Get matched with top deck staining pros in Jonesville, LA

Yes, you can and should paint or stain pressure-treated wood to help prevent the boards from cracking. However, you must wait for the wood to dry out completely before applying any finish. Freshly treated wood can take weeks or even months to dry; a common recommendation is to wait three to six months. To check if the wood is ready, perform a simple water test: drip some water onto the surface. If the water beads up, the wood is still too wet and needs more time to dry. If the wood absorbs the water, it is dry enough to be painted or stained. You can proceed with building your deck or fence while the wood is still wet, but you will need to wait to apply the paint or stain.

In most cases, sanding an old deck before staining it is necessary to achieve a decent finish. If your old deck has a relatively new stain finish on it and you're only doing touch-ups, you can generally skip the sanding part. However, if your goal is to make the deck look and function better, sanding first is a must. 

Two coats of stain are ideal for the best protection and aesthetic appeal. However, if your decking is made of particularly dense hardwood, you may only need one coat. If you want an intense color, two coats are ideal.

Painted decks typically require a new coat about once every ten years. In between new coats, it's best to maintain your deck by regularly removing debris, washing it down with non-abrasive cleaners, and staying ahead of structural issues, such as loose boards and rotting wood. In some cases, painting a small section of your deck affected by damage or the sun can lower your costs and workload.