Connect to your favourite weather forecaster and look for the following conditions:
Category: Finishes Product: Stains -- Latex & Oil based
Temperature Limitations: Use above +10 C (+50 F) and below +32 C (+90 F)
Rain Limitations: No rain for 24 hours
Wind Limitations: High winds dry it too fast
Humidity Limitations: n/a
Continuous Conditions: Rain free 24 hours -- frost free 72 hours
Comments: Although manufactures are working on developing products that can be used at lower and lower temperatures, some stain applications now going as low as 0 deg C, most stains require it to be well above freezing (above 10 C / 50 F) and not so hot as to dry too fast (below 32 C / 90 F). It is critical that you check the label. If must be dry for at least 12 hours to avoid washing out or leaving water marks. If the wind is too high, the paint will dry too fast, especially if the humidity is low and the temperatures high. Spray painting in the wind is not recommended. Final cure can be as long as 72 hours. Most stains require no freezing for 72 hours. Don't wait too late in the season to stain that deck!
Weather limitations on most renovation products can be located on the WEATHER tab above.
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APPLICATION / INSTALLATION DETAILS
Getting a stain to come out the right colour is not an easy task.
First just take a piece of raw wood and wet it -- the colour changes drastically. Applying a water repellent or other clear finish over stained wood will darken, often enrich the colour, but it will not be the same.
Wood samples in the store, although better than nothing, are often misleading because the colour will be different on different types of wood and the colour will be different depending on what finish is used over or with the stain. Stain mixed with water repellent, in the same product; tend to give more consistent colour results.
If the colour is critically important to you, apply whatever you are planning to use to a piece of scrap wood, dry, finish, everything as if this was the real job and then evaluate if the colour is right or should you experiment with more or less colour or a different shade. Remember that there is a cardinal rule for both painting and staining -- work wet-on-wet.
Click here for doing that outdoors. Click here for an overview of deck finishes. And you may want to know about how to block pine sap from constantly creeping through your finish.