Staining A Deck Before It Rains (Quick Facts)

You’re dreading that first rainstorm amid summer.

After spending hours putting deck stain, you’re now determining how well it will withstand the elements.

Learn more about staining a deck before it rains.

VIDEO: How To Stain A Deck

Before it rains, how long does deck paint need to dry?

Before it rains, your freshly stained deck needs at least 24 to 48 hours to dry completely, whereas latex or water-based stains will dry in approximately 4 to 6 hours.

Oil-based stains typically dry in 12 to 24 hours and need at least 48 hours before it starts to rain.

The freshly stained deck may take longer to dry if the weather is humid or not hot enough.

What happens if it rains more frequently?

If it starts to rain before your deck is entirely dry, the water will penetrate the wood’s pores and force the deck stain out of the wood.

As a result, the deck surface may appear splotchy rather than even and smooth. If it does rain soon after you apply the wood stain, the effect is worse. The stain will peel off and flake due to the rains.

Deck Staining Ahead of Rain?

You now understand how important time is to your success while staining your deck. Therefore, you have asked yourself, “How long does deck stain need to dry before it rains?” and have discovered the response.”

What you do about the rain is the obvious next step. When your deck is dry and ready, you can regulate the rain.

However, you may listen to the weather forecaster. You can use the forecast as a reference when deciding whether to stain your deck.

Plan to complete the activity when the forecaster predicts there won’t be any rain for at least the following two days, whether you’re staining your outdoor space for the first time or just keeping up a deck that already exists.

This can entail a few weeks or months of waiting in certain places. Such delays can be unpleasant but could make the difference between a single completion and several more work hours.

Most stain manufacturers make it very clear to refrain from using their products 12 to 24 hours before rain is predicted. So you can be torn between waiting and performing the work well while receiving the benefits and putting up with the agony.

Additionally, the weather can be erratic sometimes, which will only worsen your predicament. You can use a strain that takes longer to dry because different strains have different drying times. So what should you do if it does rain shortly after staining?

What to do if it rains before the stain on your deck has dried completely?

If the weather cooperates, you will only have a little to do while it rains. It’s not like you could roll the deck up and use it as cover inside your home.

The best course of action is to wait until it stops raining before evaluating the damage. Then, let the deck dry before inspecting the damaged wood more closely.

Damage’s severity will vary according to the:

• How soon after dyeing it rains, and;
• How much rain fell, for how long, and how hard.

Damage from a heavy downpour is worse than from a drizzle. However, the latter might occasionally not harm your recently stained woodwork, so you won’t need to take any action.

On the other hand, the deck will be impacted by a rainstorm. The kind of stain you choose will also matter because some stains can be more resistant to rain shortly after application than others.

In any case, as you will see from your assessment, what you do next will depend on the degree of damage.

The rain is likely to hit the coat too soon after application if it is flaking off or peeling. Unfortunately, a coat with this level of damage cannot be repaired. Alternatively, you will need to sand it down, remove it from your deck, and repeat the entire process.

The damage is minor and purely aesthetic if there are simply a few minor flaws scattered about. Applying a second coat of the same stain to the damaged areas will repair this damage.

The first step is to check the label on the stain container to find out how to add another layer. You should adhere to these directions as closely as possible since different stain manufacturers may suggest various times and techniques for application.

How long should the stain dry before applying a second coat?

Before applying the correction layer of stain, you should also wait until the deck is entirely dry. Avoid applying stain if rain is expected over the next 24 to 48 hours.

When the situation satisfies these requirements, begin staining a discrete section before touching up the entire deck.

Remember that oil-based stains require extra time to seep into the wood while performing this touch-up.

What if a Light Recoat of Wood Stain is insufficient to solve the issue?

In some circumstances, you’ll need to pressure wash the wood to remove the damaged layer before repainting it.

