Back Deck Before and After

One of the projects on my summer to-do list…not a long list this year…was staining our deck. It’d been a few years, actually more than a few, since we last did it. Staining our deck is sort of a family joke. Years ago when the deck was new we did the job ourselves. Once was more than enough. It was hot, our deck is huge and it took forever. We all swore never again. So over the years I have hired various people to do the job. Money well spent in my opinion.

We went from a wood stain to a solid color. I wanted it to look updated and short of installing a new deck this was the only way I could think of to accomplish that.

Here’s what we used in the color Gray Birch.

I love the way it turned out. It blends much better with the house and is a softer look. Here is what it looked like last summer…

Here is the now…

A few months ago we dug out the over-grown boxwood and transplanted some hosta. The hosta will die down in the fall and the leaf clean-up will be so much easier. The boxwood were sort of a leaf magnet.

My long-wearing blue polka dot cushions hung in there for one more year.

I used all the same fabrics for the deck and back porch. I can move cushions and pillows from one space to another and everything still works.

I had to replace the table a few months ago because for the THIRD time I broke a glass top that shattered into a zillion pieces. I should have learned after the first time and definitely after the second. I finally got smart and decided to get a table that couldn’t break. I looked and looked. In the end, I decided on this one fromhomedepot.com.

At least if it blows over (or I drop the umbrella on it) tempered glass won’t explode everywhere. It also matches my existing furniture perfectly.

So we’re good to go for another few years. I had to put felt pads on all my chairs because they were making marks on the gray paint. I didn’t have that problem with the wood stain but I love the gray so the extra effort was worth it.

In case you’re wondering…I’m not a high paid spokesperson for Sherwin-Williams or Home Depot. Don’t I wish. I included the information just in case you were curious.

 

 

 

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45 Comments

  1. laura@Top This Top That says:

    ann, what a great deck transformation. we need to do our decks but it has been sooo hot this summer and when the temp is right, I have lost my motivation. I will just look at your’s until mine is done!! :)

  2. Liz @ Infuse With Liz says:

    I like the new look! We did the same thing…..we use a solid wood stain.
    I’ve gone both directions. We had the deck stained to more or less match the house so it felt like an extension of the house and then we went with an accent color closer to our window trim.
    You have a wonderful deck, house and yard! Your hostas look great!

  3. Your color choices are so appealing! The lime green and the brilliant pink both caught my eye and begged me to come in close for a better look. Love the yard and the patio. You made such a great choice with the deck color too. Hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of it.
    Liz

  4. You really do have a large back deck! No wonder it was difficult to manage yourself. It’s so pretty in its new shade of grey now. It always makes me feel better about my house when the outside is well groomed and taken care of. I’m sure you are enjoying your new deck makeover during these warm months now. You should have a cook-out on Labor Day now!

  5. It’s just beautiful Ann! We have always stained our deck too and now you have me thinking that next year we will do paint instead. I love how yours looks! :-)
    Vanessa

  6. Shelley @ Calypso in the Country says:

    I love the lighter look. Our deck is stained a wood color and I have wanted to change it too. My husband refuses though because it is cedar and he doesn’t think cedar should be anything but wood color…so basically it just looks bad all the time! Maybe I will show him the picture of yours for inspiration – because men cannot visualize anything!
    -Shelley

  7. It looks so lovely, Ann. There aren’t too many wooden decks in our neck of the woods (AZ desert), but I remember them fondly (mostly) when we lived in Oregon. That’s a beautiful green on you chaise!

  8. It looks fantastic, Ann. I love the gray. In fact, I’ve been loving gray houses for a very long time. I think it has been more than thirty years since I painted our first house gray, and I just keep doing it over and over.

    Your hydrangeas look so pretty potted and on your deck.

  9. Love the gray color of decking! Happy Monday!

  10. Ann, love the new color! Your gardens look beautiful!!

  11. Shannon@Cozy Home Scenes says:

    Your deck and outdoor area look so nice, Ann. Having such a large deck must be wonderful for entertaining or sitting outside relaxing and watching your sweet looking dog. The color you chose looks great.———— Shannon

  12. Tiffany @ http://tiffanyinteriors.blogspot.com says:

    I never get tired of seeing anything freshly painted! It looks lovely!

  13. Leigh Powell Hines @Hinessightblog says:

    Such a lovely outdoor area.

  14. Ann, I read your blog today with a smile that continued to grow. Why do you ask? Three reasons: (1) I have a blue sided house, (2) we have a gray deck with white railings built by Lowe’s two years ago, and (3) purchased the same Home Depot oval table.

  15. Love it Ann. It looks so fresh .You have a very spacious deck.

  16. Your deck looks great and your assistant obviously approves! The furniture and chair cushions all look lovely!

  17. Love the grey deck, I will be anxious to hear how it weathers and wears. We just stained our decks this summer also. Hubby did it with our sprayer so it took no time at all. I experienced the same thing with a glass topped table, what a mess when that breaks. Great choice with the open wire look. Everything looks lovely.

  18. Love your deck and as a polka dot girl I love those cushions. I know what you mean about sometimes paying people to do things.

