Treated Lumber Paint Or Stain

If you have bought premium pressure treated lumber it can be stained as soon as you get it.

Treated lumber paint or stain.

And an outdoor project s not finished until it s been stained sealed or painted. While you can paint a pressure treated wood deck i don t recommend it. Pressure treated wood is ready to stain when it is no longer retaining the excess moisture from the treatment process. Allow the wood to dry completely and otherwise prepare the same ways you would when staining.

Stain runs between 20 and 35 per gallon while exterior paint suitable for decking ranges from 30 to as much as 60 per gallon. So it s actually better for beginners to paint the wood. Best way to tell if the pressure treated lumber is dry is to test the dryness by sprinkling the wood s surface with water. Using a brush apply at least two coats of latex paint to see best results.

And the constant shrinkage and expansion of the wood causes paint to peel over time. Stain is more budget friendly. If the water beads up the wood is too wet and you need to wait before applying a finish. You probably know that wood swells when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries.

Selecting the proper paint or stain is important when deciding to cover pressure treated wood. A standard water test will let you know. A wood deck takes a lot of abuse from sun rain and snow. Disadvantages of painting pressure treated wood.

To help the paint adhere use a bristle brush to coat the surface with a primer designed for exterior use on pressure. If you just bought the wood let it weather for at least 60 days to allow the chemicals to evaporate and. A water based stain is recommended for proper absorption into the wood. It has already been prepared and all the moisture has been removed.

Make sure the wood is dry. If you are absolutely set on painting or staining your pressure treated lumber here are a few suggestions. If the water soaks into the wood then it s dry and ready for stain or paint. Painting wood evenly is not as hard as staining wood evenly.

Paints need to be acrylic based latex exterior use for cca treated wood exterior or interior use for acq treated wood. For a wood deck or fence i prefer the look and longevity of a semi transparent stain.