Painting your wood deck can be a great choice. Paint has quite a few benefits over the other finish options such as stain or sealer, but it may not be for you if you want a natural looking wood deck. Here are the pros and cons of painting your outside deck: Paint often fills gaps and cracks.Click to see full answer. Correspondingly, is it better to paint or stain a deck? Stain is generally less slippery than paint. Some stains are slick, but for the most part they’re flatter and create a less slippery surface than a thick, quality paint job. If safety and slippage is a concern for your deck, stain is generally a better option.Also Know, do you need to remove old paint before painting deck? 3 Answers. Painting a pressure treated wood deck is always tricky. Stain is usually a better alternative, but since your deck already has paint, it would have to be stripped completely before using stain. In order for the paint to stick fairly well, the surface needs to be as clean and dry as possible. Likewise, what kind of paint do you use on a deck? Deck paint can be either oil-based or acrylic — both are good products. Oil-based paint has the advantage of being slower-drying, which makes outdoor application easier and more mistake-free. Acrylic paints have less VOCs and clean up easier. Another option is solid color stains.What is the best time to paint deck?Consumer Reports notes the best time to paint or stain a deck is late spring when temperatures are between 60 and 85°F and the nights are cool. You’ll need four dry days for preparation, for application, and for a finish to completely dry.