I say stain the decking white. Match the walls of the house.

Paint the house more of an earthy color to blend in with the structure on the left. Then a natural color deck will look just right.

Hi, which wood did you use?

Cabot's Bleaching Oil is our "go to" for staining a deck. It is very natural looking and ages nicely. It is in the grey family and naturalizes to a driftwood color as it ages.

Sikkens has a wide variety of semi-transparent and solid stains to choose from. It is important to let the material stabilize to the environment for six months prior to staining. All wood products are left with a higher moisture content so that the carpenter can work with it without it splitting. It looks like it is a treated deck which has an even higher moisture content. After the acclimation period you can stain away. But remember that the finish on exterior horizontal surfaces such as the deck flooring will only last 5 to 8 years. The finish on the railings will last longer. This is largely due to the standing water after a rain coupled with direct UV sunlight.

go with a pastel green and earthy brown.

If it's possible I would lower the backs on the benches to not appear as obstructive to the back of the house...I would paint the back wall of the house (where the left window and big window are) an accent color then add seating pillows on the benches the same color. if you can't afford the upholstery you could paint the seats the same color as the accent wall. I would do a big potted pull the color to the left with a potted plant. I would stain the deck with a gray.

We just painted our deck with Deck Over by Behr. It's a solid paint and hides scratches and differences in wood. It can be mixed in many colors.

Perhaps the bench back in white to match the house and the lower section and deck floor in grey to complement the roof. The upper cap of the bench back could also be grey.

Gray with dark almost black accents, or black accents. the railings in dark willmake them disappear when looking out toward the waterfront. dont be concerned about the post, you may want circulation under the deck. maybe another level just under the deck to help get access closer to ground.

Sorry, agree with Margot's earlier comments... The pictures may not do it justice but when I initially looked, it appeared to be stacked wood rather than benches. I designed a number of decks and incorporated benches. They are better when they are framing the deck on the sides to serve a multi purpose such as railings, lying on them or simply sitting. As for the stain, keep natural.

I think the deck should be stained a darker color. A medium brown maybe. 1" thick custom back cushions (tan and brown horizontal stripes) would help tie the deck with the home. I would also consider changing the color of your fascia/gutters and your back porch posts to a darker color to help add lines and definition to the home.

first you should be commended for taking on this project and completing it, fantastic! your place looks great and you obviously take care and pride in what you have. enjoy!

don't know what you were thinking but those benches or whatever they are just don't do anything for that lake house ! Sorry I think you should have researched your options on decks before you came to this conclusion !

My first thought was a cedar color with some pillows to make it pop and some plants around the edge. Here's a deck from this site with a similar color to what I was thinking. They say it is a custom color.

I know your question concerns "color", but once you have made that determination, the most important question should be "which" deck stain. Check out Askthebuilder.com. He did a comprehensive study on deck stains, and they are certainly NOT created equal. You have a lot invested in the deck, and will have a lot invested in labor staining it. Don't make a critical error in putting down a stain that won't hold up to the elements.

Behr makes fabulous solid stains in MANY colors. I put it on deck and fence and 5 years later still looks good with no refinishing/touch up. Go get a color palette to help you decide

The two round posts would look great if they were clad with the same wood as the rest of the deck. This would look finished. As for stain I am thinking that the vertical elements would look great the same colour as the cottage and the horizontal a colour close to the roof. Steps down from the lower deck would give you safe access to the yard. A garden bed along the rest of the deck would soften the straight lines and give you a real pop of colour.

I agree with hollywaterfall, keet it stained with transparency and a wood color not a paint color, I love the color of the deck that he or she showed you. Good luck!

The problem with the benches is that they are too high and dense for the deck--they look like stacks of wood obstructing the house! Here is the built-in bench on my one-year-old redwood deck; it's functional but doesn't obscure the railing or dominate the view. I used a clear stain because I wanted to see the wood grain, but since your deck isn't redwood I like the idea of staining it gray.

