How To Paint Wood Porch Railing

Porch railing can be constructed of wood, decorative ironwork or vinyl. One of the areas of a house that needs to be regularly painted is the porch railing. When painting the porch railing of your home, make sure that you aren't working in direct sun and the wood is not wet or damp.

Preparing the Railing

If you are going to paint an existing wood railing, then you will need to remove the existing paint. Do this by thoroughly sanding the individual rail lengths and slats with progressively refined sand paper. As you remove the paint, vacuum and wipe away the accumulated debris and dust. Carefully review the railing to make sure that you have removed all of the existing paint.

This is also a good time to make any needed repairs to the railing. If there are broken slats or splintered sections of the railing lengths, then remove these sections and replace them with sound slats or railing. If needed, strengthen the railing with wood putty that you then sand down to make it smooth.

Prime the Wood

Before you begin applying primer and paint, make sure you are working so that you are not directly in the sun and that the wood is not damp. Also, working on a still day with little wind will prevent dirt and debris from contaminating the painted rails as you work.

Using a clean brush, apply primer to the railing slats and horizontal rails. Primer allows the paint to stick to the railing much easier and covers any repair sections on the wood. Make sure that you match the type of primer you use to the type of paint you use – latex primer to latex paint, oil based primer to oil based paint. Many homeowners find this easier to do if they detach the railing from the porch and place it on sawhorses to make it more accessible.

Let the primer dry completely.

Paint the Railing

Oil based paint is generally the best paint to use for outdoor applications like a porch railing. However, oil based paints are extremely toxic and volatile, so make sure that you are working in a well ventilated area.

Once the primer is dry, then begin to apply the paint. Work slowly and start by painting each slat, making sure that the paint is applied evenly and does not drip or clump in large globs. Once you have completed all of the slats, then work the length of the horizontal rails, top and bottom. Let the paint dry completely.

If you have several sections of porch railing to paint, then it may be efficient to complete once section, set it aside for drying and move to the next section. When you have completed the first coat for all of the sections, then you may discover that the first section is completely dry.

Once the first coat is dry, then begin applying the second coat of paint and let it dry completely.

If you have applied two coats of paint and they have dried completely, then reattach the rails with finish nails if you have removed them for ease of painting.