Can you paint decking with gloss?

So you have a deck and know that it needs some sort of protection to stop it from rotting away. You probably also know that gloss can protect wood really well. This has obviously led to you wondering whether you can paint decking with gloss, and now you are here. So, let’s have a look and find out!

Why Would You Want To?

Let’s get this question out of the way first. Why would you want to paint a decking with gloss?

Well, I can think of a few good reasons. It can provide really good protection from the elements. This would increase the lifespan of your deck.

Then it is also available in a wide range of colours, when decking treatments and paints are not, so another potential reason.

Ontop of all that you have cost. Gloss is a really popular all-around paint, and as such is available everywhere and at a good price. You may also have a tin in the shed already, at which point it’s practically free.

So Can You?

Well, you could paint the deck, there would be no problems with the paint adhering well. After all decking is just wood and gloss loves to be painted on wood.

However, there is one huge reason why this would be a really bad idea. Slipping.

You see gloss is a very shiny paint, and as such when wet would be incredibly slippy underfoot.

So despite all the positive reasons I mentioned earlier you should definitely not use gloss on decking. Not unless you want your whole deck turned into a giant slip ‘n’ slide every time it rains!