and through, which is probably why they don't show wear or change color with weathering.
posted by citygirl at 7:14 PM on May 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by citygirl at 7:14 PM on May 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
I agree that you'd want to match the color of the composite. In addition, I'd get two colors: a neutral brown like river rock for the pressure treated, and something greenish like dakota shadow for the cedar, to neutralize the red undertone. Good luck!
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 9:42 AM on May 14, 2017
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 9:42 AM on May 14, 2017
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posted by tula at 12:26 PM on May 13, 2017 [2 favorites]