When Should I Stain My New Deck? Lakewood NJ. There are many opinions out there about this, however at BlueJet Power Wash we strongly believe that one should not stain a deck until 8-12 months after installation. When a deck is built, the wood is very fresh, and has lots of water in it. In fact the tree may have been cut down mere weeks or days before it was made in to your deck. The next time you are in Home Depot, visit the lumber section and try lifting a simple 2x4....it's very heavy. The reason it's so heavy is because it's full of water. For deck staining to be successful, the wood must be very dry. Too much moisture in the wood, and the stain will not adhere and won't be absorbed into the wood. We say wait 8-12 months to stain your new deck, because you want the wood to "season", meaning by sitting out a few seasons the wood can dry out enough so the stain can be absorbed. The information is crucial, because the leading cause for deck stain failure is having too much moisture in the wood. Many homeowners who build a new deck will then ask the contractor, when should I stain my new deck? Lakewood NJ. and many contractors will tell you to stain it as soon as possible. After all you just spent so much money on a new deck, don't you want to protect it? It sounds logical, but unfortunately it's misguided information. Call a deck staining compay that is expereinced in exterior wood restoration, and they help you protect your deck....at the right time.