Newly built Pergola, treat it with?

[Greg Pierce]

Hi everyone,
I have a problem. I have built a pergola out of Pressure treated pine. I understand your not supposed to treat the PTP for about 6 months to let it cure and dry out. My problem is I don't have six months. I built it for a display at a lawn and garden show in 2 weeks. I have it in my shop trying to dry it as much as possible but it is literally wet, (some parts). I don't want the green look of PTP. My question is what should I use to stain it, paint it, or other. I am OK with it being a sacrificial stain job. Just wondering if anyone has come across this same situation.

Thanks in advance.

[Carl Eyman]

I have used Olympic Stain or one of its competitors on wet PT wood. It seems to do OK. I can't remember what they called the color, but it was sort of a silver gray.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello Greg,

"Just wondering if anyone has come across this same situation."

For close to three years, I ran across dealing with complaints from unhappy users that did this on an almost daily basis.

My experience here may be dated since it involved staining chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated lumber.
The product we had the fewest complaints from was Thompson's Water Seal's line of stains.

Please understand that all of them failed when applied to wet PT. Some worse than others.

I believe if it were me, I'd treat it in the same fashion as structural & fabricated steel - where a sacrificial "primer" is applied to protect the steel in transport, with the idea in mind that it will be removed.
I'd give it a "wash coat" of an interior stain. The interior product will quickly weather off and the lumber coated properly.

Please don't attempt to paint it. That will create a real headache down the road for someone.

[Greg Pierce]

Thanks Carl, and Rich, I think I will just stain it with interior stain. I knew it would be sacrificial. I guess my main concern or question was if it would even stick to or cover the wet wood.

I have sanded all pieces with course, 80 grit, hoping to open up the wood a little and encourage drying, and have my behemoth wood furnace cranked up in the shop trying to suck some moisture out. I am going to let the pieces set until next week, then see what happens.

Thanks for the input.

[Karl Knoernschild]

I built a pergola this past summer out of PT pine, which was still very wet in some areas when I brought it home. I let it dry as much as possible, then sanded and put on two coats of exterior solid color stain (the red Olympic can, available at the blue borg). The solid color stain looks pretty much like flat paint, but is supposed to allow moisture to pass. After eight months in the weather, it still looks brand new.