Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
moisture
James Runchey
I bought 4 1x8x12' cedartone ground contact pressure treated boards to repair my shed. I plan to paint them before putting them on and am wondering when they are dry enough for the paint to hold well. How can I tell without a moisture meter?
my personal rule is when you cut them, if..
David Weaver
..the sawdust feels dry, then they're ready to go. If it doesn't, I let them dry a little more. I wouldn't be surprised if latex type paint let the moisture out slowly until it cured (at least a little), anyway.
Re: moisture
Garthfromsandiego
Get them stickered and weighted immediately or they are likely to become unusable. Based on my experience, I would allow about a month to dry. Variables include how wet it was to start, how they're stored, and your local weather.
Re: moisture
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
If we leave a 2 x 6 deck board exposed out on the bridge we are decking, in a week it has lost most of the weight it had coming out of treatment. It is certainly dry enough to paint. It has been in the 90's out on the bridge by day.
Treated lumber is sold "wet" and KD. If what you bought was "wet" it would be a mistake to not install it and let it dry in place. If left to dry free to distort it may distort. Or it might not. Depends on the details of the growth. If what you bought is KD it can be painted at once.