How to Repair the Coating

• Use a power washer and wood cleaning to remove the white stains on the wood surface.
• Start with a low setting and gradually raise the pressure, careful not to damage the stain anymore.
• The better it is if this works. After using a power washer and a wood cleaner to remove any remaining splotches, let the area dry.
• Use sandpaper to smooth the surface lightly.
• Wipe off the wood. Following sanding and before staining, clean the wood using these instructions.
• In addition to the spaces between the boards, recoated the sanded sections.
• When recoating, use only a little product to prevent peeling and potential flaking.
• Consider using a deck stain stripper to remove the entire coat of stain and starting over as a last resort if none of these fixes satisfy you.

Conditions that will Increase the Time It Takes for Your Deck Stain to Dry

In some cases, even after the advised 48 hours, your freshly stained deck may need to be dry enough to withstand the sting of rain.

Plan your woodworking job accordingly if you need to predict when your deck stain will take longer to cure.

Let’s take a quick look at these situations that can prolong the curing time for your stained deck.

Using an oil-based stain

Different deck stain have different recommended drying times, which you can see on the labels of the products.

This is because the ingredients used to create various wood stain behave differently, causing some stains to cure more quickly than others.

Water based stains are one type of deck stain that will dry faster and be ready for the rains than oil paint or stain. After application, the wooden deck staining project can dry in a couple of hours since the water in these stains can evaporate considerably more quickly.

It will require more time to get your deck board ready for use and rain if you paint or stain it with an oil based stains treatment. Because they are denser and often take longer to dry than water based stain, this is the case.

It is a good idea to verify and pay attention to the kind of clear stain you intend to apply because of this. Then, as part of your planning process, decide on this.

Fresh wood

Fresh wood typically has a high internal moisture level. ‘

Remember that the old stain technically settles into the wood grain during drying, not evaporating.

The pores in the wood must be open for the stain to enter for this process to take place. Unfortunately, when the wood is young, moisture tends to fill up many of these pores, leaving little room for the stain to penetrate during the curing process.

As a result, new wood with a high moisture content will have difficulty absorbing stains when painted or stained. Consequently, whether using an oil-based or water-based stain, the stained deck will frequently take longer to cure.

Before staining a new deck, experts advise waiting at least six months. This is because the wood will release much of its moisture during this time, making it better able to cure when you finally color it.

Just as it started to pour on the deck

Before staining a deck that has recently been rained on, it is preferable to let the wood air dry for at least 24 to 48 hours. This is because rainwater affects the stain the same way fresh wood does. 

Rainwater seeps into the pores of the wood when it rains. Rainwater occupying these pores will leave the wood with little room for the stain, which may cause the drying process to take longer. Wood stain needs the space inside these pores to cure.

The pores in the wood must be open for the stain to enter for this process to take place. Unfortunately, when the wood is young, moisture tends to fill up many of these pores, leaving little room for the stain to penetrate during the curing process.

As a result, new wood with a high moisture content will have difficulty absorbing stains when painted or stained. Consequently, the stained deck will frequently take longer to cure, whether you can use an oil- or water-based stain.

Less porous varieties of wood

Porous wood will help your deck stain cure more quickly; the more porous the wood, the greater the rate at which it will cure.

As a rule, porous woods like cedar, oak, ash, and chestnut will take stains better than less porous hardwoods. Look into cedar siding stains.

This means that a deck constructed of hardwood will require more time to dry than an oak wood building before it can tolerate rain.

The porosity facilitates the ingestion of wood stains and the establishment of color.

Pressure-treated wood brand-new

Your deck may be constructed of softwoods that have undergone pressure treatment to make them resistant to biological deterioration agents like fungus, rot, and wood-boring insects.

You should be familiar with these modified woods because they are some of the most preferred decking board options among homeowners.

With this pressure treatment, preservative chemicals are pushed deeper into the cellular structure of the wood. This is typically a technique to get sturdy decking at a lower price than hardwoods like teak, cherry, and tigerwood.

Therefore, newly treated wood will need time to dry after building the stain deck or following an annual maintenance pressure treatment.

Following this kind of treatment, deck staining is not advised.

The solid stain will take longer to dry if you apply it on a freshly pressure-treated deck. 

Cold condition

So, under these bad weather conditions, how long does the deck stain need to dry before it starts to rain? If you used an oil-based stain, you might have to wait for your deck to cure for several days or risk having to redo the deck staining process.

