Can you paint pressure treated wood

Some ground-contact wood uses would be fencing where the fence posts are in-ground, as is the posts in the pergola gate above. When your project involves wood being less than 6 inches from the ground, or where it may be poorly ventilated and challenging to maintain or replace, you need to use ground-contact wood. Pressure-treated wood can be stained rather easily.

Take the following steps to ensure your efforts are successful. Wet wood cannot absorb the stain properly. However, you may stain immediately if you have kiln-dried wood. Sprinkle some water onto the wood, and then time how long it takes for it to be absorbed. If the water is absorbed completely, you are ready to stain. Wood that is not ready will pool or bead the water on the surface, signaling it still retains too much moisture. If you are staining wood that has been installed for a while, then it is essential to clean the wood before staining to get rid of dirt and other debris that can interfere with the stain.

You should let this solution soak in for at least 10 minutes, but follow the directions on the container. We showcased how to clean a wood fence without pressure washing using different methods. Afterward, rinse the solution off with a garden hose or a power washer especially if there are tough stains.

Then, wait at least 24 hours for the wood to dry and since the last rainfall before treating it with the stain. Sweep the wood with a broom to clear off any leaves or dirt that may have collected while the wood was drying. After opening the container of stain, stir it well to ensure the color is even throughout, and pour some into a paint tray. Start by applying a small amount of stain to a patch of wood and confirm that you are comfortable with its appearance.

After you are done, let the stain dry for at least 24 hours before walking on it. The recommended tool for applying stain is a paint pad applicator. You can attach it to a pole for easy application without having to bend over. Wood is very absorbent and is essentially a large sponge — this is one of the reasons it takes so long for it to dry! Take a cup of water and place several drops of water on the surface of the wood.

If the water soaks into the wood, it means that the wood is dry enough for painting. However, if the water beads on the surface, there is too much water within the wood.

Now, maybe part of the wood is dry enough, but is the whole board? Dousing the whole board in water would be counter-intuitive — so what do we do? The final way to test the moisture content of your treated lumber is to use a digital moisture meter.

The digital moisture meter has two prongs you press into the wood, testing the moisture content. If you use a digital moisture meter, be sure you have the device properly calibrated. Also, test more than one spot on the board and average the amounts you get.

Pressure-treated wood contains a high level of moisture after it is initially treated. Unless your treated lumber was kiln-dried, it would likely be damp when you buy it. I always advise waiting until the treated wood is dry before you paint. While this can create chipping and peeling, it can also cause the paint not to dry. Since the board is still damp, the moisture will wick into the paint and prevent it from properly curing.

As a result, you get paint that begins to flake much sooner than if you had allowed the wood to completely dry. When a board dries, it naturally becomes a bit smaller in size. This slight shrinking of the wood will further accelerate peeling paint. And then what happens? As we said in the last section, wood will shrink slightly as it dries.

This shrinking is also how a board begins to warp. When one side of the board shrinks faster than the other side of the board, the board will begin to pull towards the shrinking side. Yet another option is to allow the wood to weather and become gray, and then to coat it with a protective sealant.

Of course, sealant must also be reapplied, but many consider the job to be less demanding than repainting, which often entails scraping away parts of the old finish. Disclosure: BobVila. You agree that BobVila. All rights reserved. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. Painting How To: Paint Pressure-Treated Wood The process of painting pressure-treated wood involves steps you would not take—and considerations you would not make—with regular lumber.

Here's what you need to know.