How to Paint Pressure-Treated Wood
Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about How to Paint Pressure-Treated Wood and hope the blog can help you.
Pressure-treated wood contains chemicals that help it resist rot and decay. Painting this kind of wood is an easy DIY, but differs from other kinds of paint projects. Here’s why.
Painting pressure-treated wood comes with some complications caused by the very treatment that allows the material to last outdoors. The chemical preservatives used to produce pressure-treated wood minimize the wood’s natural vulnerability to insects and rot, but they also leave the wood rather wet, a state that could lead to your coat of paint eventually peeling. To paint pressure-treated wood successfully, therefore, you must be prepared to exercise a bit of patience.
What is Pressure-Treated Wood?
Pressure-treated wood is natural milled lumber that is treated to better fight rot and decay. Manufacturers force water and preservative chemicals into the wood, into the space left by removing air in a special depressurized holding tank. Softwoods, most often southern yellow pine, take to the process better. Some lumbers, such as cedar, are not great candidates for pressure treating because they already resist rot and decay.
There are two main types of pressure-treated lumber: Above-ground products only work when they’re used at least 6 inches above the ground and where the material has proper ventilation and drainage. Ground-contact pressure-treated wood is cured with more chemicals and is thus appropriate for use just above the ground, at ground level, or wherever ventilation is poor.
What is pressure-treated wood treated with? Manufacturers can imbue the wood with chemicals in either a water- or oil-based solution. Typical water-based preservatives include copper compounds, which combine the element with fungicides or decay-preventing chemicals. Common oil-based preservatives include creosote or pentachlorophenol and are not registered for home use. When you shop for pressure-treated wood, be sure to check the tag on the product for specifics: The tag should note whether the lumber is for above-ground or ground contact use, the type of preservative the wood contains, and its retention level (the higher it is, the better its rot resistance).
Pressure-treated wood most often is used for decks, fences, and other outdoor structures. Water-based pressure-treated woods should be safe for garden beds, with a few precautions. It should not be used indoors.
Can You Paint Pressure-Treated Wood?
Yes, you can paint pressure-treated wood, but your first order of business is to ensure that it is dry enough to accept the paint. Test the wood by sprinkling some water on it. If the drops bead on the surface, wait a few days and check again. If the material absorbs the water, it also is ready to absorb paint. Painting pressure-treated wood too soon can result in peeling paint. Note that some oil-based treated wood will not accept paint, unless it is a type of paint that is designed specifically for that purpose.
If your project is time-sensitive, it may be wise to choose pressure-treated wood that’s marked as having been kiln-dried after treatment (KDAT). The timeline for painting KDAT wood is considerably more condensed.
Can You Stain Pressure-Treated Wood?
If you want to maintain some of the wood’s natural character, consider staining pressure-treated wood rather than painting it. Semi-transparent stains such as Thompson’s WaterSeal, the top stain for pressure-treated wood in our guide to the best deck stains, look more natural than opaque paints because the wood grain shows through the stain. Some experts recommend staining over painting this type of lumber because paint might not adhere as well, while stain can soak deeper into the lumber.
One of the advantages to painting pressure-treated wood rather than staining it is that paint provides better coverage, which is ideal if you’re covering wood that has seen better days. There’s also the fact that paints come in more color options than stain colors for pressure-treated wood. On the downside, painting takes a little longer to do than staining and will likely need more frequent reapplications, typically every 2 to 3 years.
Yet another option is to coat pressure-treated wood with a protective sealant as soon as it is dry, or once it has weathered to the desired shade. Though sealant must also be reapplied every few years, it’s an easier process than repainting. When repainting pressure-treated wood, old paint needs to be scraped away first and it’s a job that can be rather labor intensive.
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