Can I stain a new pressure treated wood deck?

Question

Had a new pressure-treated wood deck surface placed last week. Unsure if it is pine or fir. Need to find out if I can stain it. If so, what kind of preparation involved.

Answer 1

I waited exactly one year; then power washed it on one weekend and stained it the following.  

Answer 2

Most manufacturers reccommend letting it age for 6 months before staining. Check with your local lumberyard or the manufacturer

Answer 3

Krammar is right you can stain but i wont stick as well just let it go till spring its pressure treated it will be fine

Answer 4

There isn't an easy, "works on everything" answer to this. It  really depends on the wood product you used and the type of finish you want to put on it. For example, treated wood that is kiln dried after being treated (KDAT) can usually be finished immediately.  However, with standard treated wood the timing of any finish depends on the finish itself. Some can be applied immediately, some should not be applied until the wood has had time to dry out. The "six month" dry out time is generally recommended when painting treated wood, or when using a heavily pigmented stain that forms a paint-like film on the surface. But it doesn't apply to every deck finish.

So the best bet is to check installation instructions for the type of finish you are considering. Here's more information about deck finishes:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/...

Also, check the link below for info from one wood treating company regarding finishing.