Painting Your Pressure-Treated Wood

Yes! You can stain or paint wood that has been treated with pressure. However, for a long-lasting and beautiful finish, check the wood's moisture content prior to choosing the right paint and primer. Follow the below guide for in-depth how-to instructions.

How to Paint a Pressure-Treated Wood?

Pressure-treated wood takes a long time to dry before they become ready for painting, which takes longer than kiln-dried lumber. If you bought it at a hardware store, odds are it's not dry enough to be painted on. If the water is splattered onto the floor, the lumber will require some time to dry. Pressure-treated lumber may take weeks, or sometimes even months, to dry fully. When the wood has absorbed water on its surface, it's ready for painting.

It is essential to choose the proper type of primer and paint for pressure-treated wood. Our experts recommend priming using a latex primer as well as an exterior latex paint compatible with it, commonly referred to by the name water-based. We suggest you stay clear of oil-based paint.

Prepping

• Cleanse the area by washing it with soap and water. This will take away dirt and dust.
• If your deck is in bad shape, you can make use of a commercial deck cleaning agent and a washer, if required. The wood should dry prior to painting it.

Paint

• When the wood has dried, you can brush, roll, or spray the primer.
• Let the primer cure for the duration determined by the company that made it. After that, apply an exterior coat of latex paint, and apply a minimum of two coats.
• Be sure to adhere to the recoat window set by the manufacturer, usually a couple of hours.

You did it!

Can You Stain Pressure-Treated Lumber?

You sure can! In some instances, the stain is preferred because it absorbs into wood and is easy to apply. However, it is not the most appealing choice of colors, and it will not fill small cracks in wood the way paint can. No matter which option you pick, you should follow the same steps for staining pressure-treated wood. For stain, we suggest applying an oil-based semitransparent exterior stain.

When You Need Expert Help

The steps above could be more labor-intensive than you initially thought. If you have any problem, please contact us!