Another way of checking if your wood is ready for stain is to pour a little water on the wood. If the water beads up, the lumber still too wet to be stained or painted. If the water is absorbed into the wood easily, it's ready to be sealed or stained.
The wood must be clean, dry and free of contaminants. If you try to apply stain or sealer over damp or dirty wood, then there won't be proper adhesion.
Weathered wood must be cleaned and bleached prior to staining to kill any mildew spores. No matter the type of wood, we always recommend waiting 24-48 hours after rainfall or cleaning to make sure the structure is dry prior to staining.
Stains and oils penetrate wood best when it's cool and dry. If it rains within 48 hours of applying a treatment, the water will soak into the wood, and try and displace the stain. This can cause a blotchy, flaky look, rather than a smooth, even, coat.
Without waiting for the wood to dry, stain and sealant would not penetrate the wood properly, diminishing its ability to protect the wood from weather damage.
In order for water-damaged wood to have a chance at drying out, it must be exposed. Otherwise, it likely will not dry. This is especially the case if other materials surrounding the affected wood are also wet. Remove any materials, such as drywall or subflooring, that are blocking the water-damaged wood.
What Happens if You Stain a Deck Too Soon? If you try to stain new wood too soon, the stain won't take. The wood needs to be porous so that the stain can soak in and reflect the color that you chose. If the stain doesn't take, the color will fade in the sun and wash out in the rain.
How can I make wood stain dry faster? To make the stain dry faster, you can try to warm up the air and reduce the humidity. You can do this with a dehumidifier to remove moisture from the air and a space heater to warm up the temperature of the space.
That sticky pigment mess will never dry, no matter how long you wait. This is why it's crucial to wipe off any excess before the solvents evaporate. If you're in situation where it's too late for that, keep reading! I detail how to remove tacky wood stain later in the article!
There are a couple of reasons wood won't absorb stain. These include staining sealed wood, sanding too finely, and working with tight-grained woods that don't take stain. There are specific solutions to each problem, but generally applying a sealer and a stain that sits on top of the wood is a simple solution.
Sand. After the first “sealer” coat has dried, sand it smooth using very fine sandpaper. Not doing this is probably the single most common cause of finishes not feeling smooth after all coats have been applied. The most important thing you can do to achieve smooth results is to sand the first coat smooth.
If you stain a deck while it's still wet from pressure washing, the end result will defer from your expectations. Wood paints are usually pigments mixed in oils, which the wood absorbs. If you apply it on wet surfaces, it won't be absorbed properly and you will end up with an uneven-looking deck.
The technique of wetting the wood down before staining is called “popping” the grain. What it does is open the pores of the wood to allow it to take the stain evenly and deeply.
Yes if you blow air (especially heated air) over various oil-based finishes they will dry faster.
If it is a quick drying stain like Olympic Smart Guard it will be dry within a couple hours. If it is a deep solid color stain you may want to wait 24 hours before stepping on the stained wood surface.
If it's too wet or cold, the drying time for stains can easily double. In extreme cases, the product will just stay wet until the humidity decreases or the temperature rises. Oppositely, if it's too warm, the stain will dry very quickly and could lead to lap marks or uneven penetration.
Wait at least 12 hours before applying a new coat.
If a stain is not completely dry after the above-mentioned period, allow the wood to sit and wait for another 24 hours. Some wood stains will require more time to dry than others.
Applying a second coat of stain to change the color is something you might try once, but the chances of success are not very good. A second coat of stain can cause other issues like peeling of the top coat(s).
The longer a stain is left untreated, the less likely it is to be removed. When a spill first occurs, it sits on the surface of the fabric, but over time, that spill can start to react with the fabric causing the fabric to actually change colors.
Just as drying wood shrinks, wood that is absorbing moisture from its environment will swell in size. While that might cause a tight fit or even a potential split, in some wood projects and in wood floors it can also cause crowning or buckling.
After thoroughly towel drying the floor, add absorbent material like sawdust, baking soda, or kitty litter. Spread a generous amount of the material over the affected area and let it sit overnight. The absorbent material helps to draw out any remaining moisture from the wood and makes it easier to dry.
Place a dehumidifier in the center of the room once all of the standing water is removed. Set it to the highest extraction setting possible. Turn it on and leave it running for at least 24 hours to pull moisture from the boards. Place fans blowing across the surface to further aid in drying the wood out.
Can I stain on top of old stain? Yes! In fact, applying stain over stain is a fairly simple process. It works especially well if you're applying a dark stain over a lighter stain.