What do we do.. thanks for your help!! Make sure you use a clean brush and the same stain, both by style and manufacturer. Or you can try lightly sanding the rain spots and recoating. Of course it rained that night. Remember, no rain 24 hours before you apply stain and no rain 24 hours after the staining project. If you are on the shadow side of the home . When applying stain, a pad, brush, roller, or rag can be used to apply the stain. What Happens if it Rains Sooner? It rained very heavy and persistent the next day after my first water based staining. I put a clear no nonsense water based stain on my decking. Here they are. It is now very solid paint, dry to the touch, but slightly tacky if I leave my hand on the hot deck for a minute, and appears to have no bubbles or flaws. Hardwood has a natural hard grain and is moisture-resistant. You will have to remove all and start over with a better brand of stain for your hardwood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/ipe-exotic-hardwood-stain-review/. Roughly 24 hours after application, I noticed the deck was still wet and unfortunately it started to rain heavily. Notice in some areas the colour is more saturated and shiny despite it feeling completely dry. Find the Right Wood Stain for Your Project. Allow water to enter the wood and you'll soon see small checking cracks. None of the solid stains have a gloss and are matte with no shine so the washability of it will be the same. As its drying, I am noticing the following: 1. some lines in a portion of the deck My wood boards are underneathmy deck and was getting wet so i wiped them with a cloth and propted them up so rain could run down and not rest on. Pressure wash off the blotches and then lightly recoat all. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/. It rained pretty steady for a few hours but never seemed to be a heavy driving rain. Try Restore A Deck semi-transparent stains. This depends on the brand and type of stain being used as they do not all have the same instructions.? Is it better to use a brush vs a roller ti stain your deck? Cleaning a deck via pressure washing is one of the most controversial topics in the woodworking community. If it rains immediately after you've stained the wood, the stain will peel and flake off. 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. When I started we were not expecting rain for four or five days so am really upset that I have wasted my time and money in painting the boxes with oil. Ask Deck Help Questions & Post Product Reviews! It was not fully cured before the rain came. When considering what happens if it rains on a freshly stained deck, you will have to keep in mind that there may be some reparations to make. So, finally, what happens if it rains on a freshly stained deck? This all depends on the brand of stain you are suing and is the wood new? Contractors cleaned and re-stained our deck with Sherwin Williams SuperDeck semi-transparent oil based stain. Most pressure-treated decking is milled from southern yellow pine and then chemically treated to resist rot, fungus, and wood-boring bugs. It might be difficult to wait to stain the deck, but it will prevent hours of extra work. Is this ok? Some preparations for deck staining also require you to clean the area, so naturally, you will have a wet deck after washing as the best cleaning occurs with the use of a power-wash. I think you would be wasting your money and time but I suppose you could test it. If there is too much stain, it restricts the moisture from evaporating away, so peeling can occur. An advantage of water-based stains is that they do not contain harmful odors or fumes and are not flammable. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. I painted all the rails and posts with Olympic solid stain we had left from painting the house. Explanation: If rain is in the forecast we will hold until a better time to apply sealer, however if it rains after sealer is applied and it has been warm and at least 3 hours, it usually will be fine. An oil-based stain is the best choice if the deck is going to be directly exposed to wind, rain, and sunlight. Your customer may insist on a re-do before he pays. And when will i be able to apply 2nd coat?. If a bubble remains after the surface dries, however, you'll need to scrape it off and repaint. For most stains, 70 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimum, with the safety range from 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. My team and I started this site to share this journey. Apply with a pump sprayer and let it sit for several minutes. The water sitting on the deck made the area under it look pinkish when the sun hits it (first picture) but looks perfectly fine when dry (third picture). Thank you . Here are seven problems you may encounter on your newly stained deck when it rains: Rain can ruin decking Rain can cause damage when the deck stain is not dry Problems with wet deck stains Water stains on newly stained deck Rain damage to deck wood or stain Best stains for a rainy climate Best types of deck wood in a rainy climate However, it rained Sunday night or Monday morning (at . Typically, pine is the cheapest lumber you can buy and its light color can make it seem like a blank canvas. This is first and foremost a help site from our experience as wood restoration contractors. It rained when it wasn't supposed to! -Before asking a question if rain harmed your deck, wait until the rain stops and the water fully dries off the deck or wood. Apply stain with a pad or brush (do not use a roller) by back brushing with the grain. You cannot top coat it. Can even tell it needs 2. Now the forecast has changed, and rain is expected about 36 hours after staining. Thank you in advance. But, what happens if it rains on a freshly stained deck? So what happens now.? Just fix it next Spring. The railing tops, skirt and in-between the boards got their