What Is The Best Way To Clean And Stain Pressure Treated Wood?

Hi,

There is some good info about pressure treated decks on Earthpaint.net

The semi-transparent color of the stain comes from the color selected. We offer a full range, from clear to deep toned stain colors.

The darker the color the more UV protection.

The best way to clean and stain new pressure treated is:

1. Lime Clean.

2. Sand 35-50 grit (as needed to reduce splinters and such).

3. Rainforest Sealer or Mountain XT (diluted 1 qt per gallon with Pure Citrus Solvent or Corn Solvent).

If you can coat all six sides that helps. Don’t apply more than one coat of our stain at this point.

Be sure to soak the board ends as much as possible as this will greatly reduce splitting at the board ends where moisture escapes the fastest.

This system allows pressure treated wood to acclimate to it’s environment slowly, without drying out too fast and without trapping moisture and chemicals inside.

The stain remains breathable and protects the wood.

Pressure treated does best if it’s washed with Lime Clean first. This is because liming the wood is just a good thing to do and it washes out the wood fiber cell at the surface level so that it can accept the dense tree resins we use. All of this works to assist in creating a petrification effect as the wood is maintained over the long term. Our finishes are engineered to stay in the saturated wood fiber cell and become bolstered with subsequent maintenance coats.

The most common semi transparent color for pressure treated is Light Cedar. That is used all over the world in many harsh conditions.

Best wishes,

Tom