How To Paint Exterior Railings

This Old House painter Mauro Henrique says: Cedar resists rot and insect damage, so it will be worth your while to get your railing back into shape. Paint is a good choice for your railings; it will withstand sun and weather exposure better than other exterior coatings. Watch as Mauro paints an outdoor railing to match the original railing around a homeowner’s deck.

Steps for Painting Exterior Railings

Pro Tip: While Mauro usually relies on his brush skills to keep paint off adjoining surfaces, he always masks off around post bases with painter’s tape to create a clean line.

How to Build a Deck Railing

Resources

Mauro wanted to match the paint color of the existing deck, which he did by bringing a small sample of the existing paint to a local paint store. Most paint stores and home centers have machines that can scan a sample and generate a close color match to the paint. The paint Mauro used for the railings was Behr Premium Plus Exterior Semi-Gloss paint and primer, though he also used a separate, oil-based primer for the base coat.