A fresh stain is not favored by cold weather. When the decks are still wet, it will take the dry time longer for the new coat to evaporate its moisture.

Nevertheless, it would help if you didn’t paint or stain your deck in the sun. While you need somewhat warm weather for your stained deck to dry more quickly, doing it in the sun will harm the coating.

The wet deck will dry too rapidly in direct sunlight, leaving the coating with ugly water or brush marks. Overcast weather, where the clouds have hidden the sun’s rays and kept the day warm, is excellent for deck staining.

Extreme humidity

High humidity is another factor that could be problematic for your freshly stained deck.

The moisture in your freshly stained wood has nowhere to go when there is a lot of atmospheric water vapor.

Usually, for wood stains to dry, evaporation is required. However, high humidity makes it more difficult for the moisture on your deck to evaporate into the air since there is already a lot of moisture suspended in the environment.

As a result, depending on how humid the weather is, the drying process for the deck will take longer. Likewise, your deck will take longer to dry if the humidity is high.

On the other hand, drier weather will hasten the curing process and prepare a freshly colored deck to withstand rain.

Check the humidity before staining your deck to ensure it is within the acceptable range of 40 and 70 percent. Allow the deck to dry if the temperature is higher than 70 altogether.

Why is deck staining essential?

Although staining itself is not particularly difficult, as you can see, preparation is quite labor-intensive. So why is it crucial that you put in the effort to stain your deck correctly, then?

When you consider the benefits of staining your deck, you realize that the time and money you must invest in the procedure are insignificant compared to the benefits you will ultimately enjoy. Continue reading to find out why staining has many more advantages than disadvantages.

Wood retains its original appearance thanks to staining.

You will want to preserve the natural beauty of the wood for as long as possible because it is adorable. But without keeping it that way, rot, filth, and mold may quickly decay and change color.

Mold won’t typically attack your treated wood and create ugly discoloration because the wood stain is highly mold-resistant. In addition, the coating shields the wood from moisture, protecting it against decay and prolonged wetness, which are the leading causes of discoloration.

Although you give up the aesthetic advantages of using natural wood, painting your deck could have the same protective effect on your wood as staining. In light of this, staining is a clear victory.

It improves the look of your deck.

Staining keeps the beauty of wood and makes your deck look better. Wood stains come in various hues that provide you with many options when choosing your color, in addition to sealing the wood surface to keep dirt out.

You have the option of darkening or lightening your wood’s hue. No matter which manner you choose, the stain will highlight the wood grain. Your deck will look gorgeous as a result.

For an even better appearance, you may also select a tint that goes with the general design of your outdoor space.

Your deck is shielded from rot and infestation by a stain.

Staining your deck can significantly increase the useful life of your building.

Pest infestations can harm untreated timber to any extent possible. Likewise, insects that consume untreated wood, including termites and wood borers, can cause devastation.

They may result in your deck drooping or developing cracks. A damaged deck could collapse in the worst-case scenario, causing a complete loss.

Its lifespan is significantly increased by staining because it prevents rot and infestation. Once the wood has developed a stain, these bothersome intruders will move on in search of food and cover.

Wood rot compromises the integrity of the wood as well as its color. And eventually, this is what happens to wood when it repeatedly absorbs water, weakening its cell structure and making it brittle.

Rotten wood deck poses a serious risk because it could crumble and cause accidents with the slightest pressure.

A wood stain aids in moisture prevention. By sealing your deck, you can rest easy knowing that the wood won’t rot and run the risk of collapsing.

Conclusion

How long does the deck stain need to dry for it to rain? It’s always advisable to pay attention to the weather forecast and leave your deck 24-48 hours to dry before staining it to avoid getting wet before it dries. Additionally, ensure you are always aware of the conditions that could cause your deck stain to take longer to dry.

FAQ on Staining A Deck Before It Rains

I’ve finished staining my deck?

Rain that falls less than 48 hours after a treatment has been applied will allow the water to penetrate the wood and compete with the stain for its position. This can result in a patchy, flaking appearance on the coat, rather than a smooth, even surface. When you stain wood and then it rains immediately afterward, the stain will peel and flake off of the wood.