Will Morning Dew Effect Deck Paint? (Things You Need To Know)

One of the main reasons why you would want to paint your wood deck is to protect it from dew and rain. But if you want the product to work its magic, you would have to figure out when exactly to apply the paint.

Morning dew can affect the deck paint by slowing down the product’s drying time; the moisture can also ruin the final look and have an effect on the paint’s durability. That’s exactly why you would want to start painting your deck only once the dew had fully gone away.

A lot of homeowners know that painting a wet deck is not a great idea, as the moisture will get trapped inside the wood. But is there anything that you can do to protect the deck from morning dew before the actual painting day?

Below you will find a few helpful tips.

Will Morning Dew Effect Deck Paint?

Before painting the deck, you would have to make sure that the wood is completely dry. In fact, you are going to need around four completely dry days for preparation and the application of the paint and finish.

If you paint wet wood, the product will literally trap the moisture inside, preventing the wood from fully drying. When the painted deck will have a chance to finally dry, the paint will end up getting ‘pulled off’ the deck along with the moisture. This can lead to all sorts of problems – starting from rot and other physical damage to the wood and ending with an unaesthetic look.

Morning dew is one of the things that can make the wood damp. How will the dew affect your deck paint?

The morning dew will slow down the drying time.
Depending on the type of paint, the dew might affect the paint’s final look.
Finally, moisture has an effect on the paint’s durability.

Once the paint has dried completely, morning dew will no longer be able to ruin it. Furthermore, the dried product will actually start protecting the wood deck from moisture.

When Should You Paint Your Deck?

Ideally, you would want to apply the paint to the deck once the morning dew has had a chance to dry out. The time just before sunrise is the coolest time of the day, and that is exactly when the moisture droplets would form on your deck.

Normally, the dew will fully go away between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. The exact time would depend on how high and intense the sun is. In a nutshell, the morning dew will not affect the paint on your deck, if you decide to apply it after 10 a.m.

Don’t wait for too long to start applying the paint though. Dew will start to form once again as the temperatures drop, so you would want to make sure that the paint has enough time to dry before the sun sets.

How to Protect the Deck from Dew Before Painting?

If you want to make sure that morning dew does not affect the paint, follow one of these scenarios:

Choose the perfect day for painting – some paints require a whole week of dry weather to properly cure. So, taking care of the deck on a dry week, when the temperatures at night do not drop too low is the best way to ensure that the paint doesn’t get ruined.
However, you can always choose to physically protect the deck from morning dew before painting day. For example, you can cover the deck with plastic before the temperature drops.
Finally, if the weather forecast is not promising at all and you don’t have any covers, then you might want to get a special paint that is designed to be applied on damp wood. Bear in mind that you would still have to try to avoid painting the deck on a rainy day.

How to Protect the Deck from Dew?

Applying the right type of paint once the morning dew had dried is actually a great way to protect the deck from future dew. Go for waterproof paint that is going to keep the moisture away from the wood – the droplets won’t ruin the deck by getting inside the pores.

Oil-based paints are, in general, more effective at protecting the deck from moisture. They are also more durable than water-based paints, but, at the same time, contain volatile organic compounds.

Protection against moisture is not the only ‘pro’ of getting your deck painted. Here are a few other important benefits:

UV protection

UV light can change the color of your wood and make it more vulnerable. A good-quality wood deck paint should have a high UV protection rating.

Resistance to mold and mildew

If the paint is able to protect the deck from moisture, then, consequently, it will also be able to keep mold and mildew at bay. There are paints that feature a special anti-mold film, so you might want to find such an option.

Increased durability

In general, deck paints are more long-lasting than stains. Moreover, there are paints that last even longer than the other ones. For example, some oil-based paints can last for a whole decade (in case you manage to take proper care of the deck, of course).

A great aesthetic outcome

When choosing a deck paint, you’ll be able to pick from a wide range of colors and sheens. Unlike with deck stain, the visual options are pretty much endless.

Moreover, paint has a thicker consistency which allows it to effectively conceal the flaws that your deck might have.

Final Thoughts

Will morning dew effect deck paint?

These droplets of water can ruin all your efforts if you choose to paint the deck too early (before the dew has had a chance to dry).

However, the good news is that once you are done applying the paint and it had enough time to properly cure, the product will start protecting your deck from any kind of moisture damage (morning dew included).

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Will Morning Dew Effect Deck Paint? (Things You Need To Know)