As part of our outdoor house painting project, we spent a good amount of time devoted to painting our attached pergola on the front of our home.
Our pergola is made of pine and it was in desperate need of a new paint job! Once again, although this is time consuming, I saved much more money doing it myself.

I've included the video and DIY instructions below, which can also be applied towards a detached pergola. Read on to find out more details on how to paint a pergola!
What You Will Need to Paint a Pergola:
- Power washer or other tool to scrape off old paint
- Sander or sand paper
- Primer
- Paint and sprayer, brush
- Frog Tape
- Cardboard, old sheets, painter's paper or plastic to cover unwanted paint areas
How to Paint a Pergola
Prep work:
Prepping wood for paint is an area you don't want to skimp on. Use a power washer to remove all of the loose, flaking paint. If you choose to power wash, let the wood dry out for 24 hours.
Once the wood has dried, use a sander and sand paper (in this case I used my Orbital sander and 100 grit sand paper) to sand the remaining loose paint off. Since I painted latex over latex, it wasn't necessary to remove all the paint off.
Tape and cover
Tape and cover anything you do not want painted. I taped around the base of my columns and then added sheets of cardboard to cover the porch. I also covered anything I didn't want overspray on.
Prime the Pergola
Next, use a primer to seal up all of the raw wood. Using a primer first before painting not only seals, but it will also help create a smooth and even final coat. Allow time for the primer to dry.
Paint
Before painting, wipe down your surface to remove any dust or dirt. This creates a clean surface for new paint to stick to, and will allow for a smooth finish.
We painted using Sherwin Williams Exterior Duration paint in Pure White with a satin finish. I also used the Graco Magnum x7 which made painting so much easier! I applied 3 coats of paint to get a good even coverage.
Happy Painting!
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Stephanie Craven says
Your house looks amazing, Brooke! So sssooo beautiful!! You continue to amaze me with your talent. Wish I had your energy and dedication!
startadmin says
Ahh thank you so much Stephanie!