Contractor thinks more stain, I had to stop them and ask them to go get educated before doing anything. These woods create a stunning, luxurious appearance, but they are expensive and are sometimes hard to source. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59MnCmRS1VE), deck stains will only need 4-6 hours to dry, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf2QpWSXTLs, How To Remove Water Stains From Wood Deck | NO SANDING & NO CHEMICALS | Quick & Easy Hack (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf2QpWSXTLs), What Happens If It Rains On a Freshly Stained Deck? From a purely technical perspective, the process that occurs through staining is more of a curing process than an actual drying process. Yeah it hasn't stopped raining all day except for about a half hour break in it when I ran out there and removed all the standing water on the deck and then covered it up with a tarp. There is nothing you can do about it until the rain stops and dries off. The choice of stain will also be influenced by the preference for an oil-based or water-based stain. Stain becomes sticky on a wooden surface because it doesn't have a binder, such as you find in paint or varnish. Rained this morning and feels wet to touch and coloring looks as though I just applied the stain. Would it be safe to apply another coat of R.A.D or Cabot over the existing 2 coats of the Olympic which were applied 3 days ago? It will try to displace the paint, which causes a flaky and blotchy look rather than an even and smooth finish. When it comes to what happens if it rains on a freshly stained deck, its really best not to find out to avoid having to correct the potential damage. What happens if it rains on fresh stain? When you apply stain to any outdoor structure, you will need to add a second coat. To fix, remove all and start over. It is best to never stain any exterior wood when inclement weather is forecasted, especially rain. The extent of rain damage depends on some factors, which can include the following: The amount of rain How long the rain lasted The type and quality of your stain (oil-based or water-based) If using wood cleaners and pressure washers doesn't work, you might need to redo the whole thing. I used Cabot correct deck stain 1st coat and it looks like its going to rain after 6 hours of drying time. Despite the rain, the deck hasn't come out too badly. Leave it as a flat sheen. How to repair the effects of rain on a freshly stained deck? Most likely okay. Can Deck Stains Be applied with a Roller? live in midwest and cold weather weather next . Heres pic of white blotches and some still wet after 24 hrs. Ask Deck Help Questions & Post Product Reviews! Most areas seem to be fine but there are some white marks and just one board that has some bubbles as shown in the picture. Hi, I put a first coat of stain on a deck yesterday when it wasnt calling for rain. Apply with a pump sprayer and let it sit for several minutes. Keep pads and rags handy to mop up spills and drips as they happen. Temperature was in the low 60s. Thats what Im trying to do here. Spray a small section of deck railing and balusters with deck cleaner, using the garden sprayer. Sorry to ask more questions the contractor had the crew pressure wash the stain off the wood instead of sanding. If it rains right after you apply the stain, the stain will peel and flake off. 1. Started to rain as he was finishing up and now have some white bubbly patches on fence and decks looks unevenly stained. You should be fine. In cooler weather or during periods of high humidity, you will need to wait even longer than this. If it beads up, the wood is still too wet to seal. -Before asking a question if rain harmed your deck, wait until the rain stops and the water fully dries off the deck or wood. Im so afraid of the latter. Most deck stain brands will warn against the application of their product within 12-24 hours of rain being forecast. Generally, hardwoods outperform softwood decks when it comes to weather-resistance and overall longevity. Hi, First, thank you for your article. Will hit the deck work on a stained deck with black mould on it. Deck Stain Essential#2: Prepare new wooden decks differently than old ones before finishing. I would not worry about it. shortly thereafter concentrating more on exterior wood and deck restoration. The weather is one thing we cannot control, but it does pay to listen to the forecasts and perhaps err on the side of caution when undertaking to stain your deck. If cracks are already present, the stain must penetrate into them to prevent water from causing the cracks to enlarge. Will it effect it right away or will it take days to show up? We had a contractor stain our new cedar deck and he used Sherwin-Williams semi-transparent Super Deck with two