In the summertime it can be difficult to work out just the right window of time for painting or staining your deck. First, you need to wait until you’ve had at least 2 dry days, and then you have to make sure it won’t get wet for a while afterwards. And then, how soon can you walk on it? And when can you put your furniture back on your stained deck?
Keep off Newly Painted or Stained Deck
In average conditions, your paint or stain will be dry to the touch within 1-2 hours, but you should not walk on it for probably 4-6 hours. In cooler weather or during periods of high humidity, you will need to wait even longer than this. If you need to walk on your deck and you are not sure if it is quite ready, clean your feet and go barefoot. This reduces the chances of leaving footprints.
It is best to wait at least a full day before moving light furniture back on the deck. Heavy items, such as umbrella stands, grills or planters, should really stay off for a week, if possible. If the deck paint or stain is not fully cured, it could stick to the furniture and peel away when it is moved.
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