This deck staining job in Port Orange started with fresh pressure treated lumber. The deck frame was built out from the front of a manufactured home, and the decking was being stained a warm brown when the second photo was taken.
Both are in progress shots. The first shows the frame and posts before any decking went down. The second shows boards in place and taking stain, some done, some still bare. There is no finished photo of this deck on the site yet, so if you want to see completed work, look through the project portfolio or give us a call.
- Location
- Port Orange, FL
- Property
- Manufactured home with a new front deck
- Surfaces
- New pressure treated decking
- Work shown
- Before and in progress
Before and in progress photos
Neither photo shows the finished deck. The first is bare framing, the second is stain part way on.
How long should you wait to stain a new pressure treated deck?
It depends on the stain and how wet the boards are. Some products are made to go onto new treated lumber within days. Others need the wood to dry out for weeks, and going on too early means peeling.
Pressure treated boards come from the lumber yard wet with treatment solution. Here is a simple test: sprinkle water on a board. If it beads up, the wood is still holding moisture. If it soaks in within a few minutes, it is ready for most stains. Florida heat speeds drying on a deck in full sun, while a shaded deck, or one that catches the afternoon storms every day, takes longer.
Waiting too long has its own cost. Months of UV on bare boards leaves a gray, fuzzy surface that needs cleaning or a light sanding before stain will bond. Board ends and edges matter most of all. That is where water gets in first.
Is it better to paint or stain a deck in Florida?
For most Florida decks, stain. Paint forms a film that looks great at first, but on a flat surface in full sun it tends to crack and peel, and peeling deck paint is a lot of work to strip off.
A penetrating or semi transparent stain soaks into the wood instead of sitting on top. When it wears, it fades rather than flaking, so recoating is mostly a wash and a fresh coat. Solid color stains sit between the two. They hide the grain like paint does but go on thinner and wear more gracefully. The brown on this deck also evens out the green tint new treated lumber has. That is one reason it suits a new deck: the color stays warm while the wood underneath settles.
Whatever you choose, plan on upkeep. Decks here take sun, rain, sand and bare feet all year, and the walking boards wear much faster than the posts or railings. Our page on paint restoration covers bringing worn surfaces back.
What should you ask a painter before staining a new deck?
Ask what product they plan to use and when they plan to put it on. Those two answers tell you whether they understand new treated wood.
Then ask what is included. A good quote says whether the posts, railings, stair stringers and tread undersides get coated, or only the walking surface. It should also say how the ground and the house next to the deck will be protected. Stain drips on siding and skirting are hard to get off. On a manufactured home like this one, the skirting and siding sit right behind the deck, so masking them matters. Ask, too, whether the price covers a second coat on the walking boards, since they take the most wear and usually soak up the most product on new lumber.
Last, ask how long before you can walk on it and put furniture back. Stain can feel dry to the touch well before it is ready for chair legs and foot traffic, and a good painter will give you a straight answer on both. You can see other residential projects on our site, and our exterior painting page explains how we prep outdoor surfaces.
Have a new deck that needs stain?
Call before the boards sit bare through a summer. We will look at the wood and give you a written price for coating it.