  19. Hi Ann,
    Your deck looks so pretty and really makes the house sparkle with soft, subdued color. I love it.
    You have it decorated so pretty too.

    hugs
    Sissie

  20. I love the new paint color. And, moving those hostas to replace the boxwoods was a brillian idea. I know you’ll be glad this fall. (Ah, fall. Is it ever going to cool off?)

  21. Sharon Hines says:

    Ann, I love the new deck color. You’re right, the new color blends so well with the rest of the house. I’m on the look out for an oval table…it’s a great shape. And I just love the overall soft, romantic feel of your back deck. Thanks for sharing.

    Sharon @ mrs. hines class

  22. Lynn Wood says:

    I love your new deck color. It really becomes and extension of the house. Hope you enjoy every last day of summer on that beautiful deck!

  23. Penny @ The Comforts of Home & Flea Market Makeovers says:

    Your deck looks great painted gray!

  24. That looks so nice, Ann. Ours is painted, too, but afraid we still do it ourselves. I did it myself last fall. I hope to eventually replace ours with decking that doesn’t have upkeep.

  25. Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads says:

    Glad you got the dog in this post or else you’d hear about it! Anyway, your deck looks marvelous. I had wondered how it fared during the bad storm that you had about a month ago. We have a tiny deck at the back of our house, and I had intended to get it stained this year. When the weather is a little cooler, I plan to get it done. I may use a solid stain they way you’ve done.

  26. Just so pretty Ann! I see your little fuzzy faced post stealer too! :)
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

  27. I love it painted grey…your deck is so pretty. We have a 2 layer porch/deck on the front of our home and ours is grey also. It does give a softer look than stain. Your home is so beautiful.

    Cindy

  28. The grey is so much better looking, I think.
    I’m so glad that we finally have a stone patio. I hated all that painting, and I was always the one to do it!

  29. Olive Cooper says:

    The grey in much more in keeping with your house and it is beautiful. Don’t you just love sweet potato vine?

  30. Nana Diana says:

    Ann-It looks great- I do like it a lot better. We don’t have the extensive decking on this house like we have had in the past. I really enjoy a deck though. It looks like yours is fresh and ready to go for a few years now. Nice job- xo Diana

  31. Barb @ The Everyday Home says:

    Oh goodness we are waiting for early fall to do this. We, too, have hired it done in the past, but we are gonna give it a go this year. It may be a harsh reminder of why we have always hired it done in the past. LOL I want to change color too. I am over the orangey-red redwood effect. I would love to have white but that would require oil-based paint. No way. So I think we will go with a gray, also, or maybe a dark chocolate. I also want to paint an outdoor “rug” because I am tired of buying outdoor rugs every year. I dread this job. I love your new color. It changes the whole look of the back of your home.

  32. I love your deck!! Simply stunning Ann. We are in the process of getting ready to stain our deck and interestingly enough we have the same before picture. I have been trying to talk everyone into the idea of matching the trim on our house and have received a lot of negative responses. Sooooooo, I am going to show off your deck and I know it will convince them. The results provide such a clean, polished look. I really love it.

  33. Oh how I love a huge deck like this! Yours is beautiful!

  34. I love the gray too and it looks gorgeous, besides the fact that it goes perfect with your beautiful house as well.. Yeah, glass tables are funny that way, lol.. I think your little furry baby likes it too!!
    FABBY

  35. Oh Ann, that new colour looks amazing. I love it so much. And the table cracks me up,….I could never do the glass table because I couldn’t stand the constant wiping and cleaning it,…now I know another good reason that I don’t have it, lol. Gorgeous!

  36. Michele @ Finch Rest says:

    Looks AWESOME, Ann!!!

    Well done!

  37. Love it! Beautiful color and goes so well with your house! You have inspired me to do polka dots next year for my chairs on the porch, love them!

  38. This is gorgeous Ann! Great inspiration for our “little dream cottage”.

  39. So glad to see info on more of a paint look on the deck. We are wanting to do that to daughter’s front porch. Sure looks green and nice where you are. I cannot keep even the potted things going this summer, too hot and dry. Your deck looks cooler ( temp.wise) with the lighter paint. Very pretty.

  40. Beautiful! It really blends into the background and lets your furniture be the star!

  41. Ann, I love your deck color! It could be because we have a gray deck to match our siding. LOL We had the stain mixed to match the gray siding since, way back when, we couldn’t find a color to match. I love the siding and deck being the same color, especially when the house is gray. Love your new plantings and the pots you chose. I know about glass tables blowing over.. I finally put a “coffee table” and chairs, since we rarely eat outside. GA weather is to hot and buggy for much outdoor dining. We do have a bistro table and chairs but rarely use it. I really like your deck being ground level, too.
    I hope you enjoy your deck being gray, because it looks fabulous.
    Babs

  42. Chris Gilley says:

    Wow, Ann! What a difference making one change. A nice fresh look makes us feel so good. I really like the fencing between your yard and the neighbor’s. Makes for a safe border for your pup while keeping an open feeling.

  43. Debra@CommonGround says:

    Ann, wow your deck is massive, but gorgeous, and I DO love that beautiful gray!

  44. Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says:

    Love the gray color. Beautiful. Hugs, Marty

  45. Lavender Dreams says:

    It sure brightened your deck…it looks so fresh and new. We’ve spent out summer here in Florida trying to get a few things done at our house, too. Feels so good to update and change things!