Before you get into colors, stains, and prices for your deck restaining project, there’s one big decision you have to make: what time of year you’ll tackle the project. This decision has to do with more than just scheduling around holidays and vacation plans. In fact, it may be the most important decision you make as part of your deck remodel. After all, it doesn’t matter if you’ve picked out the perfect stain color or the best exterior paint if bad weather causes your finish to peel! So what is the best time during the year to restain your deck, and what else should you know? Read below to find out.
When you think of weather elements that may damage your deck, the cold weather elements may come to mind: sleet, ice, snow, or hail. And you’d be right; all of those can damage the stain on your deck. Even though staining a deck on a sunny day may seem ideal, it’s also a potential problem. Too much sun (or wind or rain) can be just as dangerous.
What are the potential downsides? Even with the best deck paint, the wrong weather conditions can result in stain not adhering to the surface. You also risk streaking, uneven finish, and debris becoming stuck in the stain. In other words, probably not a risk you want to take.
It’s best to restain your deck when the weather is mild. Aim for a time that you’ll have several days without any predicted storms. Find several days where the temperature will be below 85 degrees.
For a lot of the United States, you’ll find these mild days in the spring or fall, and that’s when most experts will recommend staining your deck. In Turlock, the best months to aim for are February, March, April, May, October, and November. Of those months, May and October tend to also have the least amount of precipitation, so you’ll most likely find several mild, warm, dry days. Of course, weather changes, so if you’re in an off-peak month with ideal conditions, go for it.
If you’re ready to restain your deck (or stain it for the first time) and the weather is right, call the Lancaster Painting company. Our general contractors can take those perfect conditions and give your deck the perfect stain. For a high quality stain job that will last through every season, contact Lancaster today.