first coat. The while looks like sap leeching out. Adding more does not always work as well and can create issues with over-application. Customers are pretty aware of this problem. If it rains within 48 hours of applying a treatment, the water will soak into the wood, and try and displace the stain. Identify the tacky or sticky part of the deck, I applied a second coat of color before the first one dried, Commonly used as a top coat of deck stain, Resistant to warping, cracking, twisting, and decay, You can only know if the harvesting was environmentally responsible and has the Forest Stewardship Council trademark, Will blacken if it experiences prolonged exposure to moisture. The sections under the roof seemed to fair okay and are dry but the sections that got rained on are still kinda tacky. Some of the most popular choices for decking boards are pressure treated woods or modified wood. It looks awful, splotchy and scaly. If it rains immediately after you've stained the wood, the stain will peel and flake off. Sealers are especially useful in rainy climates, such as London and Seattle, since the weather can be unpredictable. If you are getting higher readings, the deck needs further air drying before applying the stain. I sanded it back when we had a few good sunny days and reoiled. You cannot fix them outside of removing all stain and starting over. It diaries and seems to have cured although there are a couple of washed out/ faded spots. Look for any swelling or puffiness in the wood or softness to the surface. Saturate oily rags in water when done to avoid spontaneous combustion. 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. He has become an authority in the deck restoration industry and has contributed to numerous wood restoration forums and informative sites. It needs 12-24 hours depending on the location to dry well before it starts to rain. Stain becomes sticky on a wooden surface because it doesn't have a binder, such as you find in paint or varnish. Try a gallon of the same color in another brand of quality solid stain. It will probably have issues if you apply more, especially with the SW brand. Will a Clear Sealer Prevent Graying on Deck? Having rain stained on your newly varnished deck is unfortunate, although this can be a typical encounter. What an awesome resource to be able to ask the opinion of others to figure out what to do, thank you! When contaminants are left in the wood pores and stain is applied a whole host of problems can occur. We had a contractor stain our new cedar deck and he used Sherwin-Williams semi-transparent Super Deck with two coats. This will result in a splotchy surface rather than an even tone. The use of a quality wood cleaner and pressure washer or scrub brush is necessary to remove all the contaminants like dirt, grime, mold, mildew, and graying. Rained this morning and feels wet to touch and coloring looks as though I just applied the stain. What happens if it rains on fresh stain? Let the cleaner sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or as directed. No. The only thing you can do is remove all and start over. Thank you. live in midwest and cold weather weather next . Does that sound right? 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? How Many Days After it Rains Should You Apply Deck Stain? Sorry. Stains and oils penetrate wood best when it's cool and dry. When your deck stain does not dry, it probably was misapplied. I power washed rails/ privacy feature deck and let it dry 48 hr. Because they penetrate the wood deeper, they are extremely durable and provide a thicker seal for the deck. I have been successfully maintaining it for thirty years with CWF-UV recoating every 2-3 years. It happened because Thompsons is a very poor product and should not be used for hardwoods. Rain on a newly stained deck can ruin it or, at best, create a lot of extra work. When can I apply the recommended second coat.? Advantages to Having a Two-Toned Deck in 2023. Will deck need to be redone? In average conditions, your paint or stain will be dry to the touch within 1-2 hours, but you should not walk on it for probably 4-6 hours. Seems to be drying fast. About 4 hours after application some unexpected rain came in. It depends on the stain brand and how fast it dries. This is not the right answer. Let's Find Out. Its been more than 24 hours (more like 36) and it rained this morning and now lighter areas are showing where some of the puddles were. The wood looks fuzzy and I see lines in the wood from the pressure washing, We would definitely sand it or buff it before staining: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/wood-fuzzies-furring-on-deck/. Live in SC where we have quick hard rains every other day to relieve the heat. It looks good and the rain did not harm it. We hope our guide to what happens if it rains on a freshly stained deck has been helpful! After washing the wood and rinsing well, mix the brightener up according to the directions. Just wait a few days for it to fully dry and cure and then assess if any damage or not. Heres pic of white blotches and some still wet after 24 hrs. Most deck stain brands will warn against the application of their product within 12-24 hours of rain being forecast. If you are unable to fix the problem with washing or sanding and recoating, you may have to strip off the stain with a deck stain stripper and start over again. Copyright www.deckstainhelp.com 2022 All Rights Reserved. If I keep the porch wet can I clean my house around it with water & bleach? (the weather app said no rain) It rained hard for 15 minutes (as we ran around in horror trying to tarp the deck LOL). Rain on Deck Stain Issues It is best to never stain any exterior wood when inclement weather is forecasted, especially rain. Spots and recoating only thing you can buy and its light color can make it seem like a canvas... 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