coats. If it rains within 48 hours of applying a treatment, the water will soak into the wood, and try and displace the stain. This type of stain is better with direct sunlight, rain, or wind. You wouldn't manage your teenager the same way as your elderly parents. But the downside is it takes quite a long time to dry. Hi Scott, I put on my first coat of Behrs solid wood stain yesterday and finished around 2pm. The Cutek says not to use if wood contains more than 17% moisture, but I dont have a gauge, and really need to do it today. I was wondering whether I could get some plastic sheeting to cover the deck and rails when I know its going to rain so that the deck doesnt get soaked again and I can uncover it when its nice enough to allow it to continue drying or even start staining if its already dry at that point? Also, the paint will peel and flake off if the rain falls as soon as you finish painting. Oh well! It really depends on how hard it rained and for how long. Just wait a few days for it to fully dry and cure and then assess if any damage or not. Is that a problem? However, it rained Sunday night or Monday morning (at . One of my favorite parts of my job is inspecting decks and patios. What if it rains within 24 hours of staining a deck? If you are using latex, if you can get it on for 4 to 6 hours before a light rain, it will have dried enough to survive without spotting. I was applying the stain in partly-cloudy conditions (sometimes sun, sometimes cloud), temps in the high 70's (mid-20's in metric), humidity probably around 50-60% as is typical all spring/summer/fall long here. The first pic is about 3 hours after the second coat (no rain) and the second pic with more shade is 24 hours after the heavy rain (50 hours after 2nd coat). Some woods like Cedar, Cypress, and Redwood have a natural resistance to rotting and therefore are better suited to a water-based stain. They are indications of damage. 2. What Happens if it Rains on a Freshly Stained Fence? If it's OK, then nothing If it's not quite dry enough, or it rains too hard too soon, the surface may look pretty bad A light drizzle most likely wont hurt anything but a good downpour can be a different story. This can cause a blotchy, flaky look, rather than a smooth, even, coat. Should I cover it with a tarp or just leave it alone. We started using the table. It has been a grueling job for one woman with a power washer, a belt and palm sanders. Its been a dance coordinating last coat sanding and putting down finish I can tell you! Durable Quality That Lasts - DEFY Extreme wood stains are made with the highest quality resins available that have better resistance to fading and darkening. Avoid painting within four hours of a rainstorm; high humidity often causes blisters (sometimes water-filled) to form. This will result in a splotchy surface rather than an even tone. Best Deck Prep? Apply a wood restorer, such as ABR X-180 Wood Restorer, with a sprayer, roller, or brush. Now what should I do? Would that be more washable than the Olympic stain? These articles have useful how-to staining tips and great stain color suggestions. Thank you . Rinsed it off with the hose. So I cleaned and brightened my deck but the last week has had some random light showers, so I havent had the 72 minimum window to let the deck dry, stain and cure before more rain comes. Try scraping and sanding those areas and recoating. Thanks for your help! On the other hand if the stain is still wet and sitting atop the surface, rain can cause separation circles or may completely wash the stain away. Any pictures of your deck stain project will help. I power washed rails/ privacy feature deck and let it dry 48 hr. This can cause a blotchy, flaky look, rather than a smooth, even, coat. We are in Australia and weather is cool. Handyman used messmers oil for ipe deck. If the stain is peeling or flaking off because of rain, you will have to sand the deck to remove the peeling stain and begin the entire process again. As you may be aware, moisture in the wood inhibits the stain from properly adhering to the wood, causing a thinner . What happens if it rains on freshly stained decks? Staining a wet deck may also result in an uneven finish. BTW, you were right, the deck is just fine , https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/. My question is can I safely do a second light coat in the fall four months later? Should I hold off or go ahead and stain the deck. Adding more will not fix it. Best Types of Deck Wood in a Rainy Climate, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59MnCmRS1VE, Oiling A Deck? Thanks! Dime-shaped pockets, stains, and white spots are all signs of water damage. Its behr semi Do you think I can chance it if the rain is supposed to start about 10 to 12 hours from now? The next step