To help the paint adhere use a bristle brush to coat the surface with a primer designed for exterior use on pressure.
Treated lumber paint or stain.
A water based stain is recommended for proper absorption into the wood.
If the water beads up the wood is too wet and you need to wait before applying a finish.
So it is way easier to get a smooth finish when you paint the pressure treated wood than if you were to stain it.
Paints need to be acrylic based latex exterior use for cca treated wood exterior or interior use for acq treated wood.
If the water soaks into the wood then it s dry and ready for stain or paint.
Make sure the wood is dry.
You have to prepare the surface of the wood with primer before you can paint it.
Stain is more budget friendly.
You probably know that wood swells when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries.
Selecting the proper paint or stain is important when deciding to cover pressure treated wood.
A standard water test will let you know.
For a wood deck or fence i prefer the look and longevity of a semi transparent stain.
Pressure treated wood is ready to stain when it is no longer retaining the excess moisture from the treatment process.
Sealing painting and staining pressure treated wood a project s not really done until it s finished.
Painting wood evenly is not as hard as staining wood evenly.
Disadvantages of painting pressure treated wood.
It has already been prepared and all the moisture has been removed.
Using a brush apply at least two coats of latex paint to see best results.
If you are absolutely set on painting or staining your pressure treated lumber here are a few suggestions.
And an outdoor project s not finished until it s been stained sealed or painted.
And the constant shrinkage and expansion of the wood causes paint to peel over time.
So it s actually better for beginners to paint the wood.
While you can paint a pressure treated wood deck i don t recommend it.
Allow the wood to dry completely and otherwise prepare the same ways you would when staining.
A wood deck takes a lot of abuse from sun rain and snow.
Best way to tell if the pressure treated lumber is dry is to test the dryness by sprinkling the wood s surface with water.