How long should I wait to stain my new wood fence? The truth is an exact time table can't be given and the answer to this question depends on the weather condition. But what we do know is the wood needs to be dry and in a state to be able to absorb the stain. So often we fence guys and girls hear this question and the answers you will hear about the wait time for staining a fence can be across the board. I have heard 30 days, 3 months and even a year. Unfortunately you hear different answers to this question because people are just giving you a answer when they really don't know. There are many factors that determine the amount of time it takes a fresh wood fence to dry out. Some of these factors can be how much sun does the wood receives, what is the weather like, how much has it rained, how shady or sunny the property is, what time of year it is, and so on.
Here is our suggestion. Take a little water and put it on your wood fence, if it beads up it is not ready, but if the wood absorbs the water it is ready for stain. If we were forced to give a time table we would recommend around 60 days. Hope this helps as you work hard to preserve and maintain your wood fence!
