Spending time on deck with family is the coolest thing to do for many during summer. But your wood deck requires maintenance to keep it protected from foreign elements and look great every time. Planning to stain your deck on weekends might help as no one will use it. You need to control the traffic on the deck after staining, ensure the drying process is completed, and also your children or pet animals did not run on it.
The key to long-lasting finish for deck restoration is to clean and prepare the wood. The stain penetrates fully into the wood that is perfectly cleaned.
So how to check that the deck is dry enough for the stain to be applied? There are several measures to check the moisture content of your wooden deck.
1. Use a moisture meter to check the moisture levels before staining. The moisture levels should be between 12-15% or less to start staining. If the levels are higher, you need to wait for the wood to dry for more days.
2. Checking for climate after cleaning: Depending on the exposure to sunlight, type, and age of wood, it takes about 1-2 days for the deck to completely dry. To make the staining more natural and safe, let the deck dry for more days.
Most wood stains take about four hours per 100 square feet to dry. It is recommended a full day for drying. Deck stain needs curing time. You will need to wait even longer in cooler weather or during periods of high humidity. If you need to walk on your deck and are not sure if it is quite ready, clean your feet and go barefoot. This reduces the chances of leaving footprints.
After staining the deck, you might be eager to move furniture back. It is not safe to put furniture until the stain dries up. You might have to wait for a week or more. Putting potting plants directly on decks might lead to rotting as water cannot escape. If you are putting back potting plants, be sure that put them on risers so that water can escape properly.
Decks are often subjected to lots of pressure and traffic from people. So they must be maintained correctly from time to time. The staining process should be done regularly for the exterior decks. For inspirations, ideas and Professional Painting & Home Improvement Works, contact Executive Touch Painters in Toronto or Call at (416) 410-0164 Today.
