And an outdoor project s not finished until it s been stained sealed or painted.
Treated lumber paint or stain.
If the water beads up the wood is too wet and you need to wait before applying a finish.
To help the paint adhere use a bristle brush to coat the surface with a primer designed for exterior use on pressure.
Using a brush apply at least two coats of latex paint to see best results.
Best way to tell if the pressure treated lumber is dry is to test the dryness by sprinkling the wood s surface with water.
For a wood deck or fence i prefer the look and longevity of a semi transparent stain.
While you can paint a pressure treated wood deck i don t recommend it.
If you have bought premium pressure treated lumber it can be stained as soon as you get it.
Stain is more budget friendly.
Selecting the proper paint or stain is important when deciding to cover pressure treated wood.
Painting wood evenly is not as hard as staining wood evenly.
Disadvantages of painting pressure treated wood.
Make sure the wood is dry.
You probably know that wood swells when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries.
If the water soaks into the wood then it s dry and ready for stain or paint.
So it is way easier to get a smooth finish when you paint the pressure treated wood than if you were to stain it.
And the constant shrinkage and expansion of the wood causes paint to peel over time.
A water based stain is recommended for proper absorption into the wood.
If you just bought the wood let it weather for at least 60 days to allow the chemicals to evaporate and.
Stain runs between 20 and 35 per gallon while exterior paint suitable for decking ranges from 30 to as much as 60 per gallon.
Paints need to be acrylic based latex exterior use for cca treated wood exterior or interior use for acq treated wood.
A wood deck takes a lot of abuse from sun rain and snow.
Allow the wood to dry completely and otherwise prepare the same ways you would when staining.
If you are absolutely set on painting or staining your pressure treated lumber here are a few suggestions.
Sealing painting and staining pressure treated wood a project s not really done until it s finished.
So it s actually better for beginners to paint the wood.
You have to prepare the surface of the wood with primer before you can paint it.