I think that no matter which colors you go with, make sure to use the darkest toward the bottom, and use a nice, bright color on cushions for the benches. This will help them not look quite so imposing. You did a great job, the deck looks like a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors! Maybe you could use the bench backs more like a wall, with potted plants, etc.... on the top. It might be interesting to paint the backs of the benches a lighter shade than the bottoms, should make them recede more, Have fun with it! :D

BBeware of de. Ck stain,I have both Vermont and new York decks that annually peel,need re treatment.I have used top quality b,er,Cabot seals and stains.I think had I to do it over I would ask Lowes or depot how to treat,sealvdevelop patina with age.....

I have also had friends with same deck stain issues,once you start you have to battle e ntropy.Not sure but know Behr and Cabot have excellent technology andMayo have different ideas than color stain for longevity.

Cabot and Behr have issues with there deck products I highly recommend Sikkens or arbor coat from Benjamin Moore

Wow! appreciate all of the input and encouragement. I should have prefaced the entire post by stating that I still have a lot to do. Never expected so many comments. But please, keep them coming.

From the deck looking at the lake I could not be more pleased with the outcome. The backless benches on the upper level preserve the view from the livingroom and bedrooms and also double as a table and a footrest. If I had not built benches, there would be a 3 foot rail blocking the view in order to comply with code. The old deck that I removed had a 36 inch rail which ruined the view and was a complete eyesore. Pictures of other lakefront decks in my neighborhood, from a similar vantage point, would show vertical railing blocking the windows.

The tall benches on the lower level will serve as seating for a dining area and we will have two tables to place in front of them. My only qualm is that when you are standing in the yard below, looking up to the house, the benches seem to stick out. After I have completed the deck and added landscaping, potted plants, skirting and patio furniture I doubt you will notice the benches. Just hoping to find a deck stain or paint that helps the benches blend with the house.

To missjkat who said "i don't know what you were thinking with the benches or whatever they are".........you ruined my my day. I spent hours upon hours perusing houzz and landscaping books before I started this deck. It was probably premature for me to post pictures of the unfinished product but, I wanted some help on color choices.

I look forward to posting the completed project. Please keep the comments coming, I hope to have one of the best decks in the neighborhood thanks to you guys.



Thanks again,

William

Love your design. If you use a paint stain, the difference between the woods will be eliminated, so I'd do that instead of a more transparent stain.
Don't worry about the goof ball comments. The internet turns off the politeness gene in people and sometimes they type before they think. And, as you can tell, everyone has an opinion, but not necessarily good taste.

Whatever you do, once you stain it, its going to be an every two or three year project, so if I were you, I would use a deck stain called One Time. You don't get too many colors, but you do get a stain that lasts 7 to 10 years. It costs about $90 per gallon, but its worth it.

I love those benches, one thing to consider is if it's a fairly high traffic area like the main route for your family to the lake is to use a oil based stain

Leave the floors and rails the natural color and paint/stain the benches white. Use pillows to pop color! Could also do an outdoor rug. Love it! Jealous .....

Looks great!

The new pictures give a better idea of your gorgeous view. I still think cedar that I stated earlier is the way I would go but grayish wouldn't be to horrible either. It's your decision. What is your favorite color? I am thinking blue/green/yellow colors for the cushions to bounce the nature colors back to the house. A pillow such as this one on Pier1's site would allow you to pull any of the individual colors out for the cushions (or even mix/match). Check it out here: Kinsey Garden Pillow
http://www.pier1.com/Kinsey-Garden-Pillow/2669806,default,pd.html?cgid=outdoor-pillows-cushions

love the airy look of your ,rails,in coastal nc the idea of those wires is of course like boat rigging,they leave your views but look contemporary and feel you are on boat,sailboat rigging. Wish could see better,,what material is the wire ?

Are those turn buckiles at end of wires?Looks great

Benches are great,great idea keep benches neutral,structural with wood blended but enjoy cushions umbrella bold pots color.A white deck like white carpet is tuff to keep clean and chips show wood below,natural greys hard to beat.

WDavidson77 said: "My only qualm is that when you are standing in the yard below, looking up to the house, the benches seem to stick out."
Don't worry about them. You'll stain them same as the rest of the deck. Then you'll add a couple of hanging baskets of bright flowers, a cluster of pretty pots, a few candle lanterns, crisp cushions and pillows. In the evening, strings of lights will twinkle overhead ... the benches will recede.

