Exact Answer: 24 – 48 Hours
The deck of a house can be defined as a wooden platform that is built above the ground but is connected to the main building of the house. It is enclosed by railing made either of wood, iron, or glass for safety. The deck can easily be accessed by the inside of the house through doors or stairways.
To keep one’s deck looking great, polished, and to prolong the life of the wood that is used to make the deck, it is essential to stain the deck once every two to three years. Staining the deck would ensure that water is not soaked inside the deck boards and also if the deck has any mold or mildew buildup then it can be removed and cleaned.
How Long After Rain To Stain Deck?
Staining the deck would ensure that the wood of the deck stays fine and in good condition which would lead to less work in the unforeseeable future. However, this process of staining the deck involves a lot of work and demands a huge amount of energy and time. Thus, one must decide to stain the deck only when the circumstances are in favor.
Also, the deck must be dry before it is stained. Thus, one cannot stain their decks immediately after it has rained recently. Thus, one must wait for at least 24 to 48 hours after the rain has stopped before staining the deck as if the deck is wet it would not lead to effective staining.
Moisture in the wood would only prevent the stain from adhering appropriately to the deck. This could potentially reverse the effects for which the stain is applied. This lack of adhesion of stain on wet decks would eventually result in a thinner final coat of the stain which would most probably wash off after a few strong thunder and rainstorms.
Thus, one should never be in a hurry to stain the deck after it has rained recently. It is ideal and advisable to wait for at least 2 – 4 days after the rain to apply the stain to ensure that the longevity of the stain and the deck are not compromised.
| Conditions | Duration |
| The time to wait after rain before staining the deck | 24 – 48 hours |
| The time required by the stain to dry | 4 – 24 hours |
Why Does It Take So Long After Rain To Stain Deck?
Staining cannot happen in a jiffy as it takes a substantial amount of time and money. Hence, it is vital to make sure that the process is done right. Staining is a process that is most affected by environmental conditions like rain, as wood decks cannot be stained if the decks are wet.
Deck stains are of various types. All these stains could have different requirements on how long to wait before applying them after it has rained. As a general notion, one should wait for at least 24 to 48 hours after the rain to ensure that the stain properly sticks and bonds to the deck surface.
The wood needs to be dry to ensure that the decks are stained properly. If this is neglected and the stain is applied on a wet deck, it could have disastrous consequences like rain washing away the stain.
Also not just before the application, it is essential that after the stain is applied, it is allowed to dry properly before it again starts raining. Stains could take several hours to dry properly and stay adhered to the surface of the deck. If the stain is not left alone to dry properly for a few days, the rainwater might seep into the woods of the deck before the stain has completely dried.
The wet deck would eventually cause the stain to flake out and fall away, causing the stain coating to peel off. However, if all due precautions are taken before and after applying the stain, it won’t matter even if it rains heavily after the stain has dried completely.
Conclusion
One should check the weather forecast before scheduling the staining of their decks to ensure that it does not rain during that period. It is recommended to wait at least 24 to 48 hours after the rain to stain the deck. Most wood stains are oil-based and therefore would not bond well to a wet deck surface.
If stain is applied to a wet deck, it would result in a thinner coat of stain which is likely to wash away after a few rainfalls. Thus, it is better to wait patiently for the wood to dry after the rain before staining the deck for excellent results.
References
- https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/BF00691494.pdf
- https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1993/willi93d.pdf
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