When do i seal my deck

Decks need to be dry before sealing. In order for a seal to be effective, pressure-treated decks need time to dry out completely. If you have your deck built in the heat of the summer, it typically only takes two weeks or so to dry out. Springtime installations might take three or four weeks. The general rule of thumb is that, if a deck is installed after August, you wait to seal it until the spring.

A 65 degree day might easily become a 40 degree night, and your seal will be ruined. The warmth helps it to dry out faster and seal more effectively.

Your carpenter may tell you three months, your father may tell you a year. These varied responses have a lot to do with the lumber industry, and how its procedures have changed over the years. Your father may have built a deck thirty years ago, but thirty years ago the lumber industry was cutting down old-growth trees for use.

Old-growth trees are overly saturated with resins and natural oils. The use of such lumber for decking meant that decks were protected longer from UV damage than they are from the lumber used today. These days, lumber is harvested from tree farms and younger growth trees. Painting vs. Staining the Deck. After a day period, pour some water on your deck. Be sure to apply sealant as soon as the wood is ready; leaving the deck exposed any longer increases the likelihood of both ultraviolet UV and moisture damage.

Bottom line: A combined stain-and-sealant product offers durable, moisture- and UV-protection with the least drawbacks. In lieu of that, you can apply a simple stain to the deck and, after 48 hours, apply sealant for a similar level of protection. Proper prep is key to successfully sealing a deck. Then, wash the deck using a power-washer to scrub the surface clean. Allow to dry for 24 hours, then sand the surface with between a 60 to grit sandpaper or sanding disk. Use a powered sanding tool to remove the top layer of wood, which could act as a barrier to the sealant.

Drying can take several months. We recommend beginning to test the wood around 90 days after your project is completed, but this is just a general suggestion. Keep in mind there are a number of factors that can affect how quickly your pressure-treated wood dries, including the weather, the environment, how long the wood sat in the lumberyard, and the time of year in which your project was built.

The best way to know for sure if your pressure-treated wood is dry is to test it. A simple water test will tell you if your new deck is dry and ready to be treated. Place a few drops of water on the deck.