When Should I Stain My Pressure Treated Deck

Are you ready to stain your pressure treated wood fence but wondering if you should wait.

When should i stain my pressure treated deck.

If you have bought premium pressure treated lumber it can be stained as soon as you get it. Most fences are built with pressure treated wood. Splash some water on the deck boards. It has already been prepared and all the moisture has been removed.

When you buy treated lumber at the store you ll notice that your hands get damp after loading it all into the back of your truck or trailer. A newly built deck that uses pressurized wood will need time to dry completely before a sealer can be applied. On average you ll want to wait 4 weeks to 6 months to wait before staining the posts. When to seal or stain pressure treated wood when water soaks into the wood instead of beading up it s time to seal or stain it.

The best time to stain a new deck is 3 to 12 months after installing it. New pressure treated wood needs to dry after construction before it can be stained or sealed. It s important to finish typical pressure treated wood as soon as possible after completion of a deck in order to protect it. Expect the butted ends of lumber to accept more stain.

Stain downward facing pressure treated 2 x 4s and other boards such as the underside of decking before you nail in place. The answer can be both just as long as you prep the new wood properly for an application of the stain. Pressure treated wood is ready to stain when it is no longer retaining the excess moisture from the treatment process. This process can take many months depending on your deck s sun exposure and the weather patterns after construction is complete.

You have posts for the frame 4x4s and 2x4s and 1x4s or 1x6s for the pickets. If you live in a hot sunny state like arizona give it a few weeks and it will more than likely be dry. In the spring and summer months here in ma. I would wait 30 60 days before i would treat your deck with stain.

If staining pressure treated fence posts deck rails or other vertical surfaces start at the top and work your way down. Allow the stain to dry for at least a day. However here in massachusetts it all depends on what season your deck is being constructed in. Pressure treated lumber is treated with liquid chemicals.

The chemicals used to treat the wood leave moisture behind and depending on the climate it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months until it s dry enough to seal.