Paint, stain and the wood in between
A painting project around a home is rarely just walls. It may include trim and doors, an exterior repaint, and outdoor wood such as a deck, a fence, a pergola or a set of steps. Each of those surfaces needs a different product and different preparation. This page explains how to think about them. We don't publish weather station figures for Ocala, so the focus here is on the surfaces and the products rather than the local climate.
Outdoor wood and its history
EPA says wood treated with chromated arsenicals (CCA) was used in residential structures such as decks before 2004, and that in December 2003 manufacturers voluntarily stopped making CCA-treated wood products for homeowner uses.
That matters to a homeowner planning to refinish older outdoor wood, because preparation for staining often involves cleaning and sometimes sanding. If a deck, fence or play structure on your property was built before 2004 and you don't know what it was treated with, mention it to the painter. Ask how they plan to limit sanding, collect dust and clean up, and keep children and pets away from the work area until it's done.
Paint or stain outdoors?
- Penetrating stains, from clear to semi-transparent, soak into the wood and show the grain. They wear away gradually and are re-coated without heavy stripping.
- Solid stains hide the grain like paint but are thinner; they can peel when they fail.
- Paint forms a full film. On horizontal surfaces like deck boards it tends to wear and peel where foot traffic and standing water work on it, which is why decks are usually stained rather than painted.
Our deck and fence staining page compares the choices in more detail.
The house itself
An exterior repaint is mostly prep: washing, scraping loose paint, sanding edges, filling cracks, re-caulking joints and priming bare spots. Block and stucco walls need masonry primers on patches; wood trim needs a primer on bare faces. Our exterior painting page explains products and steps.
Indoors, the finish you see depends on the wall underneath. Nail pops, cracked tape joints and old patches show through new paint unless they're repaired and primed. The surface preparation guide explains how. Sheen is the other big choice: flat hides flaws, while satin and semi-gloss clean more easily. See the sheens guide.
A sensible order of work
If you're doing several projects, sequencing saves money:
- finish any carpentry, window, roof or gutter work before painting the outside;
- paint the house before staining a deck that sits against it, so drips land on wood that will be cleaned anyway;
- inside, paint ceilings first, then walls, then trim and doors;
- leave cabinets for last or treat them as a separate job; see cabinet painting.
The Florida sources on licensure
Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation lists paint and wallpaper among examples of work that do not require state licensure. Florida law lists painting among job scopes for which a local government may not require a license, in Florida Statutes s. 489.117(4)(a). We quote both as written and add nothing.
We don't check, rank or vouch for painters. A written scope and proof of liability coverage are the practical protections.
Questions before you hire
- Which surfaces are included, inside and out?
- For outdoor wood, do you recommend stain or paint, and which type?
- If the wood is older, how will you limit and clean up sanding dust?
- What prep and primer come before the finish?
- How many coats, and which products?
For what moves the cost, see the pricing guide.