Why You Need To Prep New Wood After Seasoning
Seasoning is the term used for allowing new wood to dry out prior to applying TWP stain. The dry time will vary depending on different factors. Your local climate and weather can play a role in the seasoning of new wood. The amount of sun exposure the wood receives each day is a huge factor. Whether it is a fence, roof shakes, or a deck the amount of sun exposure can vary the seasoning period. A deck in full sun for example will season faster than one in a mostly shaded area. On average, the seasoning period is around 4-12 months for new wood and 1 month for KDAT wood.
After seasoning, the new wood should be prepped prior to applying TWP stain. This confuses many people because the wood is new and does not seem like it needs to be cleaned or prepped. But nothing could be further from the truth. To understand why you need to prep new wood after seasoning you should consider the environment. Harsh sunrays will slowly begin to gray wood within a short time. Airborne dirt and pollution will land on the wood and begin to buildup. Human or pet foot traffic drag dirt onto wood surfaces.
Despite all the natural and manmade contaminants that dirty a wood surface from the very first day it is exposed, it also has contaminants from the sawmill. Even before you purchase the wood it will have mill glaze on it. Mill glaze is formed by heat caused by the friction of the saw blade at the mill. This glaze needs to be removed prior to staining or it can jeopardize the performance of the stain.
Prep new wood after seasoning with Gemini Restore Kit. This will clean the wood surface and free it of dirt, grime and any mill glaze. Then allow the wood to dry for several days before applying TWP stain.