Stain new shed before assembling it - good idea?

Question

I've ordered a new shed, which will be delivered flat pack. I'm thinking that, before I assemble it, it would be a good idea to stain the pieces first - that way even the concealed edges will be thoroughly stained. However, the can of stain that I bought says that pressure-treated wood should be allowed to weather for a few weeks before you stain it. I don't understand why. Are sheds pressure treated when they are made? Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Assuming your shed is pressure treated, the treatment forces a solution of the preservatives into the wood along with a huge amount of water. P.T. wood is soaking wet which means that:
1. Adhesion of the stain may be poor
2. Blistering of the stain is possible
3. The wood will not be dimensionally stable. As it shrinks coatings can crack, and of course, the assembled shed may warp.
If you are using a penetrating stain you can just try it on a spot - if it penetrates, the stain should hold. If you are using one of the "semi-transparent" (or opaque) stains which are basically just a thinned down paint you could have problems.
Given 3, above, you would think the shed manufacturers would allow the shed time after treatment to attain fair dimensional stability. If they have cured the assembly, then all I'd do is give it a good rinse and let it dry. In most areas of the country now its probably better to let it dry inside above freezing and at low humidity. Don't leave it too long since wood can loose too much water inside and warp, also when you take it back outside as it gains back moisture to its "natural" level. I'd call the shed manufacturer to see what their recommendations are and whether they do allow enuff time for cure. Water-based stains will be less likely to cause a problem, but with cured wood, alkyd or solvent based will perform much better (everything else being equal). Some alkyds/solvent based don't dry well on P.T. so check that if you're using one.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

most wood materials are heat treated, but some are also pressure treated to compact the wood and prevent insect damage when used outdoors. unless the materils state they are pressure treated, they aren't. but the will be heat treated. it dries the wood after cutting it. if the shed is made from plywood, it may have been pressure treated to completely dry and bond the layers of wood. the stain you bought is used on non-plywood materials rather than plywood unless you have let it weather which helps make the wood a bit more receptive to the stain by stretching the wood fibers slightly. while you can still use the stain you bought, i would recommend you exchange it for one which doesn't require weathering for pressure treated wood. alo, onec you have stained the wood, and before you assemble it, use a good quality weatherproofing coating such as thompson's to seal the wood from external water. do both sides and all edges with at least two coats for best coverage let it dry and then assemble. to prevent any seepage at the edges, use a silicone, paintable caulk on all seams and lastly, paint it thoroughly with a good exterior latex paint or clearcoat. use at least two layers.

Answer 4

Depends on the source of the shed as to if its pre-treated or not... ask the company your buying it from.

Weathering the shed first just gets rid of the residue from when they are pre treated .. you can buy varieties that can go straight on, and then you can paint before assembly .

Final thought ... If you have enough room just stand the panels up for a couple of weeks before assembly then you can do both the things you want.

Answer 5

If your shed is 'Tanalised' ie pressure treated it should be a light green colour and theoretically be impervious to rotting for many years and the advice is correct, if not pressure treated. By all means stain especially the floor, lower planks and edges of roof as this is where the building will start to rot.

Answer 6

Always worth doing first, especially underneath the base, as once built you cannot access that area
And as far as waiting for a few weeks , forget it. most sheds are manufactured from timber already pressure treated before assembly, then once made are normally stored outside for a few months before sold anyway

Answer 7

Max,

Great idea, if you can stain it while flat you will save time and reduce wasted stain. There is no reason not to stain it before assembly.

Answer 8

Staining the wood really brings out ANY marks on it (i learned that in D&T (y) ) If you stain it first it means there wont be bits you miss because you cant get to. If it is a nice wood you could just varnish & wax it instaed of staining it (i think it looks better, and its easier ie.marks from glue(if you use any?) etc wont show up as much)

Answer 9

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Answer 10

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