Staining Pressure Treated Fence Posts

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

Staining pressure treated fence posts.

Many people say you should wait at least six months before staining pressure treated wood. Pressure treated wood requires a fence stain that will penetrate deeply and provide adequate protection from the elements while also reducing chemical leaching if the wood has been treated with cca according to the epa. By nature of its make up pressure treated lumber does not need protection from the elements. If you want to keep your pressure treated lumber looking new for years to come here are some simple maintenance tips we recommend.

Unfortunately most pressure treated wood isn t that good looking. Many fence posts are pressure treated to make them last longer but you can take extra steps to prevent them from rotting or slow down the rotting process so the posts last longer. You have posts for the frame 4x4s and 2x4s and 1x4s or 1x6s for the pickets. On average you ll want to wait 4 weeks to 6 months to wait before staining the posts.

Stain downward facing pressure treated 2 x 4s and other boards such as the underside of decking before you nail in place. If you are absolutely set on painting or staining your pressure treated lumber here are a few suggestions. Most fences are built with pressure treated wood. An affordable and oil based stain like flood cwf uv wood finish is a great option.

Ordinary pressure treated lumber from a home center however requires anywhere from two to three days to dry sufficiently before you can apply a water based semitransparent stain. Allow the stain to dry for at least a day. The treatment process begins when the lumber usually pine or fir is run through machines that perforate the surfaces with hundreds of small incisions. Of course that deck was built with pressure treated wood.

Ain t nobody got time for that. Prepare the surface you plan to paint. Before you stain pressure treated wood you should clean it first. Note that while priming and painting pressure treated wood may be easiest with a paint sprayer opt for a brush or use both in combination if the job entails detail work.

So being a real rebel i stained that pressure treated wood after only two weeks of the deck being completed.