Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - time before staining PTL?

I am re-constructing my front deck which is covered by an extension of our roof. So far I have placed the new support posts from the deck to the roof and the flooring. All of it is pressure treated lumber. The support posts have been up for about 2 months and the decking down for about one month. How long should I wait before applying stain and sealer? Should I go ahead and work on the railing and then stain everything at once? I figure the railing will take me about a month to do.
Thanks to this forum I will be using Penofin or Cabots. I am worried about sun damage to my new construction, yet I know you have to wait a bit for the wood to accept the stain.

Ok let me ask this another way, how long should I wait before applying stain on new pressure treated lumber?

DarrinH,
The wood only need be dry before applying a stain. The newer stains are formulated to be used as soon as a deck is completed.
The Cabots stain is rated highly by Consumers Report. The Penofin may require two coats of stain, to me a waste of time. Sikkens and Wolmans F&P are also rated high.
fred

Thanks fred, was waiting to hear from you. I am going to use the Cabots with some color to it. Light but not too light, maybe a honey oak or dark oak. I am a little afraid of the sun damaging what I have do so far with the new installation. So you say the Cabots does not require two coats?

DarrinH,
Another thought - just completed my deck recently - I would recommend using a pressure washer on your PTL prior to staining - it will take off the embedded dirt from the wood without removing the benefit of the pressure treating process - I used Olympic (cedartone color) -3 year gaurantee- which was/is rated number 1 by consumer reports (so I'm told)

Good Luck
Brian

DarrinH,
I haven't applied any Cabots stain in over a year. Best to read the label to make sure. But, a good product should only be one coat. In some cases, like the Wolmans, the second coat would be repelled by the first and not absorb into the wood, so they say ONE coat only.
And like Brian mentioned, a light pw wouldn't hurt. You could also brush scrub it lightly with a little soap only(no bleach) and hose off to remove any dirt.
fred

some yahoo at Lowes tried convincing me I needed to wait 6 months before staining a 8x20 covered porch.. you gotta watch those kids they mean well im sure.. but 6 months heck youd have to power wash the mildew already ;)

--Josh

I just attended a seminar on treated lumber. According to the representative from Culpepper Wood Preservers, the fourth largest wood preserver in the country, the 'old wisdom' was to wait before sealing treated lumber. The 'new wisdom' is to seal immediately to protect wood from the elements.

Great, thats what Ill do then for the next step in the construction process. Ill seal the floor and posts now and then do the handrail construction. I might do a light sanding before staining to help remove dirt and mildew.

Good information guys - I recently had a Trexx/PTL deck installed (Trexx on the horizontal surfaces), and was wondering when I could perform the treatment of the PTL.

Does anyone know where the Cabot's brand is sold (I live in the DC area)?

Also, are there any caveats and/or tips with staining a combination deck?

Thanks!

Hi pittpanther,

The Cabots should be available at one of the better paint stores.
It, along with the Sikkens and Wolmans, don't get carried in the Lowes/HD cuz they don't have the national ads. If you find a paint store that carries it, take a piece of trex and ptl with you - they will probably open a can so you can get a decent match. Something you couldn't do at the big box stores.

If you accidently spill/drip stain on your trex it should wipe up, but I would cover it well while your staining the rails and balusters.

fred

Thanks fewalt. This is my first attempt at staining a deck (or anything for that matter - although I have painted quite a bit) - are there any other tips/caveats? We need to purchase some materials in addition to the stain - any recommendations?

Thanks again!

pittpanther,

Spraying a stain is nice BUT, you always risk spraying(wind drift) your house or vehicles or worse yet your neighbors'.

For railings and balusters you will probably end up brushing it on. There is one baluster trick though. You can purchase a lambs wool glove and do balusters fairly quick. (put on a rubber glove first). I have found that brushing still works well.
Try to do the staining in the earlier a.m. hours so the sun doesn;t dry it too fast. This way the correct amount will be absorbed.
Oh, one more thing - cheap brushes are fine for stain, then you can just toss them away.

good luck,

fred

Fred - thanks for more great advice!

Our deck is about 8' off the ground - would you also stain the posts and underbelly? I would think it's probably not necessary, but may not look right if I don't.

What is the best method for applying the stain to the lamb's wool glove (which is a great idea by the way)?

Personally, I'd do the posts and skip the underside.
No one is going to say "hey, you didn't do undrneath".
But it's your call, and alot more work.

The glove is 'okay', but you still may need a brush in the other hand for baluster detail. I simply put on an chemical proof rubber glove, then the finishing glove and dip my hand in the stain and apply.

fred

How about prep'ing the PTL? Power washing is probably (?) not necessary - the deck is around 2 months old. Should the PTL be washed first?

You can locate a Cabots dealer here:

http://www.cabotstain.com/shared_frames.cfm?area=dealoc&cfid=408886&cftoken=53652709

TT

Ok the deck stain looks great, but I have some water marking from where the water pools up and then dries on top of the boards. What do I do for this?

Used Cabots stain (heartwood), could only find it one place around here!

Darrin,
Water really shouldn't be pooling anywhere on a deck.
Is there space betwwen the boards to allow for water drain, or are certain deck boards cupped because they are upside down.
If this is the case you can drill some small holes in the decking to allow the water to drain through.

fred