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Staining a deck is like selling stocks, and not just because they start with an “s”. Both of them require good timing. With bad timing, you could be better off throwing your money into a wishing well and hoping for a pretty deck. Most people also have the theory that staining is something that can be done year-round. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The most important thing you need to know about deck staining is that timing matters. Timing is key in terms of weather circumstances. Those of you in a hot southern state such as Florida are most likely warm year round. If you wanted to, you could stain year-round because your weather is more or less the same, as long as it isn’t raining. For the rest of us, don’t choose the best weather for outdoor activities because it is likely not the best choice of weather conditions.

What is the best time to stain a deck? Staining is really best done in the fall season because the weather is perfect for most places. If your weather is inconsistent with what we consider “fall time”, then pick the time of the year that more suits your area’s fall. For example, living in a snowy mountainous region wouldn’t be suitable for a deck staining in the Fall because it’s probably going to continue snowing significantly more now than if you did it in the summer time. Actually, if you live in a snowy mountain, it would be better to get a screened in porch than a deck…at the very least get a roof for your deck. For the rest of us, spring and summer time is the worst time to do this. Spring time is supposed to be when the rain comes through and the flowers bloom. The only piece we care about is the rain (not to be anti-flowers here). Rain means moisture, and moisture means a ruined deck. Even without the rain, the humidity alone has the potential to ruin your stain. Woods soak in a lot of moistures, making this an unruly time for treating a deck.

I know what you’re thinking: “but it’s so cold the rest of the year!” I feel your pain, but as it turns out, September is not too cold for us, but just dry enough to stain your deck properly. Really any time between August and October is an ideal time for staining your deck. If you know it’s going to rain this weekend, wait until a dry weekend rolls through (or the driest time for those that can’t escape the wrath of Mother Nature). Depending on your location, the time of year may change slightly. Not to sound like the fine print of a commercial, but for best results choose the driest time of year for your area.

Now that you’ve decided when to stain a deck, you want to know how long for stain to dry. You’re in luck! It’s about a day or two, depending on your weather. After the stain/sealant has dried, it’s time to enjoy your new gray deck! Wait, why is my deck gray? To prevent graying (which comes from the Sun shining on a deck without UV protection), use a sealant that has color and UV protection. Without UV protection you will notice graying within 3 months of sealing. Finally, when is it time to re-stain? Unfortunately stain doesn’t last a lifetime. You can expect to re-stain your deck every couple of years. There are a lot of things to know when it comes to deck cleaning, staining, and sealing. For this reason, you could save yourself the hassle of Googling the whole weekend. We both know what really happens when you plan on doing home improvement: you look forward to it, prepare for it, and then realize you don’t know how to do it. It is highly recommended, as with all home improvements, to consult or hire a professional. In this case, a local deck repair, deck sealing, or deck staining company would know about what, when, and how to seal a deck. After all, they live in the area and probably have a bit more experience in the field.