is sanding, but make sure there is no chance of rain. The first week the table looked fantastic. Try Restore A Deck semi-transparent stains. According to the instructions on the stain can, I should have been just fine. The weather plays a significant role in how quickly the varnish dries and how its looks when it is finished. If it rains unexpectedly, it can undo all the hard work you have done. Although decking oils usually seem dry on the outside, within a few hours after the initial application, it almost always takes up to a week to thoroughly cure, after which the wood will no longer be tacky. According to stain manufacturer Behr Corporation, you should avoid staining a deck for at least 24 to 48 hours after the deck gets wet. You could use a cleaning solution that will help to remove the gray fibers, dirt, mold, mildew, and other impurities deep in the wood. Do not let cleaner dry on the wood. I also enjoy spending time in our backyard with friends and family. What do we do.. thanks for your help!! (No rain in the forecast now). Or you can use a deck stain sprayer. Hired a company to paint house and stain deck. But as we all know sometimes the weather is not so predictable. What do you recommend? I am new to garden boxes so not sure what to use to waterproof the inside of the boxes. I painted all the rails and posts with Olympic solid stain we had left from painting the house. Nothing to do but wait until it's dry for 24 hours and see if it left the finish spotted. Scott and his Deck Cleaning Michigan company have restored over 10,000 decks in the Metro Detroit area since the early years. Sorry I thought the pictures were loaded! The water tries to displace the deck stain. Behr Corporation, a stain manufacturer, also recommends that you leave your deck to dry within 24-48 hours following the rain. My can of stain got water in it sitting on the porch is it still good?? Take in consideration that wood and deck stain results may differ due to prepping procedures, different wood types, exposure to UV radiation, natural weathering, etc. However, you shouldn't attempt to seal pressure-treated wood that's already been stained. As in you will have to remove the coatings first and then restain. Opaque latex stains generally last longer than semi-transparent versions. Answer: Rarely do we see any issues but there is always the possibility f the weather was cold or if the stain was over-applied. If the bubble has failed to disappear on its own as the water evaporates, you will need to break the bubble, and allow the wall to dry out. Water will soak into the deck if it rains within 48 hours after painting. Just wait until it warms up later and the dew burns off. Hey! It seems so commonplace that we may feel the need to make it appear more sophisticated by adding some color. I waited a full day (recommendations on the can say not to apply within 24hrs of rain) after and put some more water on the area and got the same pinkish look under the sun, but the wet deck out of the sun (second picture) looks normal . Share. If it rains within 48 hours after you apply the stain, the water will soak into the wood pores and try to . If your newly stained deck gets wet before it dries, you should follow this procedure: If all else fails, you might have to strip the stain off the deck and restain the deck. If none is available, purchase a small piece of the same type of lumber, or simply test the stain in a small, hidden area. They are also quite mildewing and mold resistant. Wait for the deck slats to cool down before applying the stain. As its drying, I am noticing the following: 1. some lines in a portion of the deck Finished up for the day at 6pm. These two factors make them perfect for a rainy climate, such as Seattle or London. Do you think the rest of the deck will be ok to put the second coat on after everything thoroughly dries and I can just sand and start over on the board with the bubbles? My deck has milky places all over it after the first rain after staining The knots always stain lighter in color and that is normal as well. What Happens if it Rains Sooner? If. Supporters of this cleaning technique say it is the best way of reaching deep into the wood, allowing you to remove stubborn stains and dirt . The original weather forecast was that it would be clear for 48 hours. Hey Scott thnx! Or you can try lightly sanding the rain spots and recoating. Adding more does not always work as well and can create issues with over-application. Now the forecast has changed, and rain is expected about 36 hours after staining. On freshly stained decks have restored over 10,000 decks in the Metro Detroit area since the early years is. My can of stain on a stained deck the finish spotted damage or not 48 after. 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