Here's the deal: When those benches are alongside tables full of food and drink, and under your loved ones who will be laughing and talking and celebrating at your lake house, you will know your design was Just Right.

This place looks great. Ignore the snarky comments. What a great home and awesome deck ready to entertain. Enjoy!

You've done a great job, I think what you are trying to do is merge the interior and deck and yard as 1 living space which is good as you have a beautiful view. I agree that I would stain the deck a light grey to add to the architecture of the house. One last thing I would recommend is you may want to add to the back of the deck 2 steps down across the whole back to extend the transition between deck and grass and also for safety reasons. Then I would landscape with dwarf bushes only the side return.. A few potted plants on the steps to define the edges and you are good to go and enjoy. wow!!

love it- its going to look beautiful!

Awesome deck! We would love to outfit your whole outdoor area with cushions & pillows (bench cushions)! When you are ready for that step, please visit our site. We have a step by step process and many outdoor fabrics to choose from! Here is link to our bench cushions: http://www.cushionsource.com/buy-cushions.php?type=bench.

Instead of staining all one color, I think some contrast would look good. You could stain the upper flat benches, deck and railings a dark color like your roof (as I originally suggested). Then stain the vertical bench backs and walls a light color that blends with your house siding. Colorful cushions and container potted plants would really complete your nice deck.

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the suggestions.

The cable railing is stainless steel with turnbuckles on the end. I priced the pre assembled cable rail kits available for sale and each row of railing was going to cost around 25 bucks. I pieced the components together on my own from amazon and Lowes and did it for around 6 bucks a row. The turnbuckles and stainless bolts were the most expensive part. The stainless cable is ls less than .40 per foot.

That's pretty cool. Can you supply a parts list for us?

William, I love your design, and I agree that looking from your house to the lake, it is really gorgeous. I feel sad that someone criticized your project - I think it's wonderful. I think I see what you mean that the deck is very prominent when you look back at it from the lake. I feel similarly when I see a painted house with a new deck that is unfinished - sometimes it doesn't match the style of the house and it sticks out somewhat. I can't find exactly what I had in mind in a photo, but if you white washed the benches and stained the deck a very light stain so that it was darker than the benches you could still see the nice grain of the wood, but it would maybe match the paint job on your house more. The only photo I can find is not white wash and stain, but it shows having the floor just slightly darker and warmer than the house . The good thing about white wash and stain (as opposed to paint) is that you can do translucent layers until you have the tints opaque enough to go with the paint job on your house.

If you don't stain your deck, it will never need to be stained again. Let the wood develop its own natural color. It will blend with the landscape.

Thanks for info on turnbuckles and wire,am building boat dock with rails,clever application.Look great on your deck.About those benches.....if you want to get rid of I know just the coastal deck in nc to use themm...mine. they are great you will enjoy thanks for price info on turnbuckles,what a difference and sailboat rigging even more..

it is true that as moon blue points out once you stain it is a one to three year chore and in between looks a mess.I have used top quality expensive name brands in Vermont and ny but none seem to be impervious.I would be tempted to use an oil seal or leave alone a year and let it cure.Today even hardwood floors use irregular color boards blended.In Nc most docks and marinas are bare wood or concrete.Not sure I would do anything.

I would recommend a greyish opaque stain for the deck and the benches. I think it will look great. I have a lake house with a huge deck. Prevoious owners PAINTED (not stained) the deck blue...who knows why,,,we have been greadually powerwashing it away and will be using opaque stain ourselves now that the peeling, annoying mess is finally history. I love the idea of the benches facing the lake and giving people on the deck a great view, while not hiding the lake from indoors. I'd add more colors with plants in colorful pots, and pillows and cushions covered in outdoor fabric. The big box stores have lots of that for not much money, or you can REALLY go nuts and make your own, like I do.

Close to completion. I still plan to build an outdoor kitchen where the bbq grills are pictured. My wife chose the stain and it worked out pretty good. I built the cedar table and adirondack chairs. Looking forward to many years of enjoyment. Thanks for all of the suggestions.

Love it. What brand of stain did you use? Sorry, I didn't read thru all of the posts since there were so many. I apologize if you already listed the name and colors. Thanks!

I used cabots oil based. Redwood.