By now you’ve probably seen the big front porch makeover we completed for the 48-Hour Challenge with Better Homes & Gardens and Home Depot. If you’re looking to refresh an old wood deck or revive a tired front porch, this simple step-by-step guide will walk you through painting classic tan and cream stripes to bring new life to your outdoor entry.
Step 1: Choose Your Colors. Take paint swatches outside and arrange them on the porch so you can see how they look in the porch’s natural light. Testing swatches in place helps you visualize the finished result. For our porch we selected a warm tan and a soft cream, then had each color color-matched to a gallon of Behr Porch & Floor Paint, which is formulated to stand up to foot traffic and outdoor conditions. We chose a flat finish for better traction in wet weather—important to consider for any porch or deck project.
Step 2: Clean the Deck Thoroughly. Start with a clean surface. If your porch has mildew, grease, or heavy grime, use a wood cleaner available from hardware stores and follow the instructions. For lighter dirt, a good blast from a garden hose with the nozzle set to full spray often does the trick. Remove debris from between planks with a flat-head screwdriver or a putty knife so paint will adhere evenly. Make sure the wood is completely dry before you paint.
Step 3: Protect Adjacent Surfaces. Use painter’s tape to mask where the deck meets siding, brick, or stucco. Taping gives you a crisp line and helps prevent accidental paint on the house. An angled brush is ideal for porch floors because it fits into the seams between planks more accurately than a roller. Only begin painting once the deck is fully dry from cleaning.
Step 4: Start Painting Strategically. If you’re alternating colors into stripes, open both paint cans and use separate brushes for each color to avoid cross-contamination. Begin at one end of the porch and work toward an exit point so you don’t trap yourself on the wet surface. Painting from one end toward the center or toward steps generally makes it easy to leave the area as the paint dries.
Step 5: Keep a Steady Rhythm. Stripes take time and patience. Work plank by plank and try to get into a comfortable rhythm—listen to music if it helps. Breaking the job into manageable sections makes the process less tedious and helps maintain consistent striping across the porch.
Step 6: Plan Your Exit and Sequence Carefully. For a striped finish, plan how you’ll stop and restart so the pattern stays consistent. We painted toward the front steps, paused to exit from the back, then resumed from the opposite corner so the stripes matched at both ends. Count the planks and double-check the sequence (tan, cream, tan, cream, etc.) before you leave one side to finish the other—this avoids misaligned stripes and reduces touch-ups.
Step 7: Paint the Edges for a Clean Finish. Once the top of the planks are painted, finish the sides and front edges for a polished look. We chose to paint only the side faces in tan, keeping the alternating colors on the plank tops. This approach simplifies the process and creates a neat, coordinated appearance without the complexity of alternating colors along the sides.
Step 8: Final Coat and Drying Time. After edging the perimeter, assess whether you need a second coat. One coat gave us a slightly weathered, charming finish, but a second coat 24 hours later will produce a richer, more opaque color and added durability. Wait until it’s safe to walk on the porch before applying another coat or moving furniture back.
If you’re undecided about painting the entire porch, consider painting just the stair fronts and the wide trim around the deck in a coordinating color to break up a lot of wood and add visual interest. We painted our stair fronts in the same tan we used for the stripes; it took less than an hour and didn’t require porch-and-floor paint since those surfaces don’t see heavy foot traffic. To protect the stair treads while painting the fronts, tape carefully or use cardboard to shield against drips and accidental strokes.
Whether you want a subtle update—like painted trim and stair fronts—or a bold makeover with a striped porch floor, the process is straightforward. If you can paint a wall, you can tackle a porch. With some careful planning, the right supplies, and a little patience, you’ll have a refreshed entryway that adds curb appeal and personality to your home.