We eventually found two decorative oars at HomeGoods for $25 each. They weren’t the colors we wanted, but paint is an easy fix. After confirming the size and shape worked at the house, we tracked down two more at a second location and ended up with four oars for just over $100. They weren’t a great match initially, but I felt confident we could transform them.

I sanded each oar down to raw wood to get rid of the manufactured finish and unify the textures. It took effort, but an orbital sander made the job much faster. Sanding revealed how different the oars were to start, so the next step was to stain them to bring their tones closer together.

I used leftover stain cans to experiment, layering colors until the oars looked consistent. Before painting, I also made digital mock-ups of different stripe patterns and color combinations to visualize the finished look. That step helped choose a palette inspired by the duplex: mint shutters, white siding, and muted pink and green interior door tones.

With the design decided, I taped off sections with painter’s tape. To minimize layering time, I left generous wood stripes where possible so fewer colors would need to meet. For areas where colors would overlap, I painted a base color first, let it dry fully, then taped and painted the next color.

I primed each painted area and then applied exterior paint colors. Most of the paints were exterior-grade so they can withstand sun and weather. Note: exterior light makes colors appear lighter, so you may want to choose slightly stronger or darker shades than you would for interior paint.

Everything looked great as the paint dried and I peeled off the tape for crisp lines. Then I made the mistake I want you to avoid: I applied an oil-based exterior polyurethane sealer after painting, without testing it first. Oil-based sealers can yellow over time and may pool on rounded surfaces, creating brownish streaks or spots that dull the paint’s vibrancy.

The yellowing and streaking were noticeable close up, though from a distance the oars still read well. To fix the issue I sanded the affected areas, re-taped, and repainted all four oars. In hindsight, because I used exterior paint for the colored areas, those painted sections didn’t actually require a clear coat. The correct approach would have been to seal the bare wood (both sides) before painting any decorative stripes. That way the wood would be protected and the painted areas would remain untouched by yellowing sealers.

After the repaint, the oars looked fresh again. Hanging them was straightforward: I predrilled a small hole in each oar and drove a 3″ exterior screw through the oar and siding into a wall stud. I aimed to place screws through wood sections when possible so they blended in better, but they’re barely noticeable unless you’re looking closely.

This process—sanding, staining to unify tones, sealing raw wood, and then painting with exterior paint—works well for any wooden outdoor decor, whether oars, a surfboard, or a personalized sign. The main takeaway: seal raw wood first, then paint, and use exterior-grade paints so your project holds up